Spousal Abuse
According to Webster’s dictionary, abuse is “defined as language that condemns or vilifies usually unjustly, intemperately and angrily, physical maltreatment, vehemently expressed condemnation or disapproval, usually implies the anger of the speaker and stress the harshness of the language”. Spousal abuse is not confined to any one race, gender, age or even economic class.
Statistically 1 out of every 6 married couples commits at least one act of violence against their partner. Over the length of a marriage the numbers are greater at 1 in 4 couples will have analtercation during their marriage. There are at least 2 million reported cases each year in the United States alone. These numbers are not exact because not every person reports every act of abuse whether it is man or woman.
The abuser can be anyone male or female young or old. Spousal abuse is not confined to any one race, gender, or age or even social class. It can happen in the richest of homes in the nicest neighborhoods or the poorest home in the inner city, or even right next door. Being a victim of spousal abuse I hid the bruises from my family and lied to them by telling them everything was “ok”, when in reality it wasn’t. A phone call from my mom might set my ex-husband off one time and the next time it could be because my hair was in a ponytail or I was outside with my daughter and not inside the house with him.
I stayed in that relationship for a year afraid to tell anyone and afraid to leave him. The only way I was able to get out of it was he had weekend jail time (Friday thru Sunday) to do for a misdemeanor charge and the second weekend he did, I left. I called my sister to come and get me and was gone on a Saturday. If it had not been for my family I would not have had the courage to leave and file charges, and a restraining order to protect me and my family.
Independent Variables – These can be almost anything from jealousy, anger, fear, etc....