Domestic violence and domestic abuse are patterns of behavior that establish power and control over an intimate partner through fear and intimidation. It often begins with isolation, jealousy, threats or name-calling and may include emotional, sexual or verbal abuse. It can progress to physical violence like pushing, hitting and kicking. And, it may escalate and results in serious injuries, hospitalization and even death.
Abuse
crosses all barriers of age, income, culture, religion, education and race.
Domestic violence between partners happens in all kinds of relationships -
husbands and wives, dating or live-in partners, lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender partners. Anyone can be a domestic violence victim.
The abusive behavior frequently follows a three phase cycle that intensifies with each incident.
Tension Building: increased anger, blaming, verbal abuse.
Battering: acts of violence, forced sex, extreme psychological abuse, withholding of basic needs.
Honeymoon: temporary changes in behavior, apologies, gifts, promises
to never be abusive again, to obtain counseling or to give up alcohol and
or drugs.
Rate your mate:
Are you in an abusive relationship?
Domestic violence is virtually impossible to measure with absolute precision due to numerous complications, including the societal stigma that inhibits victims from disclosing their abuse and the varying definitions of abuse used from study to study. Estimates range from 960,000 incidents of violence against a current of former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend per year (U.S. Department of Justice, 1998) to 3.9 million women who are physically abused per year. (The Commonwealth Fund, 1993)
One in four American women will be physically abused by an intimate partner at some point in her life. (Family Violence Prevention Fund, 1998)
30% of Americans say they know a woman who has been physically abused by her intimate partner in the past year. (Lieberman Research, Inc., 1995)
95% of all domestic violence is male to female. (The American Medical Association, 1992)
Child abuse is 15 times more likely to occur in families where domestic violence is present. (Stacy, W. and Shupe A. 1993)
$2.5 billion of health insurance benefits are spent on injuries resulting from domestic violence. (Governor’s Task Force on Family Violence, 1991)
A large majority of Employee Assistance Program providers surveyed have dealt with specific partner abuse situations in the past year, including an employee with a protection order (83%) or an employee being stalked at work by a current or former partner (71%). (Isaac, Nancy E., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University School of Public Health, 1997)
Often
domestic violence goes unreported due to societal stigmas that inhibit victims
from disclosing their abuse. Victims may be too ashamed or frightened to admit
they are being abused – even to close friends and family. Recognizing the
abuse is key to helping someone get out of a violent situation. Some signs
may include:
- Repeated bruises or injuries, often attributed to accidents or clumsiness;
- Often canceling plans, or needing permission from a partner to make plans;
- Being withdrawn or ceasing to socialize outside the home;
- High rate of absenteeism, tardiness, missed appointments and leaving work early; and
- Sensitivity about home life or hints that there is trouble at home