A Critical Analysis of Theoretical Frameworks in Domestic Violence Research

Abstract

Domestic violence (DV), or intimate partner violence (IPV), remains a critical global challenge. While scholarly understanding has evolved beyond viewing it as a private trouble to a public issue, the theoretical frameworks used to explain its etiology and maintenance are often presented in silos or engaged in polemical debate. This article provides a critical analysis of the dominant theoretical paradigms in DV research—including feminist, psychological, sociological, and ecological models. It argues that while each framework provides indispensable insights, their uncritical application can lead to significant epistemological and practical limitations, particularly by obscuring the experiences of marginalized populations. By systematically deconstructing their core assumptions, empirical support, and conceptual blind spots, this analysis advocates for a critically engaged, pluralistic approach. Such an approach is necessary to advance research and develop interventions that are nuanced, effective, and responsive to the complex, intersectional realities of abuse.