The Cycle of Violence



A Brief Glimpse of Domestic Violence

The Cycle of Violence

The cycle of violence refers to a general pattern in a relationship that is involved in domestic violence.  The violence may stay mild for years, then escalate, or may escalate quickly.  In general, the abuser tends to become tense and agitated, leading to an incident of violence.  Once the violence subsides, the abuser is generally apologetic and may attempt to make amends (flowers, cards, sweet talk).  Also, the abuser may attempt to blame the victim, saying things like “If you hadn’t made me angry, then I wouldn’t have done that”.  Being Abused is never your fault.  Learning to resolve conflict without abuse is possible for everyone.  Of the almost 3.5 million violent crimes committed against family members, 49% of these were crimes against spouses.

What are the Mental Health effects of Domestic Violence?

 Domestic violence can lead to other emotional problems, such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse.  Abuse can trigger difficulty sleeping, suicidal thoughts or behaviors, shame and guilt, violence and aggression.  Children can experience developmental disorders, psychiatric disorders, school and peer difficulties, aggression, isolation, fear and withdraw.

A Few Statistics

The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that for each year between 2000 and 2005, "female parents acting alone" were most common perpetrators of child abuse.

When it comes to domestic violence towards children involving physical abuse, research in the UK by the NSPCC indicated that "most violence occurred at home" (78 per cent). 40—60% of men and women who abuse other adults also abuse their children. Girls whose fathers batter their mothers are 6.5 times more likely to be sexually abused by their fathers than are girls from non-violent homes.

According to Southern Connecticut State University: "In 95% of family violence cases the victims are women beaten by male partners. In 1% of the cases the reverse is true. There are an estimated 28 million battered women in the U.S., more than half of all married women in the country. In the U.S., one woman is beaten by her husband or partner every 9 seconds. Battering is the single major cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the U.S.; more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined. 70% of the assault victims seen in the emergency room of Boston City Hospital are women who have been attacked in their own homes. 3 out of 5 women in the U.S. will be battered in their lifetime."

Teenagers

Teen dating violence is a pattern of controlling behavior by one teenager over another teenager who are in a dating relationship. While there are many similarities to "traditional" domestic violence there are also some differences. Teens are much more likely than adults to become isolated from their peers as the result of controlling behavior by their boyfriend/girlfriend. Also, for many teens the abusive relationship may be their first dating experience and have never had a "normal" dating experience with which to compare it.

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