Violence Against Women: Synthesis of Research for Practitioners

Written with practitioners in mind, this report funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, attempts to correct a deficiency toward increasing practitioners’ understanding of each other’s work and contribute to a more informed dialogue in responding to violence against women. This report is challenged to communicate scientific research findings to practitioners regarding violence against women. It reviews research issues and questions common to the work of all audiences. The report begins by defining the various forms of violence against women and then summarizing what researchers know about the incidence and prevalence of violence against women. This is followed by a review of the emergence of violence against women as a social problem which takes into account social, legal, and public health issues. A summary of research on risk and contributing factors is then presented, including sociocultural risk factors, social structural risk factors, family risk factors, and individual factors. Usually several factors that are interconnected interact, thereby increasing the risk. The report concludes with a review of the consequences associated with violence against women, such as injuries, physical symptoms, mental health effects, and economic impact. References