Treatment needs of women arrested for domestic violence: A comparison with male offenders

Abstract

Rising numbers of women arrested for domestic violence present many theoretical and practical challenges. At the theoretical level, there is ongoing debate about whether women are equally aggressive as men. At the practical level, little research is available to guide how female cases are handled in the criminal justice system. In this study, data were obtained regarding demographic characteristics, mental health functioning, and childhood familial dysfunction for a large sample of male (n = 2,254) and female (n = 281) domestic violence offenders. The women were demographically similar to the men, and few differences were noted in their childhood experiences. Women were more likely than men to have previously attempted suicide, whereas more men had conduct problems in childhood and substance abuse in adulthood. Compared to the male offenders, women reported more symptoms of personality dysfunction and mood disorder. Treatment implications of these findings are discussed.