Gender and intimate partner violence: does dual arrest reveal gender symmetry or asymmetry?

Research on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) has ignited considerable controversy about gender and IPV. Feminist scholars have viewed IPV as a manifestation of male dominance and control, with women primarily the victims and men primarily the perpetrators of this behavior (gender asymmetry). Conversely, family violence researchers have viewed IPV as emerging from conflicts in relationships, with both men and women being involved (gender symmetry). The present study was framed within the context of this controversy using new empirical evidence on one person arrested (single arrest) or both persons arrested (dual arrest) in IPV incidents. Data were acquired on the assessed risk of IPV recidivism immediately after arrest and actual IPV recidivism over an 18-month period postassessment across the state of Connecticut involving heterosexual partners (N = 2,155). Though not definitive, the findings showed persistent gender asymmetry on these behavioral characteristics across arrest categories.