What is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence or intimate partner violence can be defined as a pattern of behavior where one person controls another through violence, threats of violence, verbal or emotional abuse. In the U.S.A. a woman is battered every 9 seconds, and over 3 million children witness some form of domestic violence in their homes every year.
Controlling behavior consists of: physical abuse; name-calling; threats; and property destruction. It includes threatening children, other family members , and pets. Other examples are; marital or relationship rape, any forced sexual act , or attempts at isolation from family, loved ones, and others.
Domestic violence victims come from all walks of life. They are rich and poor, male and female, of all races, religions, education levels, and cultures. What is universal is that the person who is supposed to love them is the person who they fear. The message that children receive is that it’s okay to hurt or threaten someone to get what you want. These children are at a far greater risk of becoming abusers or victims themselves.
