Which of the following is a factor to consider when determining the predominant aggressor?

• A. The relative degree of injury inflicted on the parties
• B. Weather during incident
• C. History of domestic abuse between the parties
• D. The time since the incident

Answer: (C)

In determining the predominant aggressor, the focus is on the pattern and history of abuse between the parties. A history of domestic abuse shows ongoing coercive control and repeated violent behavior, which helps identify who has been the primary aggressor across incidents and who poses the greater ongoing threat. This context is crucial because it goes beyond a single moment and recognizes how abuse has developed over time, guiding officers toward decisions that better protect victims.

Weather during the incident and the time elapsed since the incident don’t inform who has historically been the aggressor or the likelihood of future harm, so they’re not decisive factors. The relative degree of injury can be misleading—injuries alone don’t reveal patterns of coercion or control, and one person may have caused less injury in a given incident while still being the predominant aggressor overall.