Human Service Practice in the Criminal Justice Field
CJHS300-1402B-02
Colorado Technical University Online
Domestic violence is defined by behaviors or actions by one person in a partnership/relationship that are used to control the other individual. Domestic violence can occur within a marriage, civil union, domestic partnership or even simply between individuals who are dating. This violence shows no prejudice across the spectrum as it can occur between heterosexuals or homosexuals; the abuser is most often the dominant individual however there is always a possibility that it could be the seemingly passive individual as well. The violence can be verbal, emotional or physical; the violence is considered criminal when the abuse turns into physical assault, sexual assault or stalking (Domestic Violence, 2014). Domestic Violence can include putdowns, keeping a partner from contacting or seeing their family or friends, keeping a partner from obtaining or maintaining employment, threatened or actual physical harm, sexual assault, intimidation or withholding money; any of these acts can be considered a form of domestic violence.
The abusers in a domestic violence situation may have a dependent relationship with their victim but will likely have many friends and be well liked by other people. Their behaviors and moods will likely be extreme meaning they can either be easily angered or overdo nice gestures. The abuser may have also been abused themselves or been a witness to a friend, parent or family member being abused most likely when they were at a younger, more impressionable age. The abuser may also be very over protective of their partner in order to make it easier to gain control over them; they may also abuse alcohol or other drugs in order to justify their behaviors. The abuser may also have difficulty expressing feelings but may also have specific ideas about how men and women should act (roles). The abuser may also...