Week 11 - Difficult Conversations - DV

Question 1

How many women experience physical or sexual violence, or emotional abuse by a current or formal partner?

Answer 1

1 in 4 women

Question 2

How much more likely are women to experience domestic violence than men?

Answer 2

3 times more likely

Question 3

What is the annual cost of violence against women and their children in 2015-2016?

Answer 3

22 billion

Question 4

What is domestic violence?

Answer 4

Use of violent, threatening, or coercive behaviour to gain power. Can include physical, sexual, emotional or financial abuse, can be a current or former partner

Question 5

What are the two types of domestic violence?

Answer 5

Insecure reactors (simple domestic violence)

Coercive controllers (emotionally dependent, calculating manipulator)

Question 6

What are the two types of coercive controllers?

Answer 6

Emotionally dependent

Calculating manipulator

Question 7

What are insecure reactors?

Answer 7

Use emotional and physical violence to try to gain power in the relationship

Often in response to conflict -eg “settling” a verbal disagreement, lashing out because unable to effectively verbalise anger

Often associated with a sense of entitlement and frustration

Also the most likely to confront their own behaviours (anecdotally)

Question 8

What is coercive control?

Answer 8

A formal regime of domination/subordination behind which [the perpetrator] can protect and extend their access to money, sex, leisure time, domestic service and other benefits. Stark (2012)

Question 9

What are the tactics of coercive control?

Answer 9

Violence

Intimidation

Isolation

Deprivation, exploitation and regulation

Question 10

What are some examples of intimidation tactics?

Answer 10

Designed to keep abuse secret, create dependence and compliance

• threats
• Surveillance/stalking
• Degradation

Question 11

What is the first step that coercive abusers use to control their victims?

Answer 11

Establish love and trust

eg. “love bombing”
Showing intense interest and care, showering with gifts

Question 12

What is the second step coercive abusers use to control their victims?

Answer 12

Isolate

• geographically
• driving away friends/family
• collude with family where there is existing difficulties
• victims can self isolate or just pretend all is well out of shame/fear
• hiding car keys, intercepting calls/emails/ threatening others

Question 13

What is the third step coercive abusers use to control their victims?

Answer 13

Monopolise perception

• with no external supports, it is easier to lose perspective
• redirect attention from the perpetrator’s behaviour to victim’s behaviour - any abuse is due to her faults
• Alternatively, perpetrators can present as needing help

Question 14

What is the fourth step coercive abusers use to control their victims?

Answer 14

Induce debility and exhaustion

eg. gaslighting, stop the victim from getting regular sleeping, excessive work etc

Question 15

What is the fifth step coercive abusers use to control their victims?

Answer 15

Enforce trivial demands

• Often changing, and can be contradictory
• Leads to hypervigilance to avoid anger/punishment

Question 16

What is the sixth step coercive abusers use to control their victims?

Answer 16

Demonstrate omnipotence

Control over life or death - choking, strangulation are huge warning signs for homicide

Surveillance - particularly technology facilitated abuse

Question 17

What is the seventh step coercive abusers use to control their victims?

Answer 17

Alternative punishments with reward

- cycle of violence

Question 18

What is the cycle of violence?

Answer 18

Explosion/violence > remorse and apology > promises and pursuit > false honeymoon > build up of tension > standover/threats > repeat

Question 19

what is the eighth step coercive abusers use to control their victims?

Answer 19

Threats

• Used to prevent the victim from seeking help
• Threats of finding and punishment the victim
• Threats to harm self
• Risk of harm to children/family/friends/pets

Question 20

What is step nine that coercive abusers use to control their victims?

Answer 20

Degradation

• Coerced into sexually degrading acts
• Forced to engage in other degrading acts (eg. eating dog food, sleeping on floor)
• Forced to neglect childrem

Question 21

What are the most frequently reported reasons for homicide of either the victim or their family members?

Answer 21

Leaving or threatening to leave

Question 22

Why don’t people leave abusive relationships?

Answer 22

Threats, surveillance, violence

Leaving or threatening to leave

No access to money or shelter

Interactions with police are not always ideal

There is a high chance that even where there are claims of abuse of children the perpetrator will be granted access

Trying to get a restraint order or other legal support is costly and risky

Question 23

In the 1930s-1940s how did people view women who stayed with their abusive husbands?

Answer 23

Masochists

Freud’s penis envy theory included the idea that women unconsciously sought to be punished for being ‘less’ than men

Question 24

What were the 3 core traits of femininity described by Helene Deutsch in 1944

Answer 24

Narcissism

Passivity

Masochism

Question 25

As people shifted away from the view that women were masochists, what view formed instead?

Answer 25

Women being helpless

Question 26

Why are some women less likely to get justice, and may even end up being seen as a perpetrator?

Answer 26

If she fights back, gets angry, uses substances or in some way does not meet the ‘standard’ of a victim

Question 27

What factors can increase domestic violence?

Answer 27

First nations 35 time more likely to experience domestic/family violence

Exacerbated by isolation and small community units

Police/legal response can be biased

Poverty/literacy challenges

Intergenrational trauma

Question 28

How many domestic violence victims have a disability?

Answer 28

Nearly half of female DV victims

Question 