Domestic violence can happen to anyone, whether you’re dating, married, or living with an intimate partner. In a domestic violence situation, one person attempts to control the other through any means necessary, including sexual, psychological, physical, and verbal abuse. It’s true that drugs and alcohol may play a role in domestic violence situations. However, it’s important to understand that the main issue in domestic violence is control and power, not substance abuse.
Domestic violence isn’t limited to one type of culture or socioeconomic status – anyone from any walk of life and background can be the victim of domestic violence. However, a majority of domestic violence victims are women. There are various types of domestic violence and they can be hard to notice. Abuse includes the following:
• Physical abuse, including kicking, slapping, hitting, pushing, biting, choking, and punching.
• Severely criticizing the abused person.
• Blaming someone else for abusive behavior or making it seem like the abuse isn’t a big deal.
• Extreme or constant jealousy.
• Showing extreme amounts of anger.
• Trying to control the other person.
• Making threats and using various types of intimidation.
• Not allowing the other person to access medication they need.
• Forcing someone to have sex or to perform sexual acts.
• Causing the person to remain isolated from their friends and family.
• Using certain features against the other person, such as their age, race, class, religion, etc.
• Maintaining financial control by not letting the abused person have access to the bank accounts or income. Some victims are also not allowed to work.
• Destroying personal property.
3 Facts About Domestic Violence
1. Approximately 50% of women who escape their abusers return to them after a brief stay elsewhere. Unfortunately, a lot of people feel that if you’re going to stay with an abuser, you deserve to be abused, which is simply untrue.
2. There isn’t a vast different in the rates of abuse between men and women. However, since men’s injuries tend to be less serious than women, the numbers are skewed.
3. In younger females, dating violence is more common against the female.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, contact a lawyer for a free consultation.
