Domestic violence is a tragedy that touches the lives of everyone in our communities.  One in three women is battered by an intimate partner during her lifetime.  Becoming informed and understanding patterns of domestic violence can help you make a difference.  It is important to dispel myths about domestic abuse and spread awareness about the problem.  

What is Domestic Violence?*

• A pattern of behavior with the effect of establishing power and control over another person through fear and intimidation, including threats and the use of violence.  Battering happens when batterers believe they are entitled to control their partners; this creates an atmosphere wherein violence is permissible and is used to achieve desired effects.

• Not all battering is physical.  Battering includes emotional abuse, economic abuse, sexual abuse, using children, threats, using male privilege, intimidation, isolation, and a variety of other behaviors with the purpose of maintaining fear, intimidation, and power.

• Battering escalates.  It often begins with behavior like threats, name calling, violence in the victim's presence, such as punching a first through the wall, damaging objects, or harming pets.  It may escalate to restraining, pushing, slapping, and pinching.  The battering may include punching, kicking, biting, sexual assault, or tripping.  Finally, it may become life-threatening or result in seriously injurious behavior such as choking, breaking bones, etc.

• Although there is no profile of the woman who will be battered, there is a well-documented syndrome that develops once battering starts.  Battered women experience shame, embarrassment, isolation, and repression of feelings.  They may be prevented by fear and their batterer's control from planning or acting on their own behalf.

*As defined by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence