A Reexamination of the Effects of Race and Social Class on the Incidence of Marital Violence: A Search for Reliable Differences

Abstract

The limitations of theory as well as the dearth of well-controlled empirical research on the association of race as well as race-by-class differences on the incidence of husband-to-wife violence has resulted in an insufficient data base to construct useful and valid conclusions. Consequently, the effects of race and social class were examined in a comparative study of husband-to-wife violence experienced by 307 black and white women across three social class positions who lived in a southeastern metropolitan city. In contrast to previous characterizations of marital violence among black couples, the results of this research reveal no significant differences between the proportion of black and white women who were victims of marital violence. The data do suggest that when social class positions are controlled, black middle class women experienced more violence than their white counterparts. This comparative investigation highlights implications for theory development and future research.