Domestic Violence

Wendy C. Regoeczi is professor and chair of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of South Carolina, USA.

• IntroductionHow To Use This Book1. Causes and Risk Factors of Domestic ViolenceQ1. Is domestic violence a response to provocation by the victim?Q2. Is alcohol responsible for domestic violence? Q3. What are the chief characteristics of domestic violence situations that turn lethal?Q4. Do men who kill intimate partners often have a prior history of domestic violence?Q5. Is domestic violence a risk factor for mass murder? Q6. Does access to firearms increase the risk of intimate partner homicide?2. Public Perceptions of Domestic ViolenceQ7. Is the public’s perception of domestic violence based on established facts and research?Q8. Is domestic violence a relatively rare crime in modern society?Q9. Does domestic violence only refer to physical violence? Q10. Does strangulation always leave visible injuries?Q11. Does domestic violence occur mostly in impoverished neighborhoods?Q12. Is violence among teen dating partners less severe than among adult partners?Q13. Do women ever kill their whole family?Q14. What impact did the COVID-19 pandemic have on domestic violence?3. Domestic Violence VictimsQ15. What obstacles do domestic violence victims often confront when trying to leave their abusers?Q16. Are domestic violence victims always young women?Q17. Are pregnant women more at risk of intimate partner homicide?Q18. Do men seek help for domestic violence victimization?Q19. If they do not witness the violence directly, are children harmed by abusive relationships between their parents?4. Domestic Violence OffendersQ20. Are men and women equally likely to commit domestic violence?Q21. Does domestic violence refer to violence among heterosexual couples only?Q22. Are mothers who kill their children insane?Q23. Are domestic violence offenders mentally ill?Q24. Do women ever kill their partners out of jealousy?5. Domestic Violence and the Criminal Justice SystemQ25. Can domestic violence be stopped by sending offenders to batterer treatment?Q26. Can mediation reduce domestic violence?Q27. What punishment do people convicted of domestic violence offenses receive?Q28. Can the criminal justice system protect women from domestic violence offenders? Q29. Does mandatory arrest reduce recidivism among domestic violence offenders?Q30. Do all women who kill their batterers claim the battered women’s defense?Q31. Do specialized domestic violence courts or dockets increase accountability for domestic violence offenders? 6. Domestic Violence and PolicyQ32. Are domestic violence victims protected by fair housing policies?Q33. Are domestic violence victims protected by workplace policies?Q34. Can restorative justice be used effectively to address domestic violence?Q35. Are pets sometimes targeted in domestic violence situations?Q36. How does divorce factor into intimate partner homicide?Subject IndexAbout the Author