The etiology of male partner violence against women in common-law and marital unions, an analysis of a national survey in Canada

by Brownridge, Douglas A.

Most research on violence against women combines those who are cohabiting with mÿmed persons. However. this practice confounds Our understanding of the etiology of violence ügainst women. Using Statistics Canada's (1993) Violerice Aguimt Worrrrii S~iwey, it is demonstrüted that Canadian women who cohabit, those who cohabited with someone other than their husband pnor to becoming mamed, and those who did not cohabit before mmiage are three distinct groups. Women in these marital stütus groups differ in terms of both the prevalence of their victimizarion and the variables thüt üccount for the violence they cxpenence. The results suggest thiit marital stütus differences are not due to the status of the relationship. Neither are these differences due solely to the type of people who are selected into cohabitation nor are they strictly the result of chüractenstics of the different types of relÿtionships. The analyses ülso provide vinunlly no support for previously existing theories in the family violence literature. Rather. it appears thüt different processes produce violence for each group. For each marital ststus category, different combinations of selection and relationship variables unite to form unique expenençes. For cohabiting women. several of these characteristics. including factors that rnay be linked to iheir routine activities, combine to form ü less stable relationship nomos and produce violence. Violence experienced by those who cohûbited before mariage, on the other hand. seems to be linked to the development of n less stable relationship nomos through selection and relationship characteristics that suggest social marginality. Violence among women who did not cohrbit before miimage seems to be linked to dominnnce that is chmcteristic of a patriarchal nomos. These results imply that future research into the causes of partner violence should focus on each marital status group separatel y. The completion of this dissertation represents the culmination of many yem of academic achievement. There are severül people who have assisted me over this period of intellectual discovery and to whom 1 owe a debt of gratitude. Though space sonstraints rcnder irnpossiblc acknowlcdging cvcryonc who has bccn influcntial. I must identify those who have played a particularly important role in my success. 1 üm deeply indebted to Dr. S. S. Halli for the impact that he has had on every fxet of my life. Shiva is the epitome of ihe ideal thesis üdvisor. professor and human being. Eürly in my prograrn Shiva recognized my intellectud potential. He unfiiilingly mentored me through the murky waters of graduate school while greüily expanding my intellect. 1 will consider my career ii success if 1 am able to emulatr him as ii profcssor. Even more importantly. Shiva genuinely cüred for my success in both my ücüdemic and persona1 lives. Words cünnot üdequiitely express my gratitude to Shiva. Suffice it to say that the influence of ibis extriordinary man will live on with me forever. 1 am also grateful to Dr. B. Ram. Dr. C. Harvey. Dr. R. Linden and Dr. G. N. Rümu for spending nurnerous hours cürefully reading an evrlier drüft of this work and for their excellent comments and suggestions. 1 very much appreciate their participation in rny progrim and their tireless efforts to assist me with my dissertation. It goes without sûying that 1 am deeply indebted to my fümily. My parents' love. nurtunng and selflessness have made me the person 1 am. Without their ernotionid and financial support 1 would have been unable to üchieve this dream. Finally, I would like to ihank rny fiancée, Susy, for her support and for making the final year of my program the huppiest one of my life thus far.