Literature Review on Domestic Violence

What Makes a Person Violent: Literature Review Since the beginning of the human race, domestic violence has been present. However, it was not until recent centuries that people began to look at it as a crime. To many people, in many cultures, domestic violence was seen as not only acceptable, but necessary in some situations. In a study conducted by Hines and Saudino (2002), domestic violence in close, intimate relationships is a country wide problem within the United States. The last nationally conducted survey found that an estimated 16 percent of married Americans experienced domestic violence within the previous year. That means that approximately 8.7 million couples have been affected by domestic violence (Hines, Saudino 2002). Information also indicated that out of the couples that experienced domestic violence, 3.4 million received severe injury. However, this is a problem that reaches far beyond our shores. This is a crisis that has plagued nations all around the world. Among various studies, the majority of research focuses on the social learning theory, physiological factors, and alcohol on a person’s likelihood of becoming an offender of domestic violence.
Social Learning Theory In recent years, studies involving domestic violence have placed the spot light on the power of being socially learned in violent behaviors. Within the criminal justice field, the domestic violence theory suggest that abuse is a behavior that is taught and picked up from learned experiences within the persons family or society in which they were, or are surrounded (Kernsmith 2006). The study of Intergenerational transmission has become one of the most popular theories to domestic violence (Corvo 2006). In a study done by Kernsmith (2006), a written survey was given to only English-speaking people, that were patients in prevention programs throughout Los Angelo’s County , California. Amongst the fifteen centers chosen to participate, 52.6 percent of those who

References: Corvo, K. (2006). Violence, separation, and loss in the families of origin of domestically violent men. Journal of Family Violence, 21(2), 117-125. doi: 10.1007/s10896-005-9011-1 Hines, D., & Saudino, K. (2002). Intergenerational transmission of intimate partner violence: A behavioral genetic perspective. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 3, 210-225. doi: 10.1177/15248380020033004 Kernsmith, P. (2006). Gender differences in the impact of family of origin violence on perpetrators of domestic violence. Journal of Family Violence, 21(2), 163-171. doi: 10.1007/s10896-005-9014-y Lavinia, P., Sullivan, E., Rosenbaum, A., Wyyngarden, N., Umhau, J., Miller, M., & Taft, C. (2010). Biological correlates of intimate partner violence perpetration. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 15(5), 387-398. Livingston, M. (2011). A longitudinal analysis of alcohol outlet density and domestic violence. Addiction Research Report, 106, 919-925. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03333.x McKinney, C., Chartier, K., Caetano, R., & Harris, T. (2012). Alcohol availability and neighborhood poverty and their relationship to binge drinking and related problems among drinkers in committed relationships. Journal on Interpersonal Violence, 27(13), 2703-2727. doi: 10.1177/0886260512436396 Shorey, R., Brasfield, H., Jeniimarie, F. & Stuart, G. (2011). The association between impulsivity, trait anger, and the perpetration of intimate partner and general violence among women arrested for domestic violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26(13), 2681-2697. doi: : 10.1177/0886260510388289 Waller, M., Iritani, B., Christ, S., Clark, H., Moracco, K., Halpern, C., & Flewelling, R. (2011). Relationships among alcohol outlet density, alcohol use, and intimate partner violence victimization among young women in the united states. Journal of Interpersoanl Violence, 27(10), 2062-2086. doi: 10.1177/0886260511431435 Weldon, S., & Gilchrist, E. (2012). Implicit theories on intimate partner violence offenders. J Fam Viol, published online. doi: 10.1007/s10896-005-9014-y