The Nature of Relationship Abuse

Chapter 12

Nature of Relationship Abuse

– Violence (physical abuse)• Intimate-partner Violence is a term that refers to

crimes committed against current or former spouses, boyfriends, or girlfriends.

Gottman’s 2 types

• Situational Couple Violence

• Intimate terrorism– Uxoricide

– Battered Woman Syndrome

• The battered woman syndrome defense?

Emotional Abuse

• Verbal Abuse/Symbolic Aggression/Psychological Abuse

Prevalence and Severity of IPV

• Women are five times more likely to be abused by a partner than a man is. Almost 75% of all attacks by intimate partners are against women.

• IPV is a leading cause of death for women ages 15-44 in the U.S. It seems that pregnancy is an especially dangerous time for women—why do you think this is?

Research on Domestic Violence

1. Husbands or other male partners have higher rates of inflicting the most dangerous and injurious forms of violence.

2. Violence by husbands or male partners does more damage, because of a man’s greater physical strength.

3. Violent acts by men are more frequent, tending to be repeated over time.

4. Husbands are more apt to leave an abusive relationship within a short time.

Female Abuse of a Partner

• A review of literature found that women’s physical violence may be just as prevalent as men’s violence but is more likely to be motivated by self-defense and fear.

• Men’s physical violence is more likely to be driven by control motives.

Stalking

• Stalking

• Cybervictimization

• Obsessive relational intrusion

• What are some of the root causes of violence in intimate relationships?

Explanations for Violence and Abuse

• Culture– Media– Corporal punishment– Gender inequality– Women and children as property?– Stress

Explanations for Violence and Abuse

• Community Factors

• Individual Factors

• Family Factors

Sexual Abuse

• Marital Rape

• Date rape

The Cycle of Abuse

• Why do people stay in Abusive Relationships?

– Does our culture encourage women to stay in an unhealthy relationship?

Why Women Stay

• Walker-learned helplessness—the woman becomes depressed, loses her self-esteem, and feels incapable of seeking help for herself.

• Hope that the abuser will change. • Low self-esteem and feeling incapable of

helping herself and even her children.– However, some women find the courage to leave

when the violence spills over into the lives of their children.

Why Women Stay

• Economic hardship and homelessness

• Need for child support

• Shame or guilt

• Blaming themselves—battered women often believe it is their fault

Why Women Stay

• Fear—is a MAJOR reason

• The home becomes a prison