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Domestic Violence

Unit 6

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Domestic violence is defined as a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is

used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner

(ovw.usdoj). When a person uses coercive and violent controlling behavior for the purpose of

taking a way a person’s independence, to make them feel helpless with a loss of safety is a

pattern of domestic violence. The abuser has to have a need to control especially their victims

they hide their violent behavior by denying the act, blaming others and use substance abuse as an

excuse.

Some characteristics of an abuser includes extreme jealously this is when a husband or

boyfriend think of other men as a threat to their relationship. Controlling is another trait of when

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the abuser wants to know where his victim is at all times an example a husband refuses to let his

wife go out to find a job believing that his wife would find someone else and leave the marriage.

A person who uses manipulative behavior is considered to be smart and intelligent since he/she

knows how to use past pain, vulnerability and a person’s weakness to manipulate the victim.

Other traits is being demanding and being possessive an example if your partner does not

like your mother he/she will take every attempt to rip them down to the victim, as the abuser

does this they are also trying to isolate the person. Isolation is when the abuser tries to cut his

victim off from family and friends. Animal cruelty is another characteristic besides being cruel

to children. Those who have abusive behavior towards their partners may have been victims

themselves as children or had witnessed the abuse.

When studying the relationship of domestic violence and substance abuse it can become

complicated. People who use substance abuse of alcohol or drugs can use the substance as an

excuse for their violent behavior. According to the U.S. Department of Justice 61% of domestic

violence offenders also have substance abuse problems (ncadv.org). Over 75%of domestic

violence victims have reported either drugs or alcohol or both were used at the time of the attack

(about-alchol-abuse.com). It has been said that substance abuse can increase violent behavior

towards their partner along with the severity of the injuries they can cause. Some researchers

state that substance abuse may increase the aggressive response of individuals with low levels of

the neurotransmitter serotonin (lumn.edu). They also believe that each is their own independent

problem and should be treated differently from each other. Many people believe that substance

abuse is the cause of domestic violence in reality it can contribute to it but it is not the main

reason for domestic violence. Some studies have proven that not all people who use drugs and

alcohol become violent.

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According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (U.S.DHHS)

battering is a separate problem and not all bad behavior are a result of alcohol and people who

drink can decide how and when they choose to abuse their wives basically saying those who

drink can be in control of their behavior (hhs.gov). Alcohol can be linked to domestic violence

in a few ways first being a chronic alcohol user can create stress within the family and second it

can create an out of control behavior some researchers have proven a like between alcohol and

domestic violence that 25 to 50% of all cases of family violence have included alcohol.

Substance abuse uses inflict more serious injuries and most often the person becomes

more violent than usual. Many of the people are more violent outside of the home; the abusers

who use substance abuse also increase the tendency to have forced sex with their partners.

Substance abuse also increases the abuse during intoxication than sobriety. Research on how

substance abuse can be linked to domestic violence showed an increase of alcohol abuse among

men who abuse their partners (1.umn.edu). A good majority of cases of domestic violence only

has looked at the abuser with the substance abuse problem. There are many abusers who force

their victims to use drugs or alcohol as a way of coercion and control. Some victims believe if

they also use it could be a way to manage the violence. The abuser could also use this tactic to

keep the victim from leaving this way the victim would depend on the abuser to supply the

substances. The victim may also use alcohol and drugs as a way to cope with the abuse. There

also has been evidence that if a child grows up in a violent behavior that they are at a higher risk

for victimization and would probably end up using alcohol and drugs, they also could have

psychological problems.

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Since there is no direct link to domestic violence studies have shown that there are other

factors that also contribute to domestic violence (1) how a person is raised if they are raised in a

violent home where a parent is a user of substances (2) their education and income (3) they

believe it is ok and acceptable to abuse women (4) the abuser believes alcohol or drugs can only

make a person violent (5) just wanting the power and control (Pernanen, 1991).

Since many researchers have studied substance abuse and domestic violence it has

suggested that substance abuse is not a main factor that is the cause of domestic violence, that

there are many more factors that increase the violence. There are also many characteristics of a

person who is an abuser when people become aware of the different traits we can only hope that

a person is being abused will start to know these traits and get out of an abusive situation.

References

Domestic Violence-The United States Department of Justice Retrieved from www.ovw.usdoj.gov/domviolence.htm

Pernanen, K., (1991) Alcohol in human violence Retrieved from www.vawnet.org

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Retrieved from www.hhs.gov

U.S. Department of Justice Retrieved from www.ncadv.org/files/substanceabuse/pdf

www.about-alchol-abuse.com

www.lumnedu/humanrts/svaw/domestic/link/alcohol.htm

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