It has been suggested that because alcohol-dependent individuals are intoxicated more
frequently than non-dependent individuals, the observed association between spousal abuse
and intoxication may occur simply by chance. In addition, most instances of spouse abuse
occur in the absence of alcohol intoxication, suggesting the need to understand better the
processes through which some episodes escalate into violence (Martin, 1992). Although many
studies have found that alcohol use is associated with intimate partner violence, the nature of
the association needs to be clarified.