Reports of spouse abuse in the US Army Central Registry (1989-1997)

Objective: To report the distributions and characteristics of spouse abuse victims and offenders in the U.S. Army Central Registry from 1989 to 1997. Method: Case and population data were tabulated using SAS procedures, Resul ts: There were 61,827 initial substantiated cases, 5,772 subsequent inciden ts, and 3,921 reopened cases. Victim rates varied between 8 and 10.5 per 1, 000 married persons. About 82% of victims and offenders were between the ag es of 18 and 31 years. The racial distribution of married active duty white and black victims and offenders was greatly different from that of the mar ried active duty population. The proportion of female victims increased fro m initial (67%) to subsequent (71%) to reopened cases (75%). Conclusions: U .S. military populations provide unique opportunities to study family viole nce because of the socioeconomic "floor" under service members and their fa milies. Comparisons between military and civil populations on precipitating circumstances, case assessment and definition, and treatment efficacy woul d be fruitful areas for research.