How did we get here?

According to Sugihara and Warner (2002) dominance, a male gender role trait, has been identified as a risk factor in the genesis of domestic violence. Furthermore, relationships in which power is expressed by male partners are generally more likely to be domestically violent relationships (Sugihara & Warner, 2002). On the contrary, males who lack power and are not dominant in their relationships use violence to compensate (Sugihara & Warner, 2002).




Even though males are typically stereotyped as the aggressor in intimate relationships, women also express dominance and act aggressively. Aggressive behaviors in intimate relationships occur when the dominant partner feels they have to maintain their dominance and their partner is a threat to their power. Men often resort to violence in order to punish his partner (Sugihara & Warner, 2002) and women use violence in means of self-defense and protection against their partner’s violence.