A Critical Analysis: Why Do Women Use Intensive Partner Violence?
Personal Note
Starting to read “Why Do Women Use Intensive Partner Violence?” by Bair-Merritt et al.[1], I felt compelled to place a critical eye on that research article. Although the issue of intimate partner violence (IPV) merits careful, fair investigation, I discovered numerous obvious gaps and anomalies that I had to unpack. These gaps, especially with relation to male victimization and female-perpetrated IPV, have major consequences not only for the scholarly community but also for legislators and attorneys depending on research to guide laws, proper administration of the law, but also legislation.
It is important to understand that intimate partner violence is not a one-sided problem and to overlook the experiences of male victims would help to support negative preconceptions and unfair laws. I aim to identify these errors and promote more thorough, inclusive research by means of which by doing this, I wish to contribute to more legislative clarity and guarantee that every victim of domestic violence — regardless of gender — gets the help and protection they so merit. As I constantly say, this is finally about children and offering final victims of IPV — the children — the aid and protection they so merit.
