Perpetration of intimate partner violence by young adult males: the association with alcohol outlet density and drinking behavior.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the association between alcohol outlet density and male to female intimate partner violence (IPV).

METHOD: Data were analyzed from a national probability sample of males who reported a current heterosexual relationship (N=3194). Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the likelihood of having perpetrated IPV.

RESULTS: High alcohol outlet density was associated with having perpetrated physical only IPV (odds ratio [OR]=2.51; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21-5.20). Outlet density was not associated with greater odds of sexual IPV perpetration.

CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol outlet density was found to be associated with perpetration of physical IPV. Developing environmental strategies with respect to alcohol outlets could potentially reduce perpetration of male-to-female physical IPV.