Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Responding To Spousal Violence: Does Gender Matter?, Hong Xiao, Jeanne Blackburn

Hong Xiao

Research on domestic violence has documented a persistent gender difference in partner violence; men are more likely than women to be violent and male aggression is viewed more negatively than female aggression. Yet few studies have explained why this is the case. In this paper, we explore the sources of this gender difference in the perceptions of partner aggression. Using a vignette describing a violent episode between a heterosexual couple, we assess the mediating effect of perceived level of danger on spousal aggression. Findings suggest there are significant differences in perceptions based on gender of perpetrators and gender of respondents. …