Physically Abusive Relationships

According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The National Institute of Justice, one in four women in the United States has experienced domestic violence during her lifetime (Battered Woman Syndrome, 2012). This type of abuse can be fatal and detrimental to one’s personal growth. When woman are repeatedly abused, they show different signs, symptoms and general characteristics. These characteristics are defined as Battered Woman Syndrome.

Many women and men seek intimate relationships in order to fill their emotional needs of security, safety and love. Their journey starts off with their loved ones spoiling them with flattering gifts and emotional words. The love they feel is so wonderful and deep that they believe that nothing can come between them. They are so happy and convinced that they will live happily ever after with the one they love. Unfortunately, the fairytale they have dreamt about was only temporary and soon comes to an end. The love story they have ones longed for turns into a horrible nightmare. The emotional words they were once spoiled with turn into howling screams and name-calling. The flattering gifts turn into physical abuse. This relationship is referred to as domestic violence or intimate partner violence. This happens when a partner or significant other declares power, authority and control over the other partner. To maintain this authority and control, the abusive partner uses emotional, physical or sexual abuse over his victim (Alters 27). Victims will desperately look for an exit out of this relationship, but only to be blocked by numerous walls of the despair, fear and misery. Many people are convinced that victims have the option of leaving, but they are too weak and they choose not to. What many people don 't know is, victims of domestic violence have many reasons preventing them from leaving their abusers. In most cases the outcomes of leaving are

Domestic violence has long term and short term effects on victims. “Victims may abuse alcohol or drugs and experience depression, eating disorders, or other types of psychological distress” (Gelles). Long term effects could be that they go through depression, begin to abuse alcohol or drugs, or suffer through eating disorders. Being a victim and if they run they have to be aware of their surroundings to make sure that they are not following them.They might not trust anyone for a long time and that could cause them to go through these things because they do not have anyone to talk to.

According to Warshaw, Sullivan & Rivera (2013) notable traumas female victims of domestic violence often suffer from are those of significant mental health distress. Warshaw, Sullivan & Rivera (2013) do acknowledge the severe consequences of physical trauma including nonconsensual marital rape, but assert that it is the psychological experiences of these traumas (shock, chronic stress, terror, confusion, isolation and despair) that can prolong a survivor’s post-traumatic stress (Kubany 2008) and inhibit the ‘growth’ or ‘healing’ process. The experiences of trauma associated with domestic violence can also vary from short-term to long-term and depending on how prolonged the trauma is, a survivor’s recovery could take years; but when taking into account the word ‘recovery’ it is tremendously important to realise that every survivor will grieve for their own trauma and losses differently

Women who have experienced abusive violence are in a long process of healing both physically and mentally, due to multiple traumas affecting the mind and body. It is usual for this to happen but is crucial and important to take action and began to process and heal. If it is not brought to attention it could worsen throughout time. “According to a study done by the Centers for Disease Control, nearly three in every 10 women-about 32 million-in the United States have experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner reported at least one measured impact or effect related to forms of violent behavior in that relationship” Affects of Domestic Violence. Obviously every victim suffers a variety of traumas. Factors that could influence the outcome of the trauma is age, frequency, degree, and over all impact. It's is important to learn about the effects of violence. Recovering is possible but will take time and painful memories. But entitles to discovering your inner

For the past 30 years, violence had increase against women within abusive relationships, why women stay and endure the pain and why they relinquish violence. Women who are being battered share certain observable characteristics. Speaking with a battered woman should reveal these characteristics and help to identify her as a sufferer of Battered Women Syndrome.

Women that are victims of abusive relationships don’t pack up and leave for many reasons. Some women are simply economically dependent of their man and lack job skills or have never even had a job before.

