Monday, November 20, 2017
Power and Control
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Domestic violence stems not from any particular group of people or segment of society but rather from one individual's need to wield power and control over another. This individual will use any means to maintain their position of dominance within a relationship. In this regard it is important to understand that ‘violence’ in this dangerous dynamic refers to many types of abuse. It is most commonly understood that domestic violence involves physical and sexual abuse. This can absolutely be the case. What is also important to understand is there are other forms of domestic abuse which are equally harmful and criminal in nature. The U.S. Department of Justice identifies physical, sexual, emotional, economic and psychological abuse as crimes. The general public is largely unaware of this full array of domestic abuse.
In my next few blogs I will help readers identify what specific behaviors may be apparent when emotional, economic and/or psychological abuse is present in a relationship. Identification of these behaviors can help a family member or friend effectively aid a DV victim, or even help a loved one fully realize that the relationship they are in is not a healthy one. For a victim who does understand the danger that they are in it is much easier to disclose abuse when they know someone to go to who is empathetic and informed. Victims need to feel that they are believed and understood, even if they can not articulate many details of the abuse. They do not need or want to be peppered with questions as if they are on trial. They want the urgency of their situation to be understood and they need guidance on where to go and what to do. More on that later -
Next up: Understanding Emotional Abuse.
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Thank you so much for the expanded definition of abuse. I suffered physical and sexual abuse but there was also the emotional, psychological and economic abuse. His income was the only one we had and he used my poverty against me. I had to beg for money to even buy a pair of underwear (he said no,) and he didn't want me to work. I was trapped and too embarrassed to tell anyone after I told an aunt and she said I was not being a good wife. I'm lucky, he got another woman pregnant and left me. I can't believe I was suicidal over that but I was. It took a lot of therapy and medication to get me to the place where I thanked God he was gone.
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