What does the research literature have to say about the overall prevalence and incidence of partner violence?
Although estimates vary based on the nature of the sample and method of data collection, statistics indicate that somewhere between 23 percent (Straus, Gelles, & Steinmetz, 1980) and 66 percent (Roy, 1982) of American women are physically assaulted by a spouse or cohabitant lover during their lifetimes, and, according to one estimate, as many as 50 to 60 percent of couples may experience physical violence during the course of their relationships (Straus, Gelles, & Steinmetz, 1980). Twenty to 50 percent of students in college samples also report experiencing partner aggression (Arias, Samios, & O’Leary, 1987; Bernard & Bernard, 1983; Breslin, Riggs, O Leary, & Arias, 1990; Makepeace, 1981; Riggs & O Leary, 1996; Rouse, Breen, & Howell, 1988; White & Koss, 1991). The violence occurs repeatedly during the course of a relationship for between one in five (Steinmetz, 1980) and one in three female victims (Langan & Innes, Bureau of Justice Statistics Report, 1986). The average number of assa
