Gender Differences in Reporting Marital Violence and Its Medical and Psychological Consequences

Abstract

The findings on gender differences in reporting violence show that, for "minor only" violence such as slapping and throwing things, the gender of the respondent makes no difference in either the victimization rate or the offense rate. The differences between victims and non-victims in the incidence of such psychological problems as psychosomatic symptoms, stress, and depression reveal that assaults do increase the propensity to experience psychological injury. The interview included measures of depression, stress, and psychosomatic symptoms. The Conflict Tactics Scales was used to measure the incidence of husband-to-wife and wife-to-husband violence. The data on severe violence rates by men indicate a "reporting effect" and suggest that men "understate" their violence. Consequently, data on violence by men obtained from men needs to be treated with skepticism. When violence is measured by acts, women are as violent as men; when violence is measured by injuries, men are more violent.

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