RISK MARKER ANALYSIS OF THE CESSATION AND PERSISTENCE OF WIFE ASSAULT

This study evaluated the utility of specific risk markers of wife assa ult in understanding the cessation and persistence of violence against women over a 3-year period. Longitudinal data were used to identify v iolent men who ceased the violence for 2 years and violent men who per sisted in using violence. A group of nonviolent men was used for compa rison. Factor analysis indicated that marital conflict, socioeconomic status(SES), and witnessing violence in the family of origin were the most powerful discriminators of these groups. Moreover, it was found t hat high levels of marital conflict and low SES were associated not on ly with the occurrence of violence hut also with the continuity of wif e assaults over time.