The Cycle Of Violence
Battered individuals are not constantly being abused, nor is their abuse inflicted at totally random times. It is clear that
battered individuals experience a definite battery cycle. This cycle appears to have three distinct phases which vary in both
time and intensity
PHASE I : TENSION-BUILDING
- During this time, verbal and minor battery incidents occur. Victims usually attempt to calm the batterer by accepting
responsibility for their problems. She hopes that by taking responsibility, she can gain some control over the situation
by changing her behavior.
PHASE II : EXPLOSION - ACUTE-BATTERING INCIDENT
- This phase is characterized by uncontrollable discharge of tension. Rarely is it the woman's behavior that triggers
PHASE II; it is usually the internal or external state of the man, triggered by a minor incident. She gets
the beating, no matter what her response is!
PHASE III : CALM-LOVING - HONEYMOON - MAKING UP OR GLOSSING OVER
- This phase is welcome by both parties and is characterized by extremely loving and kind behavior. He knows he has gone
too far, he begs for forgiveness and promises he will never do it again. He truyly believes he will never hurt her again;
he believes he can control his anger from now on.
- This is when women are most likely to flee, but this is also when he works on her guilt to keep her in the relationship.
It is during this phase that her "victimization" is completed.
- Most women say that before they know it, the calm, loving behavior gives ay to verbal abuse and minor battering incidents.
Phase I (Tension-Building) reoccurs and a new cycle of violence begins.
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