partner violence (Tjaden et al., 2000). Approximately two-thirds of intimate partner violence homicides in the U.S. are perpetrated against women (Karch et al., 2010; Paulozzi et al., 2001) and one in three homicides involving female victims is committed by a current or former spouse or partner, compared to just one in twenty men (Federal Bureau of Investigation - U.S. Department of Justice, 2009). Excessive alcohol consumption by the victim, aggressor, or both is thought to exacerbate relationship stressors and increase the occurrence and severity of intimate partner violence (Foran and O’Leary, 2008; World Health Organization, 2005). Hence, increases in alcohol problems associated with lower MLDA may elevate rates of partner violence and thus influence rates of female homicide deaths.
