Greer Litton Fox

Neighborhood Disadvantage, Individual Economic Distress and Violence Against Women in Intimate Relationships

A continuing debate in sociological criminology involves the association of crime with economic disadvantage at both aggregate and individual levels of analysis. At the aggregate level, data from law enforcement sources suggest that rates of intimate violence are higher in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Disadvantaged neighborhoods may experience higher rates of intimate violence for compositional or contextual reasons, or rates may only appear to be higher because of differential reporting. Similarly, at the individual level, intimate violence appears more common among couples that are economically distressed, but whether economic distress triggers intimate violence is not certain. Using data from waves 1 and 2 of the National Survey of Families and Households and from the 1990 U.S. Census, we investigate the effects of neighborhood economic disadvantage and individual economic distress on intimate violence against women. Controlling for violence at time 1 and other individual level characteristics, we find that neighborhood economic disadvantage, neighborhood residential instability, male employment instability, and subjective financial strain influence the likelihood of violence at time 2. The relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and intimate violence appears to reflect both compositional and contextual effects.

Detangling Individual-, Partner-, and Community-level Correlates of Partner Violence

This article attempted to identify neighborhood- partner- and individual-level factors that may lead to male-to-female partner violence. The relevant dimensions of community context were derived from social disorganization theory that indicates that disorganized areas lack formal and informal controls that inhibit street violence. Social disorganization theory predicts that there is a higher rate of violence and social isolation in disorganized areas. At the individual level, women who experience less social support will more likely be victimized by partner violence. This article investigates the direct and interactive effects of social disorganization measures and variables from social support theories on male-to-female partner violence. The data come from Wave 2 of the National Survey of Families and Households completed in 1994 and from the 1990 census. Logistic regression was used to assess variation in the independent and dependent variables between and within neighborhood types. Results indicate that neighborhood effects interact with partner- and individual-level characteristics for a more complete explanation for male-to-female partner violence.

Sources of Economic Distress Individual and Family Outcomes

Examined in this article are relationships between six measures of economic stress—financial adequacy, perceived economic well-being, respondents and partners job instability, and respondents and partners job insecurity—and seven measures of individual and family well-being. Presented are descriptive and regression analyses of social survey data drawn from telephone interviews with 366 householders ages 18 to 65 residing in a southeastern U.S. metropolitan county. For both women and men, perceived economic well-being was generally the strongest predictor of measures of individual and family well-being. For men as well as women, spouses or partners job variables were important predictors of measures of family well-being. The respondents own job instability and insecurity appeared more important to women than men, and more so for family than individual well-being outcomes. Two alternative pathways were proposed and partially supported for the influence of economic factors on individual well-being.

Theories of Adolescent Heterosexual Behavior

Although some of the research on adolescent heterosexual behavior links empirical results to existing theories, many studies appear to be the-oretically barren and uninformed. Two of the major paradigms on sexuality-that it is both inner driven and socially shaped-are used to organize theoretical strands in previous work. This paper reviews research and theoretical perspectives that seem to be most useful in understanding adolescent sexual behavior, and then takes modest steps toward integrating and extending theoretical explanations of this phenomenon.

Household and neighborhood contexts of intimate partner violence

Objectives. Two sources of contextual risk on the prevalence and severity of intimate partner violence (IPV) are investigated: household economic condition and neighborhood disadvantage. There is debate about whether each context is an independent source of IPV risk and whether risks cumulate over contexts. Methods. Data from the second wave of the National Survey of Families and Households are combined with tract level data from the 1990 U.S. Census. A sub-sample of co-resident couples with a child aged 5–17 in the household was selected for analysis (n=2,273). IPV is measured in three ways: as any physical violence reported by either partner in the year prior to the survey, as gendered violence in which both partners are identified as aggressors, and as severe violence in terms of injury and frequency. Results. Regardless of how IPV is assessed, couples with IPV are more likely to present a vulnerable economic risk profile and to live in neighborhoods of high disadvantage. When economically vulnerable couples living in advantaged versus disadvantaged neighborhoods are compared, there are no significant differences in rates of IPV, regardless of the measure of IPV that is used. Neighborhood context matters, however, in comparisons among economically advantaged couples: rates of IPV are significantly higher among those in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Conclusions. The consistency of effect for economic vulnerability and its invariance across neighborhood settings suggests that reducing economic vulnerability is likely to have beneficial effects in both disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Mother-daughter communication about sex.

