Victims’ Psychology of Domestic Violence

It was a crisp October night. Pulling into the driveway, I felt tension rising as I entered the house, yelling and crashing noise erupted. Another norm I have become accustomed to. My mother hunkered down against the wall, hands raised above her head to avoid the shattering of glass around her. She's crying uncontrollably, eyes pleading for him to stop. She is covered with bruising, redness and dried blood from an unknown source. A quick glace my way, she shakes her head. I do not engage for I know the consequences, remembering the bruising to my face, I wince.

Nearly 15% of women have been injured because of intimate partner violence (IPV) this includes rape, physical violence and /or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime (Jones, 2018). Domestic violence is also referred to as FV or IPV; it is an assortment of undesirable aggressive behaviors that are used to control another individual, such as yelling, hitting, and withholding essential needs for living. An abuser is often characterized by having short temper, and an aggressive personality. Domestic violence is a leading cause of injury in women; many will suffer permanent disfigurement and disabilities (Jones, 2018).

Many researchers are finding that domestic violence occurs because it can be an acquired trait, meaning learned from previous forms of abuse (Chapman & Monk, 2015). Journal of Psychiatry explains that domestic violence has a critical effect on the victims' psychology. Although domestic violence is globally acknowledged, weakness and vulnerability cause women to be affected by intimate partner violence.

Women's Attributes

Women are naturally created differently than men. Women's anatomical structure plays a huge part in women's weakness. In general women have smaller frames, and less muscle mass (N, 2016). Nintendo87 wrote about the differences between men and women in athletes, women naturally have smaller waist and shoulders this decreases that women's muscle mass. Women are shorter and often weigh less than men, have smaller bone structure and a wider pelvis (N, 2016). Each anatomical attribute effects the woman's strength and ability to be able to fend off the abuser.

Women's Nurturing Abilities are Harmful

Women are often portrayed as nurturing, weak, and submissive. Naturally men were created to be stronger and give off a more dominant role. Timothy 2:11-14 wrote Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve (Holy Bible, 2016). The Bible portrays women as being submissive to men and were created to serve men and bear children.

As a result, women's nurturing ability can cause them to see the good in a person even when abuse occurs, love, low self-esteem and fear also contribute to staying in an abusive relationship (Jones, 2018). Love causes the victim to believe abuse will end and the relationship will go back to normal, whereas fear causes the victim to avoid help because they are afraid of the result (Jones, 1998).

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