Pathways to family violence: investigating patterns in the event process of family violence perpetrators

This study is part of a larger research project that developed the event process model of family violence (FVEPM). The FVEPM was developed by applying grounded theory methods to the event narratives of 14 men and 13 women completing community-based family violence (FV) perpetrator treatment programs. The current study extends this work with the original sample, by examining the routes individual events take through the FVEPM. Three main pathways—comprising 93% of event narratives—were identified: a conflict escalation pathway (n = 14), an automated violence pathway (n = 6), and a compliance pathway (n = 6). Our findings extend existing FV typologies and theories by identifying patterns of features pertaining to the individual, the relationship, and the situation that converge to result in FV perpetration during a FVE. Further validation and development of the pathways may provide FV practitioners with an organizing framework from which to identify more nuanced assessment, treatment planning, and risk management processes for the diverse range of FV perpetrators they are tasked with treating.