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get the facts
about d.v. |
d.v. & kids |
games batterers play |
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About Domestic Violence
The Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence defines domestic violence as,
"a pattern of behavior where one person tries to control the thoughts, beliefs or actions of a partner, friend or any other person close to them. While the violence may cause injury, it does not have to be physical. Domestic violence also takes the form of emotional, verbal, mental, sexual and economic abuse."
Domestic Violence can impact any person at any time in his or her life. Domestic violence impacts people of all race, religion, ethnic background, and income levels. Although any person can be affected by abuse, the U.S. Department of Justice estimates that more than 90% of all the victims of domestic violence are female.
Research has found:
- A female is battered every 9 seconds.
California Alliance Against Domestic Violence, 1994.
- Relationship violence is the number one cause of injury to women ages 15-44; more than rapes, muggings and car accidents combined.
Center for Community Solutions, 1997.
- 4 million American women experience a serious assault by an intimate partner during an average 12-month period.
American Psychl. Ass'n, Violence and the Family: Report of the American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Violence and the Family (1996), p. 10.
- Nearly 1 in 3 adult women experience at least one physical assault by a partner during adulthood.
American Psychl. Ass'n, Violence and the Family: Report of the American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Violence and the Family (1996), p. 10.
- 28% of all annual violence against women is perpetrated by intimates.
Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report: National Crime Victimization Survey, Violence Against Women (NCJ-145325), January 1994.
- 5% of all annual violence against men is perpetrated by intimates.
Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report: National Crime Victimization Survey, Violence Against Women (NCJ-145325), January 1994.
- While women are less likely than men to be victims of violent crimes overall, women are 5 to 8 times more likely than men to be victimized by an intimate partner.
Violence by Intimates: Analysis of Data on Crimes by Current or Former Spouses, Boyfriends, and Girlfriends, U.S. Department of Justice, March 1998.
- Husbands and boyfriends commit an estimated 13,000 acts of violence against women in the workplace each year.
US Department of Justice, 1994.
- 31,260 women were murdered by an intimate from 1976-1996.
Violence by Intimates: Analysis of Data on Crimes by Current or Former Spouses, Boyfriends, and Girlfriends, U.S. Department of Justice, March 1998.
- Families in which domestic violence occurs use doctors 8 times more often, visit the emergency room 6 times more often and use 6 times more prescription drugs than the general population.
"Domestic Violence: A Community Crisis Waiting for an Effective Response," Seattle Domestic Violence Invention, 1989.
- 22 to 35 percent of women who visit the emergency departments in the United States are there for symptoms related to on-going abuse.
"Domestic Violence Intervention Calls for More than Treating Injuries," Journal of the American Medical Association, 1990.
- As many as one-quarter to two-thirds of battered women report abuse during pregnancy.
"Battered and Pregnant: A Prevalence Study," Journal of the American Public Health Association.
- It is estimated that one third of all high school and college students will have been in an abusive relationship by the time they graduate.
Levy, 1992.
- 63% of all boys ages 11-20 arrested for murder murdered the man who was assaulting their mother.
Center for Community Solutions, 1997.
- There are 3 times as many animal shelters in the United States as battered women shelters.
Senate Judiciary Committee, 1990.
Domestic Violence & Kids
Unfortunately, children are impacted by family violence, even if they are in other rooms or have gone to bed. Children can hear the fighting; they can sense the tension in the room; they can see the aftermath of the abuse. Children may see their parent crying or the bruises and marks left behind; they may hear the sirens and see the police officers, EMT’s and the chaos that is happening in their homes. Children who are exposed to domestic violence may develop emotional, cognitive or behavioral problems.
- Each year, an estimated 3.3 million children are exposed to violence by family members against their mothers and caretakers.
(American Psychl. Ass’n, Violence and the Family: Report of the American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Violence and the Family (1996), p.11).
- In homes where partner abuse occurs, children are 1,500 more times likely to be abused.
(Dept. of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Family Violence: Interventions for the Justice System, 1993).
- In a national survey of more than 2,00 American families, approximately 50% of the men who frequently assaulted their wives also frequently abused their children.
(Strauss & Gelles, Physical Violence in Families, 1990).
- Slightly more than half of female victims of intimate partner violence live in households with children under age 12.
(U.S. Dept. of Justice, Violence by Initmates: Analysis of Data on Crimes by Current or Former Spouses, Boyfriends and Girlfriends, March 1998).
- When children are killed during a domestic dispute, 90% are under the age of 10; 56% are under the age of 2.
(Florida’s Govenor’s Task Force on Domestic and Sexual Violence, Florida Mortality Review Project, 1997, p.51, table 28).
Games Batterers Play
Abusers will often use different tactics to manipulate the victim and obtain and maintain power and control in the relationship. The following list provides example of such manipulation tactics.
- Threats of suicide - Occasionally attempts are made, but rarely succeed. Makes women feel responsible for their mates’ well being.
- Threats to kill woman or the children or her counselors - Certainly the most fear producing threat. May involve hunting for the woman, brandishing weapons. Can produce paralyzing fear, a very strong weapon.
- Threaten mythical legal actions and sanctions - The most common threat is taking away child custody because of desertion.
- Harass or threaten relatives or friends - Makes woman feel responsible for the safety of these people. Often follows through with this threat.
- Burns clothes or belongings - A symbolic gesture, which alternatively enrages and depresses the woman.
- Organizes a posse of relatives and friends, including in-laws, to search for and convince the woman of her mistake - Can be very overwhelming and powerful.
- Reports that he (or a close relative or friend) has been in a car accident and has been hospitalized - This faked report is very effective in flushing a woman from hiding and leaving her off guard for other tricks, like child snatching.
- Cry, saying he can’t live without her - Guilt and a sense of responsibility for his life is difficult to shake.
- Promise to get counseling - Usually won’t follow through, but sometimes will go only to focus on how to get the woman back. Will usually discontinue when and if she returns home.
- Get religion - Enlist the aid of the preacher, gets baptized, saved, or prays.
- Makes promises in general - He won’t hit her again, will clean house, give up drinking or drugs, get rid of guns, go to work, etc.
- Develops psychosomatic complaints - Can’t eat, sleep, nausea, etc. Again, guilt and responsibility make it tough to ignore.
- Files Missing Person report - Enlists the help of unsuspecting police to track the woman down.
- Has friends calling saying they are the woman’s lawyer, counselor, or doctor and need to meet with her right away - Again, this can catch woman off guard.
These are only a few of the many possible "games" batterers may play. Women who have not been helped to anticipate these "games" could quite effectively be forced to return to unchanged situations, only to find the threats and promises very short-lived. (adapted from Susan Swala, RDVIC, Morgantown)
Domestic Violence Project at WMLS/AmeriCorps Spring 2003 Western Massachusetts Legal Services, Inc. 152 North Street, Suite E M, Pittsfield, MA 01201 413-499-1950
Links
On-line resources include:
www.endabuse.org
Family Violence and Sexual Assault Institute is an international resource center which maintains a clearinghouse of categorized references and papers concerning all aspects of family violence and sexual assaults.
www.fvpf.org
The Family Violence Prevention Fund Since 1994, the Family Violence Prevention Fund, in partnership with The Advertising Council, has sponsored public education campaigns to raise awareness of domestic violence. The campaigns encourage people who are the friends, family members and co-workers of battered women to action to stop domestic violence and help victims.
www.janedoe.org
Jane Doe, Inc. the Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence brings together organizations and people committed to ending domestic violence and sexual assault.
www.ncadv.org
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence is a national organization that includes information for victims and professionals. For victims, information helps define the problem of Domestic Violence and provides a checklist for victims. Also, it includes information on what to do including making safe plans.
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