Government of Law

These are the results of my review of Domestic Violence Petitions for Orders for Protection in Clark County Washington. I have reviewed the literature of surveys of the actual incidence of domestic violence at this time in the U.S. is about as likely for female on male partner as male on female partner (the precise percentages show women are slightly more likely to physically assault their partner than men)1. However, the complaints and resulting Orders are distinctly biased against men. You can see the details of my own experiences on another web page...

For this analysis, the Petitioner (or person who is asking for the order) is classified as Male or Female (first character of the Type below) as is the Respondent (or person who is alleged to be a threat) in the second character of Type. The first name is used for this determination unless it is ambiguous (normally with names from other cultures). In this case the Petition is reviewed for pronouns such as he/she or his/her to determine the sex of the Respondent as well as sexual descriptive nouns such as 'my husband' or 'my wife' (which implies the sex of both parties). If a determination can not be made in this fashion, the sex is listed with a '?' and the case is excluded from further analysis. In some cases two parties were listed as the Respondent or Petitioner. In those cases, the Petition is counted twice in accordance with the sex of each individual if the sex could be determined..

The first forty cases in 2007 were used with the requirement that the petition must have been filed by January 31, 2007 (when I began inquiring about how to conduct this study) and completely resolved by February 7, 2007 when I started my review. I had intended that all one hundred cases be in 2007, but there were not enough cases meeting that criteria, so I began reviewing cases in 2006 going backward according to case number.

The results were broken down into three primary categories. G was used if an Order for Protection for one or more years was granted (even if it was withdrawn at Petitioner's request at a later time). D was used if the Petition was denied for lack of sufficient evidence. In some cases it was denied based on the Petition alone and no hearing was held (so hearing date is blank). W was used if the request was withdrawn. There are numerous types of withdrawn with the most common as neither party shows up at the hearing. There are also the cases of no one picking up the Temporary Order, the Petitioner not coming to the hearing, and having the Petitioner withdraw the request at the hearing. The results are shown below.