Every choice that an abused woman considers to do with regards in seeking help or ending the relationship involves a variety of risks. Time and time again, the common question arises, “why doesn’t she just leave?” Most often abused women, at great and potentially fatal risk, do leave their abusive relationships. However, there is a multitude of barriers, including increasing abuse and the potential for re-victimization by the system that does not respond accordingly, and most often force many women to return to their abusers. A woman may become vulnerable as she goes through the stages of leaving her abuser. There are many reasons why a woman becomes vulnerable; guilt, denial, and fear may be among a few reasons, though no matter what the

First, when looking at the victim of domestic violence we will see long-term effects in their behavior and their physical wellbeing. The victim is most likely to experience depression, PTSD, and dissociation. My mother is a perfect example for all three of these. She battles depression

Low self-esteem can be a contributing factor when women decide to stay in abusive relationships. In many relationships where physical abuse is an issue, the victim is usually verbally abused also. The abuser uses manipulative tactics to make the victim feel worthless, useless, and too afraid to leave them. Many women have confessed that they believe it is their own fault why there are initially abused. After being brainwashed into thinking that they are ugly, disgusting, and lazy or other derogatory characteristics, verbally abused women are being almost forced to believe that if they leave the relationship that there is nobody else that would want to be with them. This unfortunate mindset leaves battered women in an extremely unhealthy and catastrophic

There are many different types of domestic violence. Physical abuse is the most obvious form, but this is not to say that outsiders always recognize it. Generally, physical violence causes bodily harm, using a variety of methods. Slapping, pushing, throwing, hitting, punching, and strangling are only a few methods. An object or weapon may or may not be used. There is not always physical evidence of physical abuse such as bruising, bleeding, scratches, bumps, etc., therefore, absence of physical marks does not necessarily mean physical abuse had not occurred. Physical abuse sometimes escalates to murder (Morris and Biehl 7, Haley 14-17).

Domestic violence is associated with a range of health problems both physically and mentally, immediate and long lasting. In addition to immediate injuries from an assult eg: cuts, brusing, punching, burns, bites, punctures, broken bones or teeth, women affected by domestic violance may also suffer from chronic pain, gastrointestenal disorders, psychsomatic symptoms, depression, anxiety, post tramatic stress, sleeping and eating problems, poor self esteam, self harm or suicied attempts.

I would first like to start off by saying that this has been a very difficult topic for me. That is why I have waited until the last minute to post this week. It has only been a year since I have left my fourteen year abusive marriage. I hide the abuse from all of my friends and family. When you are in the situation you do not realize how bad it is until you are almost dead or in jail. An abusive relationship is like a leaking faucet that starts with a slow drip and over time the slow drip has become a flooded house because the pipe has finally broke. First comes the fight, then comes the violent episode, then the honeymoon phase after the violent episode. The make-up sex was so intense. He would love to hit me then make me have sex with him. He would say it is such a turn on. He would always say I cannot believe I did that. I am so sorry it will never happen again. Sometimes months would go buy even years but it would always start back up. I will say that the emotional abuse I suffered was far worse than the physical abuse. I would rather my ex hit me than tell me that I was a pathetic, dumb bitch that didn’t deserve to be alive. I am in therapy and supports groups right now and they are helping me get a better understanding of why I stayed and how to never be in a situation like that again. I am a work in progress and I am happy to say I am alive and I am finding my happy again.

Domestic abusers tend to hurt their partners physically. The ones who get beat, typically do not tell anyone outside of their household about them getting beat. Sometimes they only exhibit outside bruising, but may also have internal problems also. Many domestic abuse victims end up having to go to the hospital. It is not healthy to get abused and it can cause some serious damage to a person. Being in a abuse relationship can put a person in the hospital, but sometimes even death occurs.

Physical injury is the most visible form of domestic violence. The scope of physical domestic/intimate partner violence includes slapping, pushing, kicking, biting, hitting, throwing objects, strangling, beating, threatening with any form of weapon, or using a weapon. Worldwide, the percentage of women who suffer serious injuries as a result of physical domestic violence tends to range from 19% - 55%. Physical injuries as a result of domestic violence against women are more obvious than psychological ones, and can be more easily discerned by health professionals as well as courts of law in the context of legal prosecution.[1]