Partner Violence

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Partner Violence

• A leading health concern in women
• (and those that care about them)

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What is partner violence?

• Threats or intimidation
• Restraint from freedom or activities
• Physical violence
• Rape or coercive sexual assault
• Verbal or emotional abuse
• Denying access to support, resources,

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What it is NOT...

• The inability of the abuser to contro
  l their anger

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Think about it...

• Why dont most abusers abuse their bosses,
  friends, etc?
• Partner or intimate violence is more an issue of
  or a need for CONTROL in a relationship
• Not having tools to cope with feelings of losing
  control

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How common is it?

• Dept. of Justice estimates (1996)
• 840,000 cases non-lethal partner violence against
  women (1,300 deaths 30 of homicides against
  women)
• 150,000 cases against men (500 deaths 5 of
  homicides against men)
• Other estimates Over 4 million women are being
  abused by a partner each year in the US.
• Nearly 1/3 of women report being physically of
  sexually abused (lifetime)

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Between 1976 and 1996

• 31,260 women were killed by their husbands,
  ex-husbands, or boyfriends

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Who is at risk?

• Alcohol or drug abuse in home
• Young, poor
• Growing up in a violent family
• Unemployed
• Sexual problems/dysfunction
• Low job satisfaction
• STRESS (Palmer students are offenders)

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Innocent Bystanders

• Children who witness abuse
• More often depressed
• Higher rates of suicide
• Increased psychological problems
• More likely to become violent/abusive

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Learned Hopefulness

• The belief that the abuser will someday change
• Dependence (very dependent women are more often
  victims of abuse poor, few options, less
  education, isolated from support network)

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Seeking shelter

• Inform a patient whom you suspect is abused about
  community resources
• Stress the importance of letting someone know, so
  they can help keep her safe
• Provide phone numbers/hotlines for emergency
• Repeat the message again and again.

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1994 Violence Against Women Act

• Law making it a crime to cross state lines to
  break a restraining order
• Abusers cannot own a firearm
• Now, its a federal crime (no need to press
  charges its done for you!)

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Careful

• Most serious acts of violence and homicides occur
  when an abused women tries to leave
• An abused women needs to seek advice from a
  domestic violence hotline on ways to protect
  herself
• Have a plan, let someone know, follow the plan,
  stick with it.
• Keep someone close prepare for the storm before
  the calm.

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Resources

• Domestic Violence Sourcebook Everything You Need
  to Know (Dawn Bradley Berry)
• Growing Free A Manual for Survivors of Domestic
  Violence (Wendy Deaton Michael Hertica)
• Pleasers Women Who Cant Say No, and the Men Who
  Control Them (Kevin Leman)

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But most importantly...

• National Domestic Violence Hotline [phone]-SAF
  E (7233)
• Local Resources
• 326-9191
• Family Resources Inc.
• 805 W 35th St. Suite 200

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Be a part of the solution. Provide the
necessary health resources for your patients.