Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior in a relationship used to gain power and control over an intimate partner. Abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional/verbal, economic, threats or other psychological actions to frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame or injure, to gain power over them. This occurs within all races, ages, genders, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic groups and education levels and at all levels of a relationship.

Emotional/verbal partner abuse includes withholding affection, threats to harm you and/or the people and pets important to you; name-calling, insults, humiliation, excessive criticism; possessiveness, jealousy, distrust, isolation, spying/monitoring, financial control and submissiveness (obedience and requiring permission).

Physically abusive partners damage property (including throwing things, punching or kicking walls and doors);
push, slap, bite, kick, choke; abandon you in an unsafe or strange environment; drive recklessly, threaten with a weapon, hold you against your will, prevent you from contacting the police or other emergency services, harms your children or pets and forces sexual activity.

In sexually abusive relationships the abuser objectifies women, enforces strict gender roles, is obsessively jealous, frequently to the point of paranoia, refers or defines you using sexual language; through manipulation, coercion, verbally demands or physically forces sexual acts.

Women’s Opinions About Domestic Violence Screening and Mandatory Reporting -- Many professional health care organizations have called for routine screening of women for intimate partner violence (IPV). Six states mandate that health care providers report IPV to the criminal justice system. Andrea Carlson Gielen, ScD, ScM, Patricia J. O’Campo, PhD, Jacquelyn C. Campbell, PhD, RN, FAAN, Janet Schollenberger, MHS, Anne B. Woods, RN, Alison S. Jones, PhD, Jacqueline A. Dienemann, PhD, RN, FAAN, Joan Kub, PhD, RN, E. Clifford Wynne, MD

The Controversy Over Domestic Violence by Women: A Methodological, Theoretical and Sociology of Science Analysis. Family conflict studies show about equal rates of assault by men and women. Crime studies show much higher rates of assault by men, often 90%. The differences probably occur because crime studies deal with only a small percentage of all domestic assaults, such as assaults which result in an injury serious enough to need medical attention or by a former partner. These tend to be assaults by men. Murray A. Straus Family Research Laboratory, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH

Prevalence and Effects of Child Exposure to Domestic Violence -- Childhood exposure to domestic violence is associated with aggressive behavior, emotional problems such as depression and anxiety, lower social competence and poorer academic functioning.

Children’s Experience of Domestic Violence -- Behavioral, emotional, cognitive and physical functioning problems among children exposed to domestic violence. Jeffrey L. Edleson,
University of Minnesota

The dynamics of pregnancy-related violence - A Review of the Literature J. L. JASINSKI University of Central Florida -- consequences of pregnancy-related violence include delayed prenatal care, fetal trauma, premature labor, low birth weight, unhealthy maternal behaviors with negative outcomes and increased health risks for the mother.

Kari & Associates
PO Box 6166
Olympia, WA 98507

Copyright Kari Sable 1994-2011

National Domestic Violence Hotline at: 1-800-799-SAFE or 1-800-787-3224 TTD

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