ABSTRACT
The most frequently used measures to assess relationship violence are primarily designed to tap into situational couple violence. The Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2) includes a subscale for physical violence. Several items are considered indications of minor violence. In general, the CTS2 does a good job of determining whether violence has occurred in a relationship; however, it also has a number of shortcomings. Violent victimization has numerous and often grave physical and psychological consequences. Obviously, being subjected to even mild forms of violence can result in direct physical injury. The 1985 National Family Violence Survey revealed that one-third of victimized women had been physically assaulted while they were pregnant. In addition, there are indications that violent victimization may also have indirect physical consequences. In the early 1990s, the American Psychological Association established a task force to conduct research on possible intervention strategies aimed at decreasing relationship violence of any kind.
