Domestic Violence: Meaning

Domestic violence refers to acts of violence such as unwanted physical or sexual force,
withholding of or damage to material or property and psychological abuse which are inflicted by
one person against his or her intimate partner, as part of an ongoing pattern of abuse or
controlling tactics. It occurs within a domestic relationship that is legally or socially recognized.

Domestic violence is an act of aggression, usually in interpersonal interactions or relations. It is a

coercive mechanism to assert one’s will over another, to prove or to feel a sense of power.

The behaviour that is commonly called domestic violence can take on a variety of different
aspects. It can be physical assault, sexual abuse, threats of either, or psychological abuse. It
usually continues for years before the victims take action (if they do) and, on some occasions, it
results in the death of either the victim or the perpetrator. It is not confined to any one socio-
economic group nor can it be said that it is caused by any one factor. Furthermore, its practice is
extensive.

Physical Abuse

It is characterized by the use of force or the threat of force that may result in bodily injury,
physical pain or impairment. Physical abuse involves injuring, disabling or killing the victim.
Physical abuse can be performed with a weapon or restraint or merely using body, size or
strength to harm another person. The injury from the abuse does not have to major. For example,
an abuser could forcefully shake the victim in anger. While the victim may not require medical
treatment, the shaking would still be a form of physical abuse.

Physical abuse may be recognized through external or internal signs such as bruises, (internal)
bleeding, sprains, dislocations, etc

Physical violence can include burning, biting, choking, grabbing, pinching, punching, pushing,
throwing, scratching, shoving, shaking, or slapping.

Physical violence is used as a method to ensure violence.

Sexual Abuse:

Sexual abuse not only includes rape and sexual assault, but it also includes demeaning behavior
like exposing a partner's body to friends, forcing a partner into posing for pornography, secretly
videotaping a partner, or forcing a partner to have sex without using protection. Reproductive
coercion, which is forcing a partner into having an abortion is a form of domestic sexual abuse.
Sexual assault is associated with much higher levels of psychological disturbance than other
forms of violence, including post traumatic shock syndrome.

Another form of domestic sexual abuse is sexually assaulting someone who is unable to refuse
due to disability, illness, intimidation or the influence of alcohol or other drugs.

There are three main categories of sexual abuse:

 Using physical force to compel someone to have sex against their will, whether the act is
completed or not.

 Attempting or having sex with someone who is unable to understand the nature of the act
or unable to decline participation or is unable to communicate their unwillingness.

 Abusive sexual contact of any kind.

Emotional Abuse:

Emotional abuse involves actions designed to destroy a person's sense of self-respect or self-
worth. It includes constant, an unrelenting verbal onslaught of insults and criticisms designed to
humiliate and belittle the victim. It is often combined with other forms of abuse and used as a
method to gain control over the victim. Although there are no physical scars, the emotional scars
can be debilitating to victims. For victims who have been regularly beaten, threats can induce
just as much terror as the actual act. Many victims, therefore, live a life of constant fear.

Psychological Abuse

Psychological abuse is a broad term that includes acts, threats of acts or coercive tactics to cause
someone fear and trauma. If there has been previous physical or sexual abuse in the relationship,
any further threat of abuse is considered psychological violence.
A research found out that the psychological abuse suffered by women ‘consisted of insults and
humiliation, purposeful distancing of the woman from friends, family and all potential sources of
external help. The men exerted extraordinary control over the women’s behaviour, thoughts,
feelings, what she wore, where she went, whom she saw, as well as over the family’s resources.
They were constantly being humiliated and diminished…’

Thus, psychological abuse can include:

 Humiliation

 Controlling what the victim can and cannot do.

 Withholding information.

 Diminishing or embarrassing the victim.

 Isolating the victim from friends and family.

Financial Abuse

Financial abuse is one of the most common forms of domestic abuse and also the difficult to
recognize, even for the victims. It can involve a partner denying the victim access to money or
other resources. Refusing to allow a spouse to work or get an education is also a form of
financial abuse. It is often seen in homes where an abuser forces the victim into isolation by
limiting when they can communicate with family and friends. Isolation makes it more difficult
for a victim to have any form of financial freedom.