Patterns of mother-daughter communication on 6 specific sexual topics (menstruation dating and boyfriends sexual morality how babies are made sexual intercourse and birth control) are reported for a sample of 898 black and white urban mothers and their teenage daughters. Most mothers and daughters reported having discussed all 6 of the topics. The agree on age at which each topic was introduced but differ in terms of who is seen as the initiator of the discussion how comfortable they are discussing sex and whether more discussion is wanted. The mothers were generally more comfortable in discussing all topics and wanted more discussion. In addition the extent of sexual communication was found to vary somewhat by social and family characteristics. Notably there was found to be a reluctance to discuss the topics of sexual intercourse and birth control among families that could be labeled conservative. Mother-daughter communication is seen as key in preventing unwanted teenage conceptions and it is important for counseling and educational programs to recognize that differences in cultural educational and social background are related to different reasons for avoiding discussions about sex. (Authors modified)

The Mother-Adolescent Daughter Relationship as a Sexual Socialization Structure: A Research Review.

Several recent studies have assessed communications patterns between mothers and daughters in regard to the transfer of sexual information and in general these studies support the conclusion that communication is minimal; however other studies have demonstrated that when communication does occur daughters are more likely to practice effective contraception. On the basis of these findings it is suggested that family planning personnel seek ways to increase and improve mother and daughter communications. In a California survey of 124 mothers with 7th grade daughters 20% of the mothers had never discussed menstruation with their daughters 50% had never mentioned male aspects of reproduction to their child and 68% had not talked about birth control with their daughters. In a study comparing mother and daughter communications for a group of individuals who practiced effective contraception and for a group of individuals who had undergone abortions 50% of the former group and only 12% of the latter group said their mothers had been an important source of contraceptive information. A number of investigators have attempted to explain why the communication level between mothers and daughters is so low. Some of the factors suggested as inhibitory are: 1) the mid-life crisis frequently experienced by mothers at the same time their teenaged daughters are undergoing dramatic developmental changes; 2) conflicts experienced by the mother as she tries to re-negogiate her role relationships with her maturing daughter; and 3) changing cultural norms concerning sexual behavior.

Love Match and Arranged Marriage in a Modernizing Nation: Mate Selection in Ankara, Turkey*

This paper examines three questions relative to mate selection in contemporary Turkey: Among which population segments are love match versus traditional arranged marriages found? What impact does self-selection of mate have on conjugal homogamy? and, What impact does the type of marriage arrangement have on marriage behavior? Sample survey data from Ankara, Turkey, were utilized in the analysis. Results suggest that the adoption of innovation in marriage patterns is greatest among the more modern segments of the population, that homogamy is as great among self-selected as among kin-selected spouses, and that the type of marriage arrangement has a small but independent impact on marriage behavior. A sequential model of the development of modernism in marital behavior was suggested.

Beyond Bravado: Redemption and Rehabilitation in the Fathering Accounts of Men Who Batter

ABSTRACT Studies of men who batter their partners seldom consider that many of these men are also fathers or stepfathers of children. This study draws upon several weeks of observations of group sessions with men court-mandated into group counseling due to their violence in relationships with intimate partners. Subsequent intensive interviews were conducted with eight fathers from among the group participants. Our focus was on their experiences with and reflections upon themselves as fathers. We found many of the men used the father role as a source of reentry into the moral community. Specifically, the themes of the catastrophic moment, remorse, responsibility, reparational scripts, redemption, and reconstruction are discussed in a process of moving beyond bravado. We draw implications for further research with fathers who batter as well as suggestions for human services and criminal justice professionals who may work with men and their families in these situations.

The Influence of Mother's Marital History on the Mother-Daughter Relationship in Black and White Households.

The central question addressed in the paper is whether teenage daughters are more or less likely to take on quasi-adult companionate and confederate roles vis-a-vis their mothers in maritally nonintact as compared to maritally intact homes. This question was investigated using sample survey data from a study of 449 black and white mothers and their teenaged daughters in Detroit, Michigan. Ten different measures of maternal marital history and current marital status, including measures of the presence and participation of father figures in the home, were developed. Criterion measures included single items and composite indexes for three domains of domestic behavior: the socio-emotional relationship between mother and daughter, task sharing, and parenting. Few significant differences were found by marital history for either black or white families.