Adult Perpetrators Chapter 10
INTRODUCTION Since 1993, the rate of nonfatal intimate partner violence has declined. Decline due to: Improved services for battered women Criminalization of intimate partner violence Increased involvement of law enforcement Courts that have provided sanctions Education of the public Society recognizes health risk
ABUSER CHARACTERISTICS Studies indicate a strong relationship between alcohol and/or drugs and intimate partner abuse committed by men against women. Similar association between alcohol use and battering in lesbian relationships. Aggression also linked with psychoactive drugs such as barbiturates, amphetamines, opiates, phencyclidine, cocaine, and alcohol cocaine combinations.
CHARACTERISTICS OF ABUSERS: Clinically assessed problematic individual, Displaying poor impulse control, Aggression, Fear of intimacy, Emotional dependence, Fear of abandonment, and Impaired ego functioning Mental health diagnoses: obsessive-compulsive, paranoid, borderline personality, passive-aggressive, narcissistic, and antisocial
GENDER AND AGE Most offenders are men who perpetrate against women. NCVS provides information on the prevalence of the crime. Men are the majority of offenders. Women are the primary victims. Crime against a spouse, 86% of the offenders are men. Against a boyfriend or girlfriend, 82% were men. Perpetrators tend to be between 18 and 35 years old, median age about 33.
DESCRIPTIONS OF THE BATTERER Controlling behaviors Fear and intimidation Animal cruelty Manipulation Excessive rule making Isolation
CONTROLLING BEHAVIORS Sometimes the control is due to jealousy. Perpetrator seeks control over the victim s time, dress, and behavior. Shows contempt. General lack of respect for the partner.
FEAR AND INTIMIDATION Achieved through violence or the perception of impending violence. Victims recall a particular look from the offender that serves as a warning signal of an explosion that is about to occur.
ANIMAL CRUELTY Adults who perpetrate intimate partner violence often abuse the victim s pet(s) as a means to control and intimidate the survivor. 71% of battered women in a shelter reported current or past pet ownership and their partner had threatened and/or actually hurt or killed one or more of their pets.
MANIPULATION Abusers have been characterized as the masters of manipulation Not unusual to beg for forgiveness after an abusive attack. Gifts and flowers may accompany the statements that they will never do it again.
EXCESSIVE RULE MAKING Partner must follow rules The rules suggests an unequal relationship based on dominance. A penalty or punishment is attached to the failure to fulfill expectations.
ISOLATION Demands for constant attention to the exclusion of friends and family, isolating the victim. Abuser insists on being the only focus of the victim s life. Extreme forms include demands that the victim must not work or denial of transportation to leave home. Geographic isolation increases vulnerability and places rural victims at a disadvantage to obtaining services.
STYLES OF VIOLENCE Two violent styles used by men against women have been identified: Tyrannical Offender: uses aggression, intimidation, verbal abuse, and physical assault to control and dominate his partner. Exploder Offender: experiences the violence as being out of control, sudden, and explosive, typically in response to partner criticisms, challenge, or pursuit.
HIGH- RISK OFFENDERS Researchers agree intimate partner battering is a pattern of behavior that follows predictable stages. Battering in severe cases may be as frequent as 60 times a year. Average abuse occurs about 5 times a year. The length of time in each stage can vary from hours to weeks. Power and control wheel used to illustrate the elements of power and control. (Duluth Model)
TWO CRITERIA TO IDENTIFY HIGH-RISK OFFENDERS Criteria A: Suspect initiated three or more instances of violence in the preceding year. Criteria B: Suspect threatened a partner with a weapon or verbally threatened to kill the partner; medical treatment was needed; physical abuse of a child occurred; suspect was physically abused as a child; severe violence between the parents; suspect was drunk; drug abuse, extreme dominance, thinks it is okay for a man to hit wife; forced sex; destruction of property; killing or injury to pets.
