“Not all Intimate Partner Violence is Equal”

Reducing instances of intimate partner violence is not a one-size-fits-all solution, however Griffith University researchers have identified four common “scripts” that can help understand the stages of a crime event and lead to the development of better preventative measures.

The study looked at 40 incidents of intimate partner violence that were recorded by the Queensland Police Service, identifying salient themes of mounting jealousy, persistent possessiveness, control over victim agency, and perpetual argument. The paper, “Different Texts, Different Groups: A Crime Scenario Analysis Indicates Intimate Partner Violence Is Not Everything” is published in the journal. violence against Woman.

In a new approach, the research looked at the actions of the perpetrators as well as the reactions of the victims, identifying the different ways in which the victims tried to protect themselves, de-escalate the situation or remove themselves from the situation.

Principal researcher and Ph.D. Candidate Christine Carney of the Griffith Criminology Institute first participated in the study when working in the field of domestic and family violence, supporting frontline police and other individuals dealing with people experiencing intimate partner violence.

She said it can often be difficult to identify who is most in need of protection or assistance when problems have generally been going on for a long time and both parties are at a crisis point.

“By looking at the police data, we’ve gained a better understanding of what’s really going on and the different roles played by the perpetrator and the victim, as well as the role of the bystander in terms of how the incident is ultimately resolved,” Carney said.

“We often talk about arguments escalating into violence and there can be a range of factors that cause this.

“The data has also shown that 50% of incidents attended by police may have high risk indicators, so gaining a better understanding can help inform police and other staff of these risk levels and allow for a more considerate approach.”

Three of the four subjects also involved substance abuse with a history of domestic violence or violence in general also seen across the four groups.

Co-author Professor Mark Kebbell from the School of Applied Psychology said one of the most obvious ways to prevent violence or improve relationships is to treat and reduce the use of, and addiction to, alcohol and illicit substances.

Prof Kebbell said: “We need more services for people who have problems with alcohol and other drugs.”

“Obviously, these individuals find it difficult to negotiate arguments and communicate effectively in their relationships, but when you add alcohol, cannabis, or amphetamines to the mix, things only go downhill from there.

“A lot of times we don’t even need to tell these people that they have a problem with alcohol — they’re aware of it, they want help and they’re actually quite motivated to change themselves, there’s just not much there for them.”

Further studies by the team will look at victimization and abusive history to better understand the effects, as well as identify potential points for intervention or prevention.