2. What are violence and
abuse?
Violence and abuse can either be
physical or emotional. Although different,
both are equally damaging to the victim.
Physically abuse: physical assault, sexual
assault, and rape.
Emotional abuse: verbal assault, isolation,
intimidation, and controlling behavior.
3. Statistics
A recorded 35% of women worldwide
have been victims of intimate partner
violence or non-partner sexual violence
30% of women in a relationship have
been victims of physical or sexual
violence from their partner
38% of global murders of women are
committed by their partner
4. Why Violence?
Violence is a means of control and
power.
When men are the abusers, they seek
power over women.
In society (especially in the U.S.) men are
“supposed” to be dominant, women are
seen as submissive.
The dominance and submissive roles are
usually implemented by the media.
6. “The Power and Control
Wheel”
This wheel explains physical and emotion
abuse in detail.
It demonstrates how all avenues of abuse
evolve from the need of the abuser to
gain power and control.
8. “Cycle of Violence”
The “cycle of violence” depicts the pattern
that occurs within an intimate relationship
that experiences abuse.
“Set up, abuse, and guilt” physical and/or
emotional abuse occurs. “Guilt” blames the
victim for the abuses against them.
“Excuses, normal behavior and fantasy” the
abuser pulls the victim back in by justifying
their actions and charming them.
9. Collateral Damage
The direct victims of abuse are not the
only individuals affected.
Children are major recipients of damages
related to intimate partner abuse.
Children growing up in a household of
abuse may: develop PTS (post traumatic
stress disorder), believe abuse is normal,
become abused or the abuser later in life.
10. Prevention
Helping others…
DO
Ask if something is wrong
Express concern
Listen and validate
Offer help
Support his or her decisions
DON’T
Wait for him or her to come to you
Judge or blame
Pressure him or her
Give advice
Place conditions on your support
Adapted from: NYS Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence
(Smith and Segal)
11. Prevention
The most effective tactic in violence
prevention is awareness.
Women need to know when abuse is
occurring and how to get help to stop it.
There are many resources available to
women such as: support groups, self defense
classes, online resources for information and
help, prevention hotlines and more.
If you or someone you know is or has been a
victim of violence, it’s never too late to take
action and seek help.
12. Reflections
A quote that stuck out to me in our reading
came from page 698 under “The violence
was not your fault.”
“It must have been her behavior, she must
have provoked him somehow, it must have
been what she was wearing, where she
was…”
This quote deeply saddens me. I cannot
believe that some women blame themselves
for getting abused but more shockingly I
cannot believe that some try to justify the
abuse.
13. Discussion
Did this week’s reading surprise you at all?
Did you realize how common abuse
against women was?
14. Bibliography
Smith and Segal, M. A. J.. N.p.. Web. 5 Apr 2014.
<http://www.helpguide.org/mental/domestic_violence_abuse_types_signs_causes_effects.htm>.
. N.p.. Web. 6 Apr 2014. <http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs239/en/>.
Zeldes, Kiki , and Christine Cupaiuolo. Our Bodies, Ourselves. Simon & Schuster, print.
