Women, Violence with Intimates, and Substance Abuse: Relevant Theory, Empirical Findings, and Recommendations for Future Research

Abstract

Evidence from the disparate domains of anthropology, criminology, psychology, and sociology indicates that women are involved in many of the same acts of aggression and violence as men, and that substance use may play an important role in these acts. Yet little is known of the pathways between violence and drugs for women. The aims of this paper are threefold: 1) To review and integrate existing literature addressing female violence and substance abuse, presenting available epidemiology, theories, and research applicable to the study of this problem. 2) To examine the political and methodological obstacles to conducting systematic research on female aggressiveness. 3) To offer recommendations for future epidemiological, preventive, and therapeutic research efforts in this vital yet grossly understudied area.