8615 Ridgely’s Choice Drive
Suite 212
Baltimore, MD 21236
Tel: (410) 529-
Fax: (410) 529-
Suite 212
Baltimore, MD 21236
Tel: (410) 529-
Fax: (410) 529-
WebMaster: Edward Lehwald
Domestic Violence: An Overview
By Gwen Trader, L.C.S.W.-C
Domestic Violence is stated to be the most common, yet least reported crime against women in the United States. A woman is more likely to be injured or killed by a male partner than any other assailant. An estimated 3 to 4 million American women are beaten each year by their husbands or partners.
By Gwen Trader, L.C.S.W.-
Domestic Violence is stated to be the most common, yet least reported crime against women in the United States. A woman is more likely to be injured or killed by a male partner than any other assailant. An estimated 3 to 4 million American women are beaten each year by their husbands or partners.
The term, domestic violence or battery is defined as a pattern of coercive control that a person exercises over another. Battering is a “behavior that physically harms, arouses fear, prevents a woman from doing what she wishes, or forces her to behave in ways she does not want to”. (Guidelines for Mental Health Practitioners in Domestic Violence Cases, Susan Schechter) The abuser may use different types of abusive behavior to gain the power he feels necessary to maintain his sense of control in the relationship.
The different forms of abuse are as follows. Isolation is behavior that is intended to control what the abused partner does, where she goes, with whom she interacts, all with the purpose of limiting her social support system.
Intimidation and threats induce fear by threatening looks, action, gestures, and words. Emotional abuse is always present in domestic violence situations. This may take the form of consistent ridicule of her ideas, feelings, actions , and physical appearance and name calling. In some cases the abuser may make threats, such as taking the children or he may relegate his partner to r ole of a servant with little or no rights of her own, even destroying her personal property, particularly objects of sentimental value. Not frequently discussed is economic abuse which results in the abuser excessively controlling the money, or sabotaging his partner’s attempts to obtain employment or to keep her job. Sexual abuse takes the form of insisting on sexual acts against her will or attacking the sexual parts of her body. Physical abuse includes hitting, pushing, biting, punching, strangling shoving or holding or blocking someone against her will or using a weapon.
Abusive behaviors are generally more evident after the couple has been in the relationship for awhile and the abuser has a psychological hold over his partner.
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Abusive behaviors are generally more evident after the couple has been in the relationship for awhile and the abuser has a psychological hold over his partner.
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