Characteristics of Perpetrators of Family and Nonfamily Assaults

Persons involved in family and nonfamily violence may be distinguished both demographically and behavionally. There appear, in fact, to be grounds to consider them as two different groups. Those involved in family violence appear to be the most stable in that they are more likely to live with others and have some employment and are less likely to report suicide or alcohol abuse. Also, the groups appear to be rather specialized in their violence, and those involved in both kinds of assaults are generally more frequently violent.

These group differences corroborate the research done on violent men drawn from a human service population. Shields and associates (10) found three distinct patterns of violence—family only, nonfamily only, and general violence—to be associated with distinct life-styles, social networks, and values, which in turn seem to reinforce the violence pattern. The findings, therefore, suggest that those who assault their families may at least require separate consideration as a research group and that the processes underlying the violence may be different.

The cases of family violence, moreover, appear to warrant a diffenent clinical and policy response than nonfamily cases. If those who assault their families are a distinctive type, they may need different treatment, referral, and monitoring. The accessibility of the victims of family assailants should, for instance, increase safety concerns. In sum, the prevalence of recent cases of family violence and their apparent distinction from other types of violence warrants more research and clinical attention.