HUM Week 14
Intimate Partner Violence
One of the most common forms of violence against women worldwide is abuse by their husbands or other intimate male partners. Partner violence does not discriminate against race, age and socioeconomic background. Domestic violence is violence occurring between adults who are intimate, regardless of their living arrangements, marital status, or sexual orientations.
Although abuse can exist in same-sex relationships and women have been known to be violent, the majority of partner abuse is committed by men against female partners. There is no specific type of woman that is more susceptible to being abused by her partner, nor is any one type of woman completely safe from abuse. Partner abuse can take a variety of forms including physical assault, emotional abuse, threats, economic abuse, and even forced sex. It frequently includes controlling behaviors such as isolating a victim from family and friends or monitoring their movements.
Even though survivors may experience similar types of abuse, the response to trauma may vary from person to person. Many factors can influence how a person responds to short- and long-term effects of the abuse, such as the frequency of abusive incidents and the degree of severity. Other factors can include age in which the trauma occurred, previous exposure to unrelated traumatic incidents and extent of therapy or timing of intervention.
It’s important to know that the effects of domestic violence can be overwhelming to experience, and even to learn about. It’s common for someone in an abusive relationship to not recall many aspects of their life prior to being abused, especially if they have been exposed to violence for an extended period of time. Sometimes, it may seem as if the violence defines their identity. Surviving domestic violence is possible, and although it requires addressing painful realities, it also means discovering new inner strengths for the survivor.
Counseling Victims of Domestic Violence
One of the most common forms of violence against women worldwide is abuse by their husbands or other intimate male partners. Partner violence does not discriminate against race, age and socioeconomic background. Domestic violence is violence occurring between adults who are intimate, regardless of their living arrangements, marital status, or sexual orientations.
Although abuse can exist in same-sex relationships and women have been known to be violent, the majority of partner abuse is committed by men against female partners. There is no specific type of woman that is more susceptible to being abused by her partner, nor is any one type of woman completely safe from abuse. Partner abuse can take a variety of forms including physical assault, emotional abuse, threats, economic abuse, and even forced sex. It frequently includes controlling behaviors such as isolating a victim from family and friends or monitoring their movements.
Even though survivors may experience similar types of abuse, the response to trauma may vary from person to person. Many factors can influence how a person responds to short- and long-term effects of the abuse, such as the frequency of abusive incidents and the degree of severity. Other factors can include age in which the trauma occurred, previous exposure to unrelated traumatic incidents and extent of therapy or timing of intervention.
It’s important to know that the effects of domestic violence can be overwhelming to experience, and even to learn about. It’s common for someone in an abusive relationship to not recall many aspects of their life prior to being abused, especially if they have been exposed to violence for an extended period of time. Sometimes, it may seem as if the violence defines their identity. Surviving domestic violence is possible, and although it requires addressing painful realities, it also means discovering new inner strengths for the survivor.
Counseling Victims of Domestic Violence