Information Every Woman Should Know About Domestic Violence

Wikipedia domestic violence is defined as: “Domestic violence occurs when a family member, partner or ex-partner attempts to physically or psychologically dominate or harm the other. The term “intimate partner violence” (IPV) is often used synonymously, other terms have included “wife beating”, “wife battering”, “relationship violence”, “domestic abuse”, “spousal abuse”, and “family violence” with some legal jurisdictions having specific definitions.”

Domestic Violence comes in many forms. Those include physical, sexual, and emotional. Domestic violence can affect anyone regardless of their age, sex, race, religion, or gender. It occurs between couples who are married, living together, or dating. It effects people of all economical classes and education levels.

While stress, alcohol, drugs, and anger may seem to cause domestic violence, this is not the case. Domestic violence is caused by the perceived right of one person to dominate another. In most domestic violence cases, the abuser believes that men should have power and control over women.

Men tend to form a sense of pocession over women. This makes them extremely jealous, suspicious, and manipulative. Such feelings eventually turn to the man dominating the woman to such a state that the woman no longer feels that she is ‘alive’.

Here are a few signs you may be in an abusive relationship taken from the National Domestic Violence Hotline Website:

You may be in an emotionally abusive relationship if your partner:
Calls you names, insults you or continually criticizes you.
Does not trust you and acts jealous or possessive.
Tries to isolate you from family or friends.
Monitors where you go, who you call and who you spend time with.
Does not want you to work.
Controls finances or refuses to share money.
Punishes you by withholding affection.
Expects you to ask permission.
Threatens to hurt you, the children, your family or your pets.
Humiliates you in any way.

You may be in a physically abusive relationship if your partner has ever:
Damaged property when angry (thrown objects, punched walls, kicked doors, etc.).
Pushed, slapped, bitten, kicked or choked you.
Abandoned you in a dangerous or unfamiliar place.
Scared you by driving recklessly.
Used a weapon to threaten or hurt you.
Forced you to leave your home.
Trapped you in your home or kept you from leaving.
Prevented you from calling police or seeking medical attention.
Hurt your children.
Used physical force in sexual situations.

You may be in a sexually abusive relationship if your partner:
Views women as objects and believes in rigid gender roles.
Accuses you of cheating or is often jealous of your outside relationships.
Wants you to dress in a sexual way.
Insults you in sexual ways or calls you sexual names.
Has ever forced or manipulated you into to having sex or performing sexual acts.
Held you down during sex.
Demanded sex when you were sick, tired or after beating you.
Hurt you with weapons or objects during sex.
Involved other people in sexual activities with you.
Ignored your feelings regarding sex.