2. Introduction: The Cycle of Violence

3. Domestic violence occurs when a family member, partner or ex-partner attempts to physically or psychologically dominate another. Domestic violence occurs in all cultures; people of all races, ethnicities, religions, sexes and classes can be perpetrators of domestic violence.
Violence can be criminal and includes physical assault (hitting, pushing, shoving, etc.), sexual abuse (unwanted or forced sexual activity), and stalking. Although emotional, psychological and financial abuse are not criminal behaviors in some legal systems, they are forms of abuse and can lead to criminal violence.
Definition

4. Domestic Violence Defined - Criminal
There are two types of domestic violence behavior: Criminal and non-criminal.
Criminal behavior includes but is not limited to uninvited physical contact such as striking, kicking, biting, sexual coercion and abuse, marital rape, intimidation by stalking, computer hacking, and criminal isolation.

5. Domestic Violence Defined- Non-Criminal
Non- criminal behavior includes but is not limited to being denied access to friends or other social contacts.
Shadowing, restricting the use of the telephone by securing phones in a locked or temporary removal during the time the abuser is away.
Denying access to family finances.

6. Domestic Violence Statistics
Every day 4 women, 1 man and almost 5 children die as a result of domestic violence.
I in every 4 women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.
Females ages years of age are at the greatest risk for intimate partner abuse.
In 2005, 389,100 women and 78, 180 men were victimized by an intimate partner
U.S Department of Justice Statistics

7. Recent attention to domestic violence began in thewomen’s movement, particularly feminism and women’s rights, in the 1970s, as concern about wives being beaten by their husbands gained attention. Estimates are that only about a third of cases of domestic violence are actually reported in the United States and the United Kingdom. According to the centers for desease control, domestic violence is a serious, preventable public health problem affecting more than 32 million Americans, or more than 10% of the U.S. population and the Number of murders of women from Spain in are 315.

8. Domestic violence isn’t always violent…
The scope of domestic violence is far more reaching than the black eye of the raised fist.

9. Domestic violence: words can have the same impact as a punch

10. The Face of The Abused – Women
Domestic violence does not discriminate based on gender, ethnicity, age or socio-economic status. Women, however, represent the largest number of domestic violence victims.

11. The Face of The Abused – Men
Male victims of intimate partner abuse are less likely to report belittling and physical abuse because of the social stigma of appearing weak and disbelieved

12. The Face of The Abused – The Elderly
Incidence of elder abuse was found to be 32 of 1,000 in persons over age 65.
Elderly men are as likely to be abused as elderly women.
Elderly women sustain more severe physical and psychological injury.

13. The Face of The Abused – GLBT
In 2003, lesbians, gays, bisexuals or transgendered people experienced 6,523 incidents of domestic violence; 44% were men, 36% women and 2% transgender.
National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, 2004

14. The Face of The Abused – The Children
For every hour, as many as 115 children are abused. • 90% of children from violent homes witness their fathers beating their mothers.
63% of all boys, age 11-20, who commit murder, kill the man who was abusing their mother.
Children in homes where violence occurs are physically abused or neglected at. a rate 1500% higher than the national average.

15. The Consequences of Domestic Violence
Children are products of their environment. This includes parental modeling, both positive and negative.
Children of abuse often grow up to become abusers and abused.

16. The Consequences of Domestic Violence
Every year, domestic violence results in almost 100,000 days of hospitalizations, almost 30,000 emergency department visits, and almost 40,000 visits to a physician.
Five Issues in American Health”, Chicago American Medical Association, 1991

17. The Consequences of Domestic Violence
Children exposed to domestic violence experience fear, anxiety, low self-esteem , withdrawal and poor performance in school.
The Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence

18. The ultimate consequence…
Every day nearly ten people die as a result of domestic violence in the United States.

19. The journey begins with you…
One of the hardest lessons in life to the acceptance of the fact that we cannot change the behaviors of others, only our own.
It is up to you to make a commitment to yourself to safely leave a dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation and begin to enjoy a quality life free of abuse.

20. The rationale of a strategy
The life of a relationship can be filled with love, respect, mutuality, honesty and all the emotional components that make for a good partnership. When the partnership is no longer workable, a couple may decide to split and agree to disagree amicably or with animosity.
The life of a relationship can also be filled with the ugliness of power and control and violence. Fear becomes the glue that loosely binds a couple to each other; the fear of violence and verbal abuse. There is the fear of loss – the loss of material things, the loss of inclusion, and the loss of the ability to survive independent of the abuser.

21. Spiritual Abuse
Religious abuse is abuse administered under the guise of religion, including harassment or humiliation, which may result in psychological trauma.
Religious abuse may also include misuse of religion for selfish, secular, or ideological ends such as the abuse of a clerical position.

22. Spiritual abuse instills fear through…
1. making an idol of a leader’s charisma and pride,
2. anger and intimidation,
3. greed and fraud,
4. immorality,
5. Enslaving authoritarian structure,
6. Exclusivity (us against them)
7. Demanding loyalty and honor without respect
8. New revelation contrary to Church teaching.

23. Yes, you have options…
This
or This

24. Food For Thought…
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. There are 754 hours in the month of October. As many as 115 children are abused in one hour. That is 11, 310 children too many.
There are 754 hours in the month of October. As many as 4 women , 1 man and almost 5 children who die every 24 hours as a result of domestic violence. That is 310 people too many.
74% of Americans are currently being abused or know someone who is. There are 8,760 hours in a year. Shouldn’t we be more than aware every day of every week, of every month, of every year?

25. Religion: Resource or Roadblock ?
As a resource, religion encourages women to resist mistreatment
As a roadblock, its misinterpretations can contribute to the victim’s self blame and suffering to the abuser’s rationalizations.

26. Religion: Resource or Roadblock ?
A correct reading of Scripture leads to an understanding of the equal dignity of men and women and to relationships based on mutuality and love.
Husbands should love their wives as they love their own body, as Christ loves the Church.
Forgiveness does not mean forgetting the abuse or pretending it did not happen. Forgiveness is not permission to repeat the abuse.
An abused women’s suffering is not punishment from God. This image of a harsh, cruel God runs contrary to the biblical image of a kind, merciful, loving God.
No person is expected to stay in an abusive marriage. We encourage abused persons who have divorced to investigate the possibility of seeking an annulment

27. The Church’s Role Intervention by the Church has three goals:
Safety for the victim and children
Accountability for the abuser
Restoration of the relationship ( if possible) or mourning over loss

28. FATHER SPEAKS OUT!
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