Gender Symmetry in Fear of Intimate Partner Violence

• In Event: Examining the Fear and Perception of Crime in a Variety of Contexts

Abstract

Some explanations of gender differences in fear of crime focus on the greater likelihood that females will be victims of abuse by intimate partners. Using data from the Chapman University Survey of American Fears, we add to this discussion by examining gender differences in fear of intimate partner violence itself. Data show that while there is gender symmetry for a global measure of fear, there is gender asymmetry when examining fear of physical violence.

Authors

• Christopher D. Bader, Chapman University

• L. Edward Day, Chapman University

• Sam M. Dorros, Chapman University

• Michelle A. Miller-Day, Chapman University