Toward a more comprehensive understanding of interpersonal violence: Introduction to the special issue on interconnections among different types of violence.

Abstract

Recent epidemiological work shows that most victims of interpersonal violence have experienced other forms of violence as well. Similarly, perpetrators of one type of violence often engage in aggression in other contexts, and many people report both perpetration and victimization. This special issue presents 8 studies on the leading edge of research investigating the interconnections among different forms of violence, abuse, and maltreatment. They examine links between sexual and physical abuse, intimate partner violence, teen dating violence, community violence, and violent media. Together, they suggest that focusing on the co-occurrence of different types of violence has the potential to advance our understanding of the causes and consequences of violence and to develop more effective approaches to prevention and intervention.