The conflict resolution resources of female dating violence victims: a comparison of women who use mutual violence and women who remain nonviolent

Abstract

Social science research has consistently revealed that dating violence victims differ in their use of violence against their dating partners. Some victims use violence in mutually violent dating relationships while other victims remain nonviolent in unilaterally violent dating relationships. The present study sought to understand how mutually violent victims, unilateral victims and women in nonviolent relationships differ in their use of conflict resolution resources. Findings indicated that mutually violent victims used more direct and confrontational resources when resolving conflict with their partners than did women in nonviolent dating relationships. However, there were no differences between the mutually violent victims and the unilateral victims, nor between unilateral victims and women in nonviolent relationships. Although conflict resolution resources did not discriminate between mutually violent victims and unilateral victims, broader contextual and systemic factors may contribute to the likelihood that a victim will or will not use violence when resolving violent conflict in her dating relationship. Future research should examine the contextual and systemic factors that may lead to the use of mutual violence by victims in dating relationships.