The Continuum Of Violence

from The Haven of RCS Domestic Violence Center

Verbal Abuse and Emotional Abuse
Threats Of Violence
Direct Physical Violence
Severe Physical Abuse
Conventional Weapons
DEATH

Domestic violence is a PATTERN of behavior that seeks to establish power and control over another person through fear and intimidation. It often includes the threat or use of violence. Battering happens when batterers believe they are entitled to control their partners. They believe that violence is acceptable and will produce the desired results.

Not all battering is physical. Battering includes emotional abuse, economic abuse, sexual abuse, threats to and about children, using "male privilege," intimidation, isolation and other behaviors used to induce fear and establish power.
Battering escalates. It may begin with name-calling or punching through a wall or kicking a pet. Next steps may be pushing, slapping, pinching, punching, kicking, biting, tripping, throwing or restraining. It often includes sexual assault. It may lead to choking, the breaking of bones, other life-threatening incidents and DEATH.
Although there is no profile of the women who will be battered, there is a well-documented syndrome of what happens once the battering starts. Battered women experience shame, embarrassment, isolation, repression of feelings, and may be prevented by control and fear from planning or acting on their own behalf. Women may not leave battering immediately because they realistically fear that the batterer will become more violent if they attempt to leave; there are few supports to their leaving; they know the difficulties of single parenting in reduced financial circumstances; there is a mix of good times-love-hope along with the manipulation-intimidation-fear; and they may not know about or have access to safety and support.