GENDER DIFFERENCES IN PARTNER VIOLENCE IN A BIRTH COHORT OF 21-YEAR-OLDS - BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN CLINICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGIC APPROACHES

This study describes partner violence in a representative sample of yo ung adults. Physical violence perpetration was reported by 37.2% of wo men and 21.8% of man. Correlates of involvement in severe physical vio lence differed by gender. Severe physical violence was more strongly a ssociated with unemployment, low educational attainment, few social su pport resources, polydrug use, antisocial personality disorder symptom s, depression symptoms, and violence toward strangers for men than for women. Women who were victims of severe physical violence were more l ikely than men who were victims to experience symptoms of anxiety. The findings converge with community studies showing that more women than men are physically violent toward a partner and with clinical studies highlighting violence perpetrated against women by mm with deviant ch aracteristics.