12/20/06
Case NumberTypeResultPetitionerRespondentEPEPDHrHRD
06-2-08344-3FMWJenniferRyanKO12/04/06JH12/13/06
06-2-08345-1FMWLeslieKennethKO12/04/06JH12/13/06
06-2-08346-0FMWDeAnnaMarkKO12/04/06JH12/13/06
06-2-08347-8FMGMelanieMiguelKO12/04/06JH12/13/06
06-2-08348-6FMWAlieChristopherKO12/05/06JH12/13/06
06-2-08349-4FMDGloriaArmandoKO12/05/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08350-8MFWPatrickMelindaKO12/04/06
06-2-08351-6MFWJoshuaLeiaKO12/05/06JH12/13/06
06-2-08352-4FMWRebeccaGalenKO12/05/06JH12/12/06
06-2-08353-2FMWLoriFrankKO12/05/06JH12/13/06
06-2-08354-1FMGBerniceDavidKO12/05/06JH12/13/06
06-2-08355-9FMWKrystalBradKO12/06/06JH01/31/07
06-2-08356-7FMGKatieAdamKO12/06/06JH12/20/06
06-2-08357-5MFWPaulLorrieKO12/07/06JH12/12/06
06-2-08358-3MFDDavidColleenKO12/07/06
06-2-08359-1FMGKathleenDavidKO12/07/06JH12/20/06
06-2-08360-5FMWJuliaAlexanderKO12/07/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08361-3FMGHeatherThoamsKO12/10/06JH12/20/06
06-2-08362-1FMGAlenaRaymondKO12/11/06KO
06-2-08363-0FMWLisaPhillipKO12/11/06JH01/24/07
06-2-08364-8FMXMarileeArmonKO12/11/06JH12/20/06
06-2-08365-6FMGKimberMatthewKO12/12/06JH12/20/06
06-2-08366-4MFWWadeKellyKO12/12/06JH12/20/06
06-2-08367-2FMDPhilleshaTravisKO12/12/06JH12/20/06
06-2-08368-1FMDQueenieTyronJH12/14/06
06-2-08369-9FMWJessicaRussellJH12/14/06KO12/27/06
06-2-08370-2FMWChristineNarayananJS12/14/06KO12/27/06
06-2-08371-1FMWJenniferRyanJH12/13/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08372-9FMGLillianJohnJS12/14/06KO12/27/06
06-2-08373-7FMGWandaEdwardJS12/14/06JH01/24/07
06-2-08374-5MMGEdward, Sr.Edward, Jr.JS12/14/06JH01/24/07
06-2-08375-3MFGFrankLoriJS12/14/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08376-1FMWMelindaCourtneyJS12/14/06KO12/27/06
06-2-08377-0FMWLoriFrankKO12/15/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08378-8FMWJessicaRyanKO12/15/06KO12/27/06
06-2-08379-6FMGKimberlyShawnKO12/15/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08380-0FMGCarrieJamesKO12/18/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08381-8FMGSamanthaMatthewKO12/18/06KO12/27/06
06-2-08382-6FMWKimberlyMarkKO12/18/06JH02/07/07
06-2-08383-4FMGSurrsMichaelKO12/18/06JH01/31/07
06-2-08384-2FMGAmyVirgilKO12/19/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08385-1ExcludedHearing02/21/07
06-2-08386-9MFDVirgilAmyKO12/19/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08387-7FMGDawnWilliamKO12/20/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08388-5FMWCristinaBanyacioKO12/20/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08389-3FMGYvonneJayKO12/21/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08390-7FMWBritneyKonstantinKO12/21/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08391-5MFWMatthewKimberKO12/21/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08392-3FFDCindyKristinaKO12/21/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08393-1MFDAlfredoKristinaKO12/21/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08394-0MFWLanceKimberlyKO12/22/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08395-8MFWEdwardAnnieKO12/22/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08396-6FMDPhilleshaTravisKO12/22/06
06-2-08397-4MFDNarayananChristineKO12/22/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08397-4FMGChristineNarayananKO12/22/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08398-2FMXSaraJeremyTransferred from Oregon 06AB0515MS
06-2-08399-1FMGNaomiErikKO12/22/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08400-8FMGKimberlyAndrewKO12/22/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08401-6FMWJudithJamesKO12/26/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08402-4FMWLeahJosephKO12/26/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08403-2NoEntry
06-2-08404-1FMGMicheleAlfredKO12/26/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08405-9MFWJosephLeahKO12/26/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08405-9FMWLeahJosephKO12/26/06JH01/03/07
06-2-08406-7FMDBobbieBrianKO12/26/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08407-5FMWMichelleJasonKO12/27/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08408-3FMDRalleenRickyKO12/27/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08409-1FMWAngelaRickyKO12/27/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08410-5FMGLauraKevinKO12/27/06JH01/24/07
06-2-08411-3MFWJoshuaAnettKO12/28/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08412-0FMWEliseJohnathonKO12/28/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08413-0FMGFrancineGaryKO12/28/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08414-8MMGStevenDarylKO12/29/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08415-6FMDAndreaRaymondKO12/29/06JH01/10/07
06-2-08416-4FMWStellaLaurenceKO12/29/06JH01/24/07
07-2-07001-3FMGJamieAlbertKO01/02/07JH01/10/07
07-2-07002-1FMGCarrieJeffreyKO01/02/07JH01/27/07
07-2-07003-0MFWDanielAndreaKO01/02/07JH01/17/07
07-2-07004-8FMWJulieMichaelKO01/02/07JH01/17/07
07-2-07005-6FMGCatherineMikeKO01/03/07JH01/17/07
07-2-07006-4?MWArmeeKennethKO01/03/07JH01/17/07
07-2-07007-2FFWAmyTANA and DavidKO01/04/07JH01/17/07
07-2-07007-2FMWAmyTana and DAVIDKO01/04/07JH01/17/07
07-2-07008-1FMGMarthaJeffreyKO01/04/07JH01/17/07
07-2-07009-9FMGRobertaWayneKO01/05/07JH01/17/07
07-2-07010-2MFWCarloRobinKO01/05/07JH01/17/07
07-2-07011-1FMWGloriaThomasKO01/08/07JH01/17/07
07-2-07012-2FMGAleeshaDanialKO01/08/07JH01/17/07
07-2-07013-7FMWShaquannaCanndyKO01/08/07JH01/17/07
07-2-07014-5FMGTammieKipKO01/08/07JH01/17/07
07-2-07015-5FMGCarolKennethKO01/09/07JH01/17/07
07-2-07016-1FMGRubyAlanKO01/09/07JH01/17/07
07-2-07017-0MMWJEREMY and LindaKaseyKO01/09/07KO01/29/07
07-2-07017-0FMWJeremy and LINDAKaseyKO01/09/07KO01/29/07
07-2-07018-8ExcludedHearing02/14/07
07-2-07019-6ExcludedHearing02/21/07
07-2-07020-0FMGJillDanielKO01/10/07JH01/24/07
07-2-07021-8FMGLaurieAndreKO01/10/07JH01/24/07
07-2-07022-6FMGLyndseyShannanKO01/12/07JH01/24/07
07-2-07023-ExcludedHearing02/21/07
07-2-07024-2FMWTabithaChristopherKO01/12/07JH01/24/07
07-2-07025-1MFGRichardPatriciaKO01/12/07JH01/24/07
07-2-07026-9FMWLisaScottKO01/16/07JH01/24/07
07-2-07027-7MFGScottLisaKO01/16/07JH01/24/07
07-2-07028-5FMGAngeleneRusselJH01/17/07JH01/31/07
07-2-07029-3FMWYuliaViktorJH01/18/07JH01/31/07
07-2-07030-7FMWLudmillaVitalyJH01/18/07JH01/31/07
07-2-07031-5ExcludedHearing02/14/07
07-2-07032-3FMWDeborahBrandonJH01/19/07JH01/31/07
07-2-07033-1FMWDestinyRobertKO01/22/07JH01/31/07
07-2-07034-0FMGAngelDouglasKO01/23/07JH01/31/07
07-2-07035-8FMWToshaJoeKO01/23/07JH01/31/07
07-2-07036-6FMGDarleneBlakeKO01/24/07JH02/07/07
07-2-07037-4FMWFeliciaMichaelKO01/24/07JH02/07/07
07-2-07038-2FMGStephanieRandyKO01/24/07JH02/07/07
07-2-07039-1FMGSarahJohnnyKO01/24/07JH02/07/07
07-2-07040-4FMDMelissaForrestKO01/24/07

06-2-08364-8 was transferred to the Superior Court with the listed case dismissed for that reason and was excluded from further consideration. 06-2-08397-4 was counted twice as the original Petition was denied but an Order was granted with the parties reversed.

From my experiments you should be able to cut and paste the table above into a spread sheet. You can then export the spread sheet into a database for further analysis. My preliminary analysis was:

select "Type", "Result", count( * ) as CNT 
  from CCPETTN 
 group by rollup ( "Type", "Result" ); 

Type Result CNT
FM    D     8
FM    G     39
FM    W     37
FM          84
MF    D     4
MF    G     3
MF    W     12
MF          19 
Other Other 8
Not   Cmplt 7
Total       118
These results would be expected if men are about ten times more likely to commit acts of domestic violence. However, as stated previously it has been determined in peer reviewed studies that men are about as likely to commit domestic violence as women, so it appears that there is a strong and pervasive sexual bias in the Order for Protection proceedings in Clark County.

To demonstrate the statistical significance of the observed strong sexual bias, the observed rates are compared with the number of eligible candidates. For that I use U.S. census figures. I have insured that my estimates are slightly higher than the census figures for eligble parties would suggest (e.g. using estimates for April when the results are from earlier than February) as this makes the results appear less certain than they really are and the confidence in the results is actually greater than that stated.

For the rates of domestic violence, I use the rates found in 'Change In Spouse Assault Rates From 1975 to 1992: A Comparison of Three National Surverys in the United States, Murray A. Strauss and Glenda Kaufman Kantor' for 1992 (the most recent rates in that study). If the trends observed previously have continued then men would be even less likely than women to commit domestic violence than in 1992. Further, while this study dealt exclusively with couples who were co-habitating, the results were extended all men and women as all men and women are eligible for domestic violence protective orders (even if only dating and not co-habitating) in Clark County. Also, it has been observed that men and women who are dating are less likely to commit acts of domestic violence so this makes the counts of eligible candiates slightly higher and results even more certain than the computed level of confidence.

U.S. Census Figures for Clark County
Group200020052007 (est)Source
Households127,208152,584162,583U.S. Census
Population345,238403,766427,177U.S. Census
Adults (over 18)25547629878731611174% of Population
Adult Females12824914999115868850.2% of Population
Adult Female DV Victims1148134214200.902% of Adult Men
Adult Males12722714879615742349.8% of Population
Adult Male DV Victims1159135614350.904% of Adult Women
Total DV Victims230726982855Sum of Men and Women DV Victims

So the question come down to what is the liklihood that:
  1. For reporting rates, 103 out of 2855 gives 84 out of 1420 for women and 19 out of 1435 for men
  2. For completed rates, 54 out of 2855 gives 47 out of 1420 for women and 7 out of 1435 for men
  3. For granted orders rates, 42 out of 2855 gives 39 out of 1420 for women and 3 out of 1435 for men
  4. For withdrawal rates, 49 out of 104 gives 37 out of 84 for women and 12 out of 19 for men
  5. For denial rates, 12 out of 54 gives 8 out of 47 for women and 4 out of 7 for men
This assumes a normal distribution amongst eligible candidates for the application for a Protective Order through the Granting / Denial of the Order during the entire period under consideration.

This is a very strong case for pervasive sexual discrimination in these proceedings but we will see what the actual level of confidence results from the analysis.

My e-mail is brian@brian.carr .name (take out the space).

__________________________________

1 Thousands of couples were involved in these studies. The conclusions are based on more than 20 years of research. For the average of reports by both males and females: Husband on wife severe assault occurred at a rate of 2.0%, whereas wife on husband severe assault occurred at a rate of 4.6%. and Husband on wife minor assault occurred at a rate of 9.9%, whereas wife on husband assault occurred at a rate of 9.5%.

From What is the Truth About Family Violence? A 1999 report from Family Resources & Research. See:
http://www.mensrights.com.au/page13q.htm
http://www.ancpr.org/domestic_violations_false_allega.htm
Change In Spouse Assault Rates From 1975 to 1992: A Comparison of Three National Surverys in the United States, Murray A. Strauss and Glenda Kaufman Kantor
Gender Differences In Reporting Marital Violence and Its Medical and Psychological Consequences, Jan E. Stets and Murray A. Straus

This page was last updated on August 19, 2007>