Which factor is used to determine the predominant aggressor at a family violence call?

• A. Is one party physically larger and stronger than the other?
• B. Who poses the most danger to the other?
• C. Are there any children present?
• D. Does the scene corroborate either story?

Answer: (B)

In family violence responses, the key is identifying the person who poses the greatest danger to the other. The predominant aggressor is the one who presents the most serious risk of harm, not simply the person who started the fight or who is physically bigger. This decision is based on a careful assessment of factors like the severity of injuries, threats made, presence of a weapon, and patterns of past violence or coercive behavior. While scene details, corroboration, and context matter, none of these alone determine the aggressor—the goal is to gauge who is most likely to cause ongoing harm and therefore requires priority safety actions.