THE STATUS OF WOMEN AND WIFE-BEATING IN THE U S: A MULTI-LEVEL ANALYSIS
type: CreativeWork
description: The relationship between status of women and wife-beating has been the subject of some debate. It has been argued that sexual inequality is one of the central causes of wife abuse (Dobash and Dobash, 1980; Martin, 1976). On the other hand, some claim that the charges being brought about by the Women's Movement are resulting in an increase in wife-beating. Researchers in the field of family violence have speculated on the connection between the two phenomena (Whitehurst, 1974; Straus, 1976; Dobash and Dobash, 1977). To date, the relationship between the status of women on the societal level and wife-beating has not been investigated empirically. This study, which addresses this issue, is composed of three major parts. The first is a systems theoretical analysis of the status of women based on a "meta-power" model and historical and cross-cultural evidence. This analysis provides a foundation for the general understanding of sexual stratification and women's current status. The second part of the study deals specifically with the concept of the status of women, the development of an index of women's status, and the ranking of U.S. states according to that index. The status of women is defined as the position of women as a group relative to the position of men as a group in the different spheres of society (Hommes, 1978). The Status of Women Index is based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, statistical almanacs, and national surveys. It is composed of economic, educational, political, and legal items, such as the ratio of male to female income for full-time workers. The index allows for a comparison of American states on individual items, the four dimensions just mentioned, and on the overall index. Two important functions are served by the Status of Women Index. First, it is a valuable social indicator and can be used to describe and monitor the changing status of women in the U.S. Second, it provides an empirical measure for a concept of theoretical importance for …
abstract: The relationship between status of women and wife-beating has been the subject of some debate. It has been argued that sexual inequality is one of the central causes of wife abuse (Dobash and Dobash, 1980; Martin, 1976). On the other hand, some claim that the charges being brought about by the Women's Movement are resulting in an increase in wife-beating. Researchers in the field of family violence have speculated on the connection between the two phenomena (Whitehurst, 1974; Straus, 1976; Dobash and Dobash, 1977). To date, the relationship between the status of women on the societal level and wife-beating has not been investigated empirically. This study, which addresses this issue, is composed of three major parts. The first is a systems theoretical analysis of the status of women based on a "meta-power" model and historical and cross-cultural evidence. This analysis provides a foundation for the general understanding of sexual stratification and women's current status. The second part of the study deals specifically with the concept of the status of women, the development of an index of women's status, and the ranking of U.S. states according to that index. The status of women is defined as the position of women as a group relative to the position of men as a group in the different spheres of society (Hommes, 1978). The Status of Women Index is based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, statistical almanacs, and national surveys. It is composed of economic, educational, political, and legal items, such as the ratio of male to female income for full-time workers. The index allows for a comparison of American states on individual items, the four dimensions just mentioned, and on the overall index. Two important functions are served by the Status of Women Index. First, it is a valuable social indicator and can be used to describe and monitor the changing status of women in the U.S. Second, it provides an empirical measure for a concept of theoretical importance for …
author: YLLO, KERSTI ALICE
keywords: Sociology, Individual and Family Studies
date published: 1980-01-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:23:09Z
provider: University of New Hampshire
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of New Hampshire