Woman battering in Israel: the relative contributions of interpersonal factors.

ABSTRACT

Interpersonal factors were examined in 60 couples who reported violence by male against female partner and in 60 couples who did not. Violent men reported lower partnership quality and less social support than did nonviolent men. Battered women reported lower partnership quality but more positive social support than did women with nonviolent partners. Level of violence was predicted by level of child-rearing conflict and the availability of social support for the violent men.

ABSTRACT

PIP This paper seeks to examine whether Israeli couples who report interpersonal violence would also report low-quality lives, conflict child-related interactions, and unsatisfactory social support outside the marriage. The sample included 60 violent men and their partners, matched with 60 nonviolent couples. Analyses were performed to determine differences between violent spouse and nonviolent spouse. Men's use of physical violence in relation to intimate and social relationships was also examined. Findings indicated that violent men and battered women tend to live with distinctly lower-quality marital relationships. Moreover, violent men had less social support than nonviolent men; whereas battered women had more positive social support than women with nonviolent partners did. Men's physical violence toward women was found to be associated with men's perception of high conflict over child rearing and the availability of close social support. Finally, the results of this study emphasize the importance of interpersonal relationship factors, both within and outside the marriage, when understanding relationships wherein men abuse their women partners.