Studies show domestic violence linked to alcohol, drug abuse

(Los Angeles-AP) -- Two new studies show that men who abuse alcohol and drugs tend to batter their wives and girlfriends more<br>often than others.<br><br>One study finds that women have more than three

Wednesday, December 15th 1999, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Los Angeles-AP) -- Two new studies show that men who abuse alcohol and drugs tend to batter their wives and girlfriends more
often than others.

One study finds that women have more than three times the risk of domestic violence when their significant others abuse alcohol or
drugs. The risk factor also rises if the male partner has recently lost a job or the couple has ended their relationship.

The study gathered information at eight emergency departments around the country. It looked at 915 injured women, including 256
hurt by husbands or male partners. The women were asked about the habits and lives of the men.

The studies appear tomorrow in the New England Journal of Medicine.