Intervention for Domestic Violence
Battering is a systematic pattern of violent, controlling, coercive behaviors intended to punish, abuse and ultimately control the thoughts, beliefs and actions of the victim.
What is Domestic Violence?
(Also referred to as Battering )
Battering is a pattern of behavior used to establish power and control over another person through fear and intimidation, often including the threat or use of violence. Battering happens when one person believes they are entitled to control another. Assault, battering and domestic violence are crimes.
Definition: Abuse of family members can take many forms. Battering may include emotional abuse, economic abuse, sexual abuse, using children, threats, using male privilege, intimidation, isolation, and a variety of other behaviors used to maintain fear, intimidation and power. In all cultures, the perpetrators are most commonly men of the family. Women are most commonly the victims of violence. Elder and child abuse are also prevalent. Acts of domestic violence generally fall into one or more of the following categories:
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Physical Battering – The abuser’s attacks or aggressive behavior can range from bruising to murder. It often begins with what is excused as trivial contacts, which escalate into more frequent and serious attacks.
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Sexual Abuse – Physical attacks by the abuser is often accompanied by, or culminates in, sexual violence wherein the woman is forced to have sexual intercourse with her abuser or take part in unwanted sexual activity.
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Psychological Battering – The abuser’s psychological or mental violence can include constant verbal abuse, harassment, excessive possessiveness, isolating the woman from friends and family, deprivation of physical and economic resources and destruction of personal property.
Battering escalates. It often begins with behaviors like threats, name calling, violence in her presence ( such as punching a fist through a wall ), and/or damage to objects or pets. It may escalate to restraining, pushing, slapping, and/or pinching.
The battering may include punching, kicking, biting, sexual assault, tripping, throwing. Finally, it may become life threatening with serious behaviors such as choking, breaking bones, or the use of weapons.
Violence and Non-Violence Wheels
Violence Wheel Non-Violence Wheel
It’s easy to fall into the trap of “Blaming” the victim, especially when she has admitted to the abuse and may “even” have asked for help several times. Statistics indicate that a woman will be assaulted at least 3.5 times before asking for help.
Often the psychological affects of battering cause the victim to retract their plea for help – resulting in dropping charges that may have been placed on the abuser. The victim often feels confused and guilty and continually blames themselves for the batterer’s abusive behavior.
Domestic violence is a pervasive cycle that often escalates to severe injury, hospitalization and death if not intervened upon.
If you, or a loved one is a victim of domestic violence it is imperative that you seek professional help to break the cycle before it is too late.
Often the batterer and the severity of his condition is ignored or criminalized. The repeat abuser becomes addicted to his “tension” release, and it is often learned behavior that is subtilely “socially acceptable” or at best ignored.
For the cyclical abuser, he releases the pent-up tension and rage of the torment within. It is the only way he knows to rid himself of his bad feelings. Without help – he, at best, continues to destroy potentially healthy relationships ultimately leading to abandonment and incarceration. There is help for the batterer too.
