Alcohol Density and Domestic Violence

• In Event: Structural Characteristics and Ecological Conditions of Crime

Abstract

Introduction: Alcohol availability is a consistent predictor of violence, including domestic violence in communities. Less is known about how alcohol availability in nearby areas affects domestic violence.

Methods: Spatially-lagged regression models examine the relationship between various alcohol outlet types in focal and neighboring units of analysis with Male-on-Female domestic violence (MFDV), net of concentrated disadvantage, across 571 census block groups in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Results: At the focal level, total alcohol density as well as off-premise alcohol density is related to MFDV. Taking into account alcohol availability levels in nearby units of analyses, net of focal and neighboring concentrated disadvantage levels, it appears that off-premise availability continues to play an important role in predicting MFDV.

Conclusion: Alcohol availability via off-premise alcohol outlets matters for MFDV, not only when alcohol is available locally, but also in the nearby areas. These findings can inform local policy on alcohol availability and confirm that not all alcohol selling establishments contribute equally to MFDV. High availability of off-premise outlets increase alcohol consumption in private settings, and create pathways for violence, including domestic violence.

Authors

• Thomas Johnson, Marquette University

• Aleksandra Snowden, Marquette University