Violence

Against Women Chapter 24

Chelsea Clemmer

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.

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

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.

“The Power and Control

Wheel”

“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.

“Cycle of Violence”

“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.

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.

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)

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.

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.

Discussion

Did this week’s reading surprise you at all?

Did you realize how common abuse

against women was?

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.