cultural theories of violence are those that frame violence as something children
learn in childhood or something found in particular economic or racial/ethnic sub-
cultures of society.
Gender neutral theories emphasize that intimate partner violence is com-
mitted by both men and women. In the work of Straus and Gelles, violence be-
comes a tactic in conflict (Straus 1979). However domestic violence is far from
gender neutral (Yllö 1993), these perspectives ignore that women in heterosexu-
al relationships are more often victims of their intimate male partners than men in
heterosexual relationships (who are more likely to be assaulted by other men).
Women are also more likely to suffer serious injuries from intimate partner as-
saults (Bureau of Justice, May, 2000)
Culturally, we are bombarded by messages emphasizing both cultural and
gender neutral theories of violence, theories that undermine the safety of women.
Without training, health care professionals are vulnerable to their own biases or
stereotypes that may emphasize intervention in particular groups, but not in oth-
ers, or emphasize violence as an equal opportunity phenomenon, inflicted evenly
by men and women.
By contrast, a feminist approach to domestic violence reflects it as a
deeply gendered phenomenon (Yllö 1993) in which women are much more likely
to be victims (85% of intimate partner violence crimes in 2001 were committed
towards women, Bureau of Justice Statistics 2003).
Addressing needs as defined by health care providers
Convention