DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

WHAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?

• Emotional abuse
  - Ridiculing
  - Withholding affection
  - Blaming partner for problems
  - Threats of violence
• Physical violence causing bodily harm
• Marital Rape
• Threat or abuse of a spouse or person living as a spouse, ex-spouse, live-in roommate, child or relative

HOW WIDESPREAD IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?

• Half of all marriages involve at least one episode of domestic violence
• 15-28 million women are repeatedly abused; many suffer serious physical harm
• Police records indicate domestic disputes make up greatest percentage of calls and are the most dangerous.
• Over 70,000 women in Ohio may need protection from marital rape

WHAT CAUSES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?

One or both marital partners may:

• Have low self-esteem
• Have unrealistic expectations of marriage
• Abuse and or neglect own children
• Be socially and emotionally isolated and withdrawn
• Be very dependent on or possessive of each other
• Have observed or been victim of violence as child
• Engage in abuse of alcohol / drugs
• Men wrestle with 3 central problems: loss of control. denial and minimization of their violence and tend to be personally and socially isolated.
• Both parties have not learned acceptable ways to resolve disputes