Running head: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Domestic Violence and How Women Become Victims of Abuse

Rebecca Frazier

Hampton University
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Abstract

Domestic Violence is an issue known to many people around the world. This issue can be looked

at as social and civil. Domestic Violence takes place within homes, schools, hospitals and even

other occupational institutions. This literature review will inform the reader on why women

become victims to abuse ? by analyzing psychological elements that contribute to her

submission, how society portray women in relationships, how does culture play a role in

domestic violence and what are the patterns of domestic violence. Using a self conducted survey

I will support the these questions. Also by using statistics I will contribute to the support of this

question.
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Domestic Violence and How Women Become Victims: A Review of Literature

Domestic Violence is the deliberate intimidation, physical assault, harassment, sexual assault and

or other forms of abuse behavior. All of these behaviors are part of a systematic pattern of power

and control inflicted upon one partner from the other. Branches of domestic violence include

physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence and emotional abuse. The frequency

and severity of domestic violence can vary greatly but one component that stays the same is the

one partner's continuous and constant effort to maintain power and control over the other.

Domestic violence has no discrimination. Abuse happens among heterosexuals and in same sex

partnerships. All age ranges, ethnic backgrounds and economic levels are subject to this abuse.

Domestic violence is said to be seen in any intimate relationship. Relationships between

spouses, parents and children or even grandparents and grandchildren. Women are more

commonly the victim of abuse but men are also abused more specifically verbally and

emotionally. Some argue that women create and help domestic violence persist. This is often

posed in the question form of Why does she stay? but in order to learn more about its

reasoning, four important questions need to be considered.

1. What are the psychological elements that contribute to her submission?

2. How does society portray women in relationships ?

3. How does culture play a role in domestic violence ?

4. What are the patterns of domestic violence?

The following review on literature will: Provide information regarding the origin of Domestic

Violence, discuss the impact it has on women and inform about the effect domestic violence has

on women.
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What are the psychological elements that can contribute to her submission

It is important to understand the psychological elements that contribute to her

submission . In my interview with Hampton University Dr. Muller I asked him the question,

Why women gravitate toward abusers? In response he told me Women seek protection in

various ways physically and emotionally. Women seek attention and self esteem plays a key

factor (personal communication March 15, 2017). Women will have anxiety, according to

Psychologytoday.com Anxiety is a dread that something bad will happen and that you will not

be able to cope with it. Visceral fear of harm is a feeling in the muscles and in the gut that will

resemble the feeling of being physically injured. It is a response to physiological cues that the

brain picks up when someone close feels aggressive.

Women like most animals have a heightened sense of an early warning system. Although

Visceral Fear of Harm is compelling many women doubt it when fear is coming from someone

they love and if they learned to walk on eggshells to avoid uncomfortable situations at home.

Women will begin to feel ashamed or guilty to admit fear of a man. Once a women figures out

that the fear she has activates his shame and anger one can end up fearing there fear. When

loving a man a women will confuse her fear and love. Love, guilt, shame and abandonment,

anxiety are in your head; visceral fear of harm resides in your body reflexes. Women have

psychological instincts that can allow them to stay in domestic violence relationships.

How does society portray women in relationships

Men and women typically are stereotyped and portrayed differently by the media. Mass

media including things such as advertising, news industries and entertainment. Women and girls

are usually categorized as passive and submissive. Men are thought to be more concerned with
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their occupations and are more likely to be successful. Women are looked at to be the more

gentle and the communicators in relationships. When pertaining to domestic violence women are

usually seen as victims and in some but few cases can be the abusers. According to wtamu.edu

A female domestic violence offender most likely dealt with years of psychiatric problems.

Factors that contribute to this behavior are unclear . Problems can lie within dysfunctional or

abusive relationships, or if she entered the relationship with emotional baggage. In my survey

with Doctor Muller I asked the question Reasons why abusers become abusive in

relationships? Answers included childhood issues and also mental issues (personal

communication March 15, 2017)

Women were originally portrayed as people who were present to satisfy a man's. Women

are supposed to be in the kitchen and home taking care of the children. Now society and media

embrace women as being workers or action girls in movies such as Kill Bill. In the common

childhood movie Beauty and the Beast women in the movie were seen as tools are men and were

overly sexed in scenes such as the tavern. The beast played a role of a man with a bad temper

that instilled fear in Bell. Until ultimately she had to disobey and betray loved ones to understand

his aggressive attitude. Young girls watched this movie with no understanding of the deeper

social issue that lies between the two genders. Figure 1 displays the statistics for the separate

groups of domestic violence. Showing the highest ranking as physical violence.

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How does culture play a role in Domestic Violence

Discussing this topic can be risky because when looking at a particular culture the risk of

over generalizing and stereotyping comes into play. Recognizing that appalling levels of

violence are popular in domestic violence in the United States and other Western industrialized

nations. Violence against women is never just cultural Reports from the World Health

organization found that women reported from 13% in Japan to 61% in rural Peru that domestic

violence is cultural. In many cultures girl children are looked at as less valuable than boy

children. In certain cultures girls are expected to marry young and then live with and take care of

their husbands families whereas young boys are supposed to marry and his future bride will care

for his parents. Girls and women in many cultures are looked at to present day as property of a

man. Cultures vary on the views they have when it comes to men and women.

What are the patterns of Domestic Violence

Abusive relationships always involve an imbalance of power and control. Hurtful words,

manipulative behavior and aggressive action can be a few indicators of an abuser. At first it will

be hard to identify an abuser because they will disguise their true intention. The first step in the

domestic violence pattern is to create a magical atmosphere of trust between her and him by

admitting a personal secret that he had been abused or his trust was violated. The second step is

to then isolate the victim. The third step is to introduce the threat of violence and see how she

reacts. The final step in the domestic violence pattern is to ultimately kill her. Women will

confuse weakness as a feeling of strength. Patterns cannot go unrecognized and not dealt with,

these are signs given from abuser to victim indicating a need to worry.

Conclusion
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Domestic Violence has been analyzed frequently by psychologist, humanitarians and

researchers. What is agreed upon is that women are commonly found as the victims in this

abusive cycle. A woman's mental state, societies expectations, cultural variety and patterns of

domestic all have a effect on women and why they remain victims. Future research needs to

continue to be conducted to understand how to minimize this dangerous influence. For now

reviewing why women commonly become victims is a start to the breakdown of this civil issue.

References

Payne, P.D, Wermeling, L.W. (2009). Domestic Violence and the Female Victim: The Real

Reason Women Stay. Journal of Multicultural, Gender and Minority Studies, 3(1), 3-4.

Grovert, A.G. (2008). Pacific University Common Knowledge. Domestic Violence Against

Women: A Literature Review, 1-5

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National Coalition Against Domestic Violence . (2015) . [Graph illustration the National

Coalition bar graph]. Retrived from

http://ncadv.org/learn-more/what-is-domestic-violence

Steiner, Leslie Morgan. "Why Domestic Violence Victims Don't Leave." YouTube. YouTube, 25

Jan. 2013. Web. 13 Feb. 2017.

"The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence." The National Coalition Against Domestic

Violence. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2017.

Appendix A

Interview

How do relationships with domestic violence show themselves on the Hampton University

Campus?
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Students speak about it because they know he is a therapist. He opens the forum to be speak

about the tissue. He sees the developing traits since they are away from home and without

supervision.

Personal take on Domestic Violence?

Domestic Violence involves control and fear. Drugs play a big role in domestic violence

especially when the relationship gets more serious. It is created from loneliness and starts

manipulation.

Patterns of Domestic Violence?

The victim might show low self esteem either before or once it begins. Women once breaking an

abusive cycle once guilty and ashamed can still out of 100 men still seek it out unconsciously

because the brain recognizes the patterns of behavior. Women hold the control in relationships

and don't realize it and men get angry when they cannot obtain and control it.

Domestic Violence and Family?

Abusers learn from adults abandonment, trust and faith. Children with bad childhoods are more

prone to not exhibit good relationship skills. Combinations of hereditary, environment, external

and internal factors. The amount of parents do not matter you do pick up different influences as

you develop.

Reasons why abusers become abusers in relationships?

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Childhood issues develop and marital issues. External and internal factors help to influence

perception.

Reasons why women gravitate toward abusers?

Women seek protection in various ways physically and emotionally. Women seek attention, and

self esteem plays a part as well.