Gender Differences in Intimate Partner Recidivism:A 5-Year Follow-Up

Research shows that women perpetrate intimate partner violence (IPV) and that their pattern of offending differs from that of men. Using arrest and court records from a large Midwestern city, this study examines 596 cases of IPV, 15.5% of which were perpetrated by women. Separate logistic regression models for men and women suggest there are both similarities and differences in factors that predict recidivism. Among both women and men, non-Whites as compared to Whites and drug users as compared to nondrug users are significantly more likely to recidivate. Additionally, for men, a history of probation or parole predicts recidivism, whereas for women, severity of the assault and having ended the relationship with their victim predicts recidivism. Policy and theoretical implications are discussed.