7 Intimate Partner Violence

Chapter Objectives Explain the battered women’s movement with its accomplishments. Discuss the health and safety issues that affect survivors of intimate partner violence. Provide rates of intimate partner violence victimization among groups of American women. Describe how intimate family violence victimization may impact males differently from female survivors. Describe dating violence victimization.

Introduction Intimate partner violence Is also called domestic violence, battering, or spouse abuse Is violence committed by a current or former spouse, opposite-sex cohabiting partner, same-sex cohabiting partner, date, or boyfriend or girlfriend Takes many forms Is often a repeated offense

Violence Behaviors Physical violence behaviors May include punching, shoving, slapping, biting, kicking, using a weapon against a partner, throwing items, pulling hair, and restraining the partner. Sexual violence behaviors May include forcing a partner to perform sexual acts, telling the partner that she asked for the abuse (in sadomasochism), and rape.

Violence Behaviors Emotional and psychological abuses Economic control Include verbal abuses such as calling of names, criticizing, playing mind games, humiliating the partner, and reinforcing internalized homophobia. Economic control Creates financial dependency

Battered Women’s Movement The battered women’s movement Began as a grassroots movement during the late 1960s (Barner & Carney, 2011) Has accomplished major victories since its inception Is still strong today Increased awareness of violence committed against lesbian and gay partners and males

Health and Safety Issues There are four stages leading to homicide: Initial attraction, whereby the woman feels that the social isolation she is experiencing is actually mutual affection When a physical assault occurs, it is met with disbelief If the intensity or severity of violence increases, her survival depends on successfully leaving the offender The final phase occurs if the woman cannot get away See box on page 5

Health and Safety Issues Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) face numerous challenges Homelessness Injury and trauma Quality of life issues

Violence Against Women Women are the most frequent victims of intimate partner violence. Intimate partner violence is the leading cause of injury and death to American women, causing more harm than vehicular accidents, rapes, and muggings combined.

Violence Against Women Violence against women is underreported. Only 49% of intimate partner violence against women is reported to the police. Catalano, S., Smith, E., Snyder, H., & Rand, M. (2009). Female victims of violence . (NCJ 228356). Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics. Retrieved from http://bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/fvv.pdf

Violence Against Men More than one in four heterosexual men in the U.S. have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Men are less likely to report the violence and seek services due to: The stigma of being a male victim Fear of not being believed Walters, M. L., Chen, J., & Breiding, M. J. (2013). National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 findings on victimization by sexual orientation. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cycle of Violence Theory Theorist Lenore Walker is most often cited for application of the transmission of violence theory to family abuse. She described three separate phases of an abuse cycle represented in a pattern that is repeated time and again in a battering relationship: Phase I, tension building Phase II, acute battering Phase III, honeymoon phase Walker, L. (1979). The battered woman . New York, NY: Springer.

Feminist Sociopolitical Theory The feminist model has been the dominant explanation for family violence for years. This perspective considers intimate partner violence as endemic to cultures influenced by a patriarchal social structure.

Feminist Sociopolitical Theory Patriarchy Refers to a social system that recognizes the complete dominance of men over women Custom and religion typically strengthened by law define the social standing of women as subservient to men Is recognized as the most common and enduring social system At the core of the theory is the idea that intimate partner violence is used to maintain control over women, by force, when needed.

Individual-Based Theories Ascribe family violence to psychological problems, such as personality disorders, the offender’s childhood experiences, or biological disposition. Recent studies have refuted a presumption of a personality disorder of the parent, because less than 10% of abusive parents were found to be emotionally maladjusted.

Individual-Based Theories Multiple factor theories Seek to determine the causes of the abuse and neglect of children Psychodynamic approach to therapy Targets the underlying psychological cause of the violence

Individual-Based Theories Cognitive–behavioral approach When the offender is taught new patterns of nonviolent thinking and behavior If the perpetrator has difficulty in establishing healthy relationships, attempts are made to facilitate secure attachments between offenders and loved ones

Individual-Based Theories Social–Psychological Model Joined together major elements of feminist theory with the psychological approach Merges three general approaches to crime causation: Social learning Unequal power relations Personal choice theory Uses a broad application of social learning theory to explain that people who abuse have learned to do so through direct instruction, modeling, and reinforcement

Individual-Based Theories Social–Psychological Model, cont. Unequal power relations (real or perceived) contribute to the likelihood that abusive behaviors will be tolerated Recognition that family abuse is a personal choice: an abuser acts out with violence instead of using alternative methods of conflict resolution Social isolation creates an environment in which battering in same-sex couples can occur

Sexual Offenses Physical effects of domestic partner rape may include: Injuries to the vaginal and anal areas, lacerations, soreness, bruising, torn muscles, fatigue, and vomiting Broken bones, black eyes, bloody noses, and knife wounds that occur during the sexual violence Miscarriages, stillbirths, bladder infections, infertility, and the potential contraction of sexually transmitted diseases

Sexual Offenses Marital Rape Rape in a marriage is a prevalent form of sexual violence Defined as any unwanted intercourse or penetration (vaginal, anal, or oral) obtained by force, threat of force, or when the wife is unable to consent Not considered a crime until the 1970s Became a crime in all 50 states in 1993

Sexual Offenses Date Rape Includes unwanted sexual intercourse, oral sex, anal sex, or other sexual contact through the use of force or threat of force by casual or intimate dating partners Social term used to explain the fact that rape occurs within dating relationships The legal term is simply rape Forced sexual intercourse is a common experience among young adult women

Dating Violence Victims Violence that occurs in a dating or courtship relationship Younger individuals are particularly at risk for this form of abuse Includes sexual assault, rape, physical assault and battery, and verbal and emotional abuse Dating couples are even more likely to be violent than married couples