THE ROLE OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE Studies have long linked alcohol abuse with male-perpetrated intimate partner violence. Link between female offending and substance abuse is less clear. Drug and alcohol are not the cause of violence. There is a significant relationship between excessive drinking and drug use with violence against intimate partners. Association is contributory rather than causal. Substance abuse increases the risk.
THE ROLE OF ANIMAL CRUELTY Renewed interest in the link between intimate partner violence and animal abuse. Violence against pets is considered to be a predictor of adult violence in children. A strong predictor of violence against the intimate partner. These batterers use more forms of violence and demonstrate greater use of controlling behaviors. Women in domestic violence shelters were 11 times more likely to report that their partner hurt or killed their pets.
POLICE OFFICERS WHO BATTER Estimated to be at least as common as the general population. Limited research. Rate of physical abuse was approximately 7 percent to 8 percent, contrast to 10 general population. 20 percent to 40 percent of police families experience family violence. Intimate Partner Violence by Police Officers establishes the policy and procedures. (IACP, 2003)
MILITARY PERSONNEL Challenging due to the unique nature of the military services. Problem of jurisdiction. Many families live outside of military installations. Family incident that occurs off the military is under the jurisdiction of the local civilian authorities. Process of civilian arrest and protection order violation arrest varies by state. The Department of Defense has taken a strong proactive position.
ABUSIVE MEN -- RISK FACTORS Aggressive and hostile personality Antisocial personality Depression Emotional dependency Insecurity Low impulse control Low empathy Low income Narcissism Poor communication and social skills
THREE TYPES OF VIOLENT MEN 1. Family only offenders 2. Dysphoric or borderline offenders 3. Generally violent or antisocial offenders Most batterers did not suffer from severe personality dysfunction and good candidates for cognitive-behavioral group therapy.
MALE PERPETRATORS OF MARITAL RAPE Defined as an unwanted intercourse or penetration (vaginal, anal, or oral) obtained by force, threat of force, or when the wife is unable to consent. Determining the extent of marital rape is complicated. Rape is prohibited by law in all states. 26 states still provide exemptions to husbands. Has long-term and severe consequences. Accompanied by other forms of violence.
MALE PERPETRATORS OF DATING VIOLENCE Men with a family history of observing and experiencing abuse are more likely to inflict abuse, violence, and sexual aggression during the courtship years. As the consumption of alcohol increases, the rate of serious injuries associated with dating violence also increases. Males have sexually aggressive peers. Acceptance of dating violence and rape myths
ABUSIVE WOMEN Women rates are equal to or greater than men. Male-to-female violence is more harmful than female-to-male violence. Female victims more likely to be injured, to require medical attention. Women arrested have higher rates of mental disorders. Significant higher levels of victimization. Male victimization tends to be dismissed.
FEMALE PERPETRATORS OF PHYSICAL DATING VIOLENCE Women are both victims and perpetrators f physical dating violence at the same rate or higher rate than men. Either person may instigate violence, regardless of gender. Women assault at about the same rate as men.
OFFENDERS AGAINST OLDER ADULTS Adult children were more likely than spouse to financially abuse. Spouse were more likely than adult children to physically abuse. 71 percent of older victims were women. Victims spouse and adult children were the most likely perpetrators. Financial abuse are specific crimes to the aging population.
FIVE CATEGORIES OF OLDER ADULT OFFENDERS CHARACTERISTICS 1. Overwhelmed offenders 2. Impaired offenders 3. Narcissistic offenders 4. Domineering or bullying offenders 5. Sadistic offenders
PERPETRATORS OF SEXUAL ABUSE AGAINST OLDER ADULTS Less than 1 percent of cases reported to APS involve sexual abuse against an older adult. Percentage of victims aged 50 and older ranged from 2.1 percent to 7 percent of adult sexual victimizations. Offenders ranged in age from 13 to 90 years old, largest group between 30 to 39 years old. One quarter of the perpetrators were strangers to the victim. Largest group comprised a family member.