Abuse in Relationships

1. Abuse in Relationships Chapter 13

2. 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.

3. Gottman’s 2 types • Situational Couple Violence • Intimate terrorism • Uxoricide • Battered Woman Syndrome • The battered woman syndrome defense?

4. Emotional Abuse • Verbal Abuse/Symbolic Aggression/Psychological Abuse • Warning signs:

5. Today’s discussion focuses on various forms of domestic abuse and violence, and we tend to talk most about violence of male partners against female partners. • Is it right to place emphasis on this type of intimate partner violence?

6. 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. • Pregnancy is an especially dangerous time for women—why do you think this is?

7. Research on Domestic Violence • Husbands or other male partners have higher rates of inflicting the most dangerous and injurious forms of violence. • Violence by husbands or male partners does more damage, because of a man’s greater physical strength. • Violent acts by men are more frequent, tending to be repeated over time. • Husbands are more apt to leave an abusive relationship within a short time.

8. Sexual Abuse • Marital Rape • Date rape

9. 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’sphysical violence is more likely to be driven by control motives.

10. Stalking • Stalking • Cybervictimization • Obsessive relational intrusion

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

12. Explanations for Violence and Abuse • Culture • Media • Corporal punishment • Gender inequality • Women and children as property? • Stress

13. Explanations for Violence and Abuse • Community Factors • Individual Factors • Family Factors

14. The Cycle of Abuse

15. Why do people stay in Abusive Relationships? • Does our culture encourage women to stay in an unhealthy relationship?

16. Why Women Stay • 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, many women find the courage to leave when the violence spills over into the lives of their children.

17. Why Women Stay • Economic hardship and homelessness • Need for child support • Shame or guilt • Blaming themselves—battered women often believe it is their fault

18. Why Women Stay • Fear—is a MAJOR reason • The home becomes a prison