The Early Warning Signs Chapter 12

Early Warning Signs Most women don’t see it coming Distinct patterns in potentially violent relationships ▫Intrusion ▫Isolation ▫Possession ▫Jealousy ▫Proneness to anger ▫Unknown Pasts

Examples of Signs Rihanna/Chris Brown Red Flags ▫Hit repeatedly ▫No charges filed ▫Followed by reconciliation Nicole Brown/O.J. Simpson Red Flags ▫Previous unreported incidents ▫Criminal justice system failed to act on reported incidents

Intrusion The need for the batterer to monitor the comings and goings of his partner Examples of ‘Checking In’ ▫Beating for being late ▫Constant calling to verify whereabouts or activities ▫Monitoring phone calls ▫Opening mail or text messages Examples of ‘Popping up’ ▫Unexpectedly coming by victims work place ▫Acts begin as romantic or flirtatious ▫Dramatic increase is a red flag

Isolation Forcefully cut off from family and friends ▫Diminishes social networks ▫Keeps battering a secret Forbidding partners from working ▫Complete economic dependence ▫Financially unable to leave ‘Normal’ for new couples to isolate themselves ▫Usually decreases over time, couples reintegrate with own friends

Isolation Tactics Phone calls must be answered on 1 st ring Nailing windows shut Locking doors from outside Quick or coerced marriage Economic exchange Targeting homeless or financially insecure Moving

Possession The sense of ownership that many batterers exhibit toward their female partners History of women viewed as property of men ▫Legal and religious codes ▫Coverture  Women relished rights with marriage ▫Rape was considered a property crime  Forced to marry rapist, if not already married  Continues in rural Africa and Middle East Women raped by their partners are more likely to leave or kill their partners

Sexual Possession Marital Rape Exemption ▫Legal for husbands to rape their wives ▫Charges for rape cannot be filed by wives against husbands ▫Lasted until 1980s Rape cases involving acquaintances ▫Difficult to prosecute when victim and offender know each other  Nearly impossible with previous consensual sex ▫Example: Duke Lacrosse Case Sexual history of victim = Credibility ▫Sexually active females portrayed as ‘whores’ by defense ▫Example: Kobe Bryant rape trial

Molding Her Shaping a female partner ‘to be the way that they wanted [her] to be.’ Examples: ▫Cooking ▫Folding clothes ▫Washing dishes

Jealousy Sign of an actual or perceived violation of the sexual or erotic property exchange Double Standard ▫Most male suspected partner of infidelity  Majority of them were unfaithful ▫Only 20% of females admitted to affairs  Most knew about partner’s infidelity

Intersection Approach to Jealousy Male Perspective ▫Male infidelity is to create identity as a ‘real man’ ▫“It isn’t cheating when she know about it” ▫Male needs Extreme in Batterers View ▫No matter who initiated the interaction ▫Trigger of violence ▫Jealousy is a justification for abuse Erotic Property

Jealous habits to find signs of infidelity and intimidate victim Women exchange sexuality for financial support and male protection ▫Thereby, women are men’s sexual property ▫Infidelity by woman, other man is stealing  A direct threat to man’s masculinity ▫As property can only be owned by one man at a time

Prone to Anger Serial Abusers: Numerous relationships, battering in each one Most batterers have criminal records for: ▫Interpersonal violence, fighting and assault ▫90% of African American men interviewed had been in prison  Mostly for violent or drug crimes

Unknown Pasts Most women were unaware of partner’s previous violent offenses Violence masked by romance Men focus on learning about the woman ▫Easy tactic when targeting women with history of neglect or being ignored Level of intimacy is ‘greater’ than in previous relationships ▫Trust is never earned, just given to male partner

Why Women Stay “We were made for each other” ▫Don’t like his behavior, but still loves him ▫Most commonly given and powerful cause Personal history of violence leaves victim unable to deal with intimate partner violence Women believe they lose more than they gain by leaving ▫Most likely time to be killed is during separation Partners are good with the children Partners saved victim from previous violent relationship