Using the first 3 waves of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, this article examines the prevalence and factors of domestic violence among unmarried mothers with a young child. The findings indicate that the prevalence of domestic violence for mothers increased substantially in the first 3 years after the child's birth. Findings from regression analyses show that mothers who lived with the father, either as a wife or cohabiting partner, had significantly lower odds of domestic violence in the study measures than mothers who did not live with the father. However, the odds of domestic violence were not significantly different between married and cohabiting mothers. Policy implications are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
ArcherJ. (2000). Sex differences in aggression between heterosexual partners: A meta-analytic review.Psychological Bulletin, 126, 651–680.
2.
BarnettO. W., MartinezT. E., & KeysonM. (1996). The relationship between violence, social support, and self-blame in battered women.Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2, 221–233.
3.
BauerH., RodriguezM., & Perez-StableE. (2000). Prevalence and factors of intimate partner abuse among public hospital primary care patients.Journal of General Internal Medicine, 15, 811–817.
4.
BybeeD. I., & SullivanC. M. (2002). The process through which an advocacy intervention resulted in positive change for battered women over time.American Journal of Community Psychology, 30(1), 103–133.
5.
CarlsonB. E., McNuttL., & ChoiD. Y. (2003). Childhood and adult abuse among women in primary health care.Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 18, 924–941.
6.
CatlettB. S., & ArtisJ. E. (2004). Critiquing the case for marriage promotion: How the promarriage movement misrepresents domestic violence research.Violence Against Women, 10(11), 1226–1244.
7.
CharlesP., & PerreiraK (2007). Intimate partner violence during pregnancy and 1-year post-partum.Journal of Family Violence, 22(7), 609–619.
8.
El-BasselN., GilbertL., SchillingR., & WadaT. (2000). Drug abuse and partner violence among women in methadone treatment.Journal of Family Violence, 15, 209–228.
9.
FoxG. L., BensonM. L., DeMarisA. A., & Van WykJ. (2002). Economic distress and intimate violence: Testing family stress and resources theories.Journal of Marriage and Family, 64, 793–807.
10.
FriasS. M., & AngelR. J. (2005). The risk of partner violence among low-income Hispanic subgroups.Journal of Marriage and Family, 67(3), 552–64.
11.
FriasS. M., & AngelR. J. (2007). Stability and change in the experience of partner violence among low-income women.Social Science Quarterly, 88(5), 1281–1306.
12.
GennetianL. A. (2003). Welfare policies and domestic abuse among single mothers: Experimental evidence from Minnesota.Violence Against Women, 9(10), 1171–1190.
13.
GoodmanL., DuttonM. A., VankosN., & WeinfurtK. (2005). Women's resources and use of strategies as risk and protective factors for re-abuse over time.Violence Against Women, 11(3), 311–336.
14.
HoneycuttT. C., MarshallL. L., & WestonR. (2001). Toward ethnically specific models of employment, public assistance, and victimization.Violence Against Women, 7(2), 126–140.
15.
KenneyC. T., & McLanahanS. S. (2006). Why are cohabiting relationships more violent than marriage?Demography, 43(1), 127–140.
16.
KilpatrickD., AciernoR., ResnickH., SaundersB., & BestC. (1997). A 2-year longitudinal analysis of the relationships between violent assault and substance abuse in women.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65, 834–847.
17.
LichterD. T., GraefeD. R., & BrownJ. B. (2003). Is marriage a panacea? Union formation among economically disadvantaged unwed mothers.Social Problems, 50(1), 60–86.
18.
LindhorstT., OxfordM., & GillmoreM. R. (2007). Longitudinal effects of domestic violence on employment and welfare outcomes.Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 22(7), 812–828.
19.
LloydS., & TalucN (1999). The effects of male violence on female employment.Violence Against Women, 5, 370–392.
20.
MeiselJ., ChandlerD., & RienziB. M. (2003). Domestic violence prevalence and effects on employment in two California TANF populations.Violence Against Women, 9(10), 1191–1212.
21.
RaphaelJ. (1996). Domestic violence and welfare receipt: Toward a new feminist theory of welfare dependency.Harvard Women's Law Journal, 19, 201–227.
22.
ReichmanN. E., TeitlerJ. O., GarfinkelI., & McLanahanS. S. (2001). Fragile families: Sample and design. Children and Youth Services Review, 23(4/5), 303–326.
23.
RennisonC. M., & WelchansS. (2000). Intimate partner violence. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics.
24.
RigerS., & StaggsS. L. (2004). Welfare reform, domestic violence and employment: What do we know and what do we need to know?Violence Against Women, 10(9), 961–990.
25.
RigerS., AhrensC., & BlickenstaffA. (2000). Measuring interference with employment and education reported by women with abusive partners: Preliminary data.Violence and Victims, 15, 161–172.
26.
SaltzmanL. E., JohnsonC. H., GilbertB., & GoodwinM. M. (2003). Physical abuse around the time of pregnancy: An examination of prevalence and risk factors in 16 states.Maternal and Child Health Journal, 7, 31–43.
27.
SchumacherJ. A., Feldbau-KohnS., Smith SlepA. M., & HeymanR. E. (2001). Risk factors for male-to-female partner physical abuse. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 6(2-3), 281–352.
28.
SmockP. J., ManningW. D., & PorterM. (2005) “Everything's there except money”: How money shapes decisions to marry among cohabitors. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67(3), 680–696.
29.
StaggsS. L., LongS. M., MasonG. E., KrishnanS., & RigerS. (2007). Intimate partner violence, social support, and employment in the post-welfare reform era.Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 22(3), 345–367.
30.
TjadenP., & ThoennesN (2000). Prevalence and consequences of male-to-female and female-to-male intimate partner violence as measured by the National Violence Against Women Survey. Violence Against Women, 6(2),142-161.
31.
TolmanR. M., & RaphaelJ. (2000). A review of research on welfare and domestic violence.Journal of Social Issues, 56, 655–682.
32.
TolmanR M., & RosenD. (2001). Domestic violence in the lives of women receiving welfare; Mental health, substance dependence, and economic well-being.Violence Against Women, 7, 141–158.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2006, February 8). Welfare reform reauthorized: Healthy marriage, fatherhood initiative approved; work requirement strengthened (News release). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved October 28, 2009, from http://www.dhhs.gov/news/press/2006pres/20060208.html.
35.
Van WykJ. A., BensonM. L., FoxG. L., & DeMarisA. (2003). Detangling individual-, partner-, and community-level correlates of partner violence.Crime and Delinquency, 49(3), 412–438.
36.
VestJ. R., CatlinT. K., ChenJ. J., & BrownsonR. C. (2002). Multistate analysis of factors associated with intimate partner violence.American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 22(3), 156–164.
37.
WangL. R. (1995). Women and social policy. Taipei, Taiwan: Chi Liu.
38.
Walton-MossB. JManganelloJ., FryeV., & CampbellJ. C. (2005). Prevalence and risk factors for intimate partner violence and associated injury among urban women.Journal of Community Health, 30(5), 377–389.
39.
ZlotnickC., JohnsonD. M., & KohnR. (2006). Intimate partner violence and long-term psychosocial functioning in a national sample of American women.Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 21(2), 262–275.
