Note: This is an excerpt of an article. I have the article in its entirety
but really can't post it on the web without the permission of Ms. Linda G. Mills
or Sage Publications. I have only included the first paragraph as that
has the erroneous claim of releveance.
Abstract
New laws and policies in domestic violence cases, such as mandatory arrest and
no-drop prosecution, have been implemented despite empirical evidence that arrest
and prosecution may not in fact deter future violence. This critical literature
review suggests a shift in the direction of future domestic violence research,
contending that victim empowerment is a critical missing variable in previous
studies designed to assess recidivism. A method is presented for incorporating
and, hence, assessing such factors as both court and personal empowerment in
future studies. Until empowerment theories are tested further, jurisdictions
should be flexible, mandating law enforcement and prosecutors to provide tailored
services, services that discern which interventions are most likely to ensure
this battered woman's safety.
COPYRIGHT 1998 Sage Publications, Inc.
Domestic violence, violence between adult intimate partners, kills an average
of four women every day in the United States (Stout, 1989). Domestic violence
is prevalent in all racial, ethnic, and economic groups, transcending all
social barriers (Zorza, 1992). It is the largest cause of injury to women
ages 15 to 44 (Novello, Rosenberg, Saltzman, & Shosky, 1992). Of all female
homicides, 31% are attributed to domestic violence (U.S. Department of Justice, 1992).
If current abuse patterns continue, some estimate that up to 50% of all women
will be victims of domestic violence at some point in their lives (Corsilles, 1994).
This page was last updated on March 27, 2008.