Type:	Journal Article
Title:	The elephant in the room: responding to alcohol misuse and domestic violence
Other Titles:	Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse
Authors:	Braaf, R
Year:	2012
Notes:	International research shows a strong association between alcohol misuse and perpetration of domesticviolence. In turn, victimisation has been shown to often lead to drinking problems.* Many in the domestic violence sector have been reluctant to fully engage with this association dueto concerns about misconstruing alcohol as a cause of partner abuse, thereby reducing perpetratorresponsibility for their violence and failing to target its real causes.* Among key theories about this association, one that best aligns with our knowledge of relationship violenceproposes that where alcohol misuse co-occurs with attitudes and behaviours supportive of violence againstwomen, abuse is more likely and is more likely to escalate.* Responses to this issue are urgently needed and interventions targeting both alcohol misuse and attitudesand behaviours supportive of violence will be more effective than those aimed at single problems.Interventions need to be guided by goals of victim safety, provision of support and services, the preventionof abuse and making perpetrators accountable for their behaviour.* Interventions fall into two broad camps: (i) community wide primary prevention mechanisms mainlytargeting alcohol misuse and (ii) individualised tertiary prevention mechanisms targeting either or bothalcohol misuse and domestic violence.* Prevention mechanisms show good potential to reduce alcohol related domestic violence, although theireffectiveness would be enhanced by companion efforts to challenge attitudes and behaviours that supportviolence towards women.* Greater collaboration between alcohol and domestic violence sectors could substantially advance thedevelopment, implementation and evaluation of interventions.
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/17089
Appears in Collections:	Journal Articles

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