Scale Overview
The Severity of Violence Against Women Scale / Severity of Violence Against Men Scale – SVAWS/SVAMS was developed by Marshall, L. L. (1992). It is designed to measure Intimate partner violence severity. The scale is intended for use with Adults in intimate partner relationships.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 46 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Threats of Violence, Physical Violence, Sexual Aggression.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Threats of Violence |
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19 |
19 |
| Physical Violence |
20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40 |
21 |
| Sexual Aggression |
41,42,43,44,45,46 |
6 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Never, 2 = Once, 3 = A few times, 4 = Many times.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.