The Cessation of Assaults on Wives

Abstract

While it is often assumed that violence against wives continues, increasing in frequency and intensity over time, representative sample studies show that cessation of violence occurs in a substantial proportion of cases. Using a nationally representative sample of Canadian women, this study tests for the importance of variables related to the frequency and severity of assaults, isolation of female partners, male partners’ beliefs in male dominance, as well as selected socio-economic variables for predicting the cessation of assaults on wives. Zero-order odds ratios and logistic regression analyses are used to test for the significance of the effects. The results suggest that a continuation of assaults on wives is predicted by the frequency of previous assaults, the youth of male perpetrators, living in a common-law relationship, the duration of the union, and higher education for female victims. Attempts to isolate victims from contact with family and friends and to prevent access to the family income elevated the risk of continued violence, as did behavioural demonstrations of beliefs in the right to degrade female partners through name-calling and put-downs.