Victim/Offender Contact and Repeat Domestic Violence Victimization

ABSTRACT This study examines the relationship between victim/offender contact and repeat domestic violence. Over 5,000 police incident reports were collected from a large, urban police department between August 2001 and August 2002. Several measures of victim/offender contact were used, including cohabitation, co-parenting, restraining order status, and victim employment. Findings suggest that certain victims are at a greater risk of repeat victimization than others, specifically those who have children in common with the offender and those who obtain a restraining order against the offender. Findings also suggest that most repeat victims are repeatedly victimized by the same offender, and the types of victimization they suffer vary over time, with an increase in aggravated assault and restraining order violations as victimizations increase in frequency. Implications of these findings are discussed, and suggestions are offered for further research on repeat domestic violence.