Other classifications of Domestic Violence

M.P Johnson

Coercive controlling: most severe type of abuse, involves a ‘pattern or emotionally abusive
intimidation, coercion, and control coupled with physical violence’

Violent resistance: the offender, usually a woman, uses violence to resist or avoid coercive
controlling violence being used against them – psychological responses of the offender
Situational couple violence: the most common type of violence occurring among
married/cohabiting partners. This behaviour is not about control but particular situations and
stressors

Mutual violent control: both partners engage in coercive controlling violence.

Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart

Family only offenders (male): only violent towards their family and are the least likely to engage
in psychological/sexual abuse. Demonstrate minimal antisocial/psychopathological behaviour
and personality disorders.

Dysphoric/borderline offenders (male): engage in moderate to severe

physical/psychological/sexual abuse, exhibit some extra-familial/criminal behaviour, as well as
borderline and schizoid traits. Are more psychologically distressed and emotionally volatile, and
tend to have a history of substance use.

Generally violent/antisocial offenders (male): violent outside the family. Most likely to engage in
moderate to severe physical/psychological/sexual abuse and have antisocial personality
disorder/psychopathy traits and abuse substances

Fowler and Westen

Psychopathic offenders (male)—use violence for domination purposes. Tend to be violent

outside the home also and have a history of substance abuse, unemployment, animal torture and
an overall high level of childhood adversity.

Hostile/controlling offenders (male)—angry and controlling, externalize blame and believe they
are misunderstood.

Borderline/dependent offenders (male)—unhappy, depressed and overemotional, they experience

deep fears of abandonment so become very dependent on their partners.

Domestic Violence in India:

After generations of silence, domestic violence is slowly becoming a topic of popular media and
academic scrutiny in developing countries. In India, there exist a multitude of cultural histories
influencing the norms and practices relating to domestic violence, most of which are currently
being challenged by various levels of modernization. Contrary to popular media depiction, India
is not one homogenous society. Across the sub- continent there exist a variety of cultural norms,
affecting caste discrimination, gender roles and attitudes towards domestic violence.

In India recently, industrialisation and economic development have caused many changes the
(gendered) landscape. For example, industrialisation has led to many women beginning
employment outside the family home for the first time, especially in the cities. This has the direct
effect of increasing female education, training, access to money and movement into the public
sphere. ‘Paid employment enabled women to meet other people wider society and enabled them
to participate in a larger social life’ (Dutta, 2000) However, the traditional role of the female as
the primary care giver and house- worker expected to be fulfilled, and changes to the patriarchal
family power structure are strongly contested.

Changes have occurred at different rates across India, as expected, gender role changes have
been assimilated with varying degrees of resistance. For instance, in the rural areas of the least
developed states, such as Uttar Pradesh, roles have changed little and patriarchal practices are
basically unchallenged (Dreze 1996: 108); whereas in major cities of more developed states,
such as Kochi in Kerala, have more readily been assimilated into public non-traditional roles.

Whilst the degree of gender inequality and types of socioeconomic pressures vary across India,
patriarchal norms are historically embedded in the broader Indian culture. Corresponding to this
is the wide-spread acceptance of some level of violence against women. In one Karnataka
village, for example, 88% of the women would "accept it quietly" if beaten by their husbands
(Rao, 1997).

More generally, domestic violence against women is socially tolerated in India provided that the
considered "legitimate": "Dispute over dowries, a wife's sexual infidelity, her neglect household
duties, and her disobedience of her husband's dictates are all considered cause for wife-beating"
(Rao, 1997). Domestic violence involving sexual abuse, deprivation, verbal abuse, incarceration
and psychological abuse, moreover, are rarely acknowledged ("Know Your Rights," 2003). The
consequence of this is acute under-of domestic violence to police, especially in regions where
women's rights are neglected their social networks are limited.