Are You Aware Of The Various Types Of Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence is defined as “inter-spousal physical or emotional abuse.” It’s easy for victims to say, “Well he doesn’t actually hit me,” but harmful words, threats, name-calling and manipulation often lead to more serious consequences later down the road. Often, couples in domestic disputes lose sight of reality and feel that fighting is “normal,” or that it’s “healthy to disagree.” However, one should never feel afraid of his or her partner, unable to freely discuss certain topics without provoking outrage, or restrained by a partner’s obsessive jealousy.
Johnson and Ferraro (2000) classified domestic violence into five different types. The first type is called “Common Couple Violence,” where there are one or two incidents of extreme violence that doesn’t follow a pattern of attempted control. These abusers (which are 56% male and 44% female) are usually non-violent outside the house and are least likely to be sexually or emotionally violent. The second type is called “Intimate Terrorism,” which is a pattern of control and manipulation that involves emotional abuse.
These assailants are more likely to kill their partners and plot revenge following the breakup of a relationship. The third type of domestic violence is “Violent Resistance,” where one partner acts controlling and intimidating, while the other partner reacts in violent self-defense. This kind of violence may be a one-time event or a pattern. “Mutual Violent Control” or mutual combat involves two people using violence to control one another. The last domestic violence type is called “Dysphoric-Borderline Violence,” which describes a needy, dependent and emotionally imbalanced person who turns to “pitbull” type violence out of frustration, depression, fear of abandonment and neediness.
Other researchers and counselors describe domestic violence as simply being emotional, physical, sexual or financial victimization. Emotional abuse entails name-calling, shouting, threatening, insulting your family and friends, taking your car keys, refusing to work or share money, telling you to leave, abusing pets, lying to manipulate or humiliating you in public. Physical violence is more obvious, with hitting, slapping, biting, choking, hair pulling, striking, pinning you down, throwing things, driving recklessly, refusing you medication, locking you out of the house, threatening you with a weapon or doing anything that would endanger your life. Sexual abuse entails criticizing you sexually, mitigating your personal feelings about sex, insisting on unwanted uncomfortable sex or touching, forced sex after physical violence or during sickness, insisting that you dress sexually, withholding sex or affection “as punishment,” or committing outright rape.
You may also call one of the following hotlines: the National Abuse at 1-800-25ABUSE, Friends of Battered Women and Their Children at 1-800-603-HELP, the National domestic violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), the Elder Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-8966, or the National Youth Crisis number at 1-800-448-4663. By calling these numbers, you can receive services, including crisis intervention, safe separation planning assistance, referrals to counselors, programs or services and police escorts.