Citation

Griffiths E, Yule C, Gartner R. Violence Against Women 2018; 24(6): 697-717.

Affiliation

University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077801217711267

PMID

29332491

Abstract

Violence between social equals differs in character from violence between persons in asymmetrical relationships. Specifically, issues of contention motivating violence vary by the relative status of opponents, such that violence over symbolic issues is more common between symmetrical than asymmetrical opponents. Recent studies have substantiated these predictions in nonpartner relationships. Using data from interviews of incarcerated women, this study explores how intimate partner violence compares with violence between nonpartner opponents. We find that intimate partner violence is more likely to involve symbolic issues compared with violence between all kinds of nonpartner opponents. Consequently, intimate partnerships might be viewed as hypersymmetrical.

Language: en

Keywords

intimate partner violence; issue of contention; nonpartner violence; status contests