Source: (2007) Feminist Criminology. 2(4):327-346.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a complex social problem that has produced a wide variety of explanations. However, few studies have explored what, if any, role victim
precipitation plays in IPV. Victim precipitation is generally defined as behavior by the
victim that initiates the subsequent behavior of the victimizer; however, studies using this
concept have often been accused of subtle and overt victim blaming. Distinguishing
victim precipitation from victim blaming, this study explores the utility of victim
precipitation in understanding contextual differences in men’s and women’s use of
violence in intimate relationships and police use of dual arrest in IPV incidents. Results
suggest that victim precipitation plays an important role in understanding incidents of
IPV, especially in cases involving dual arrest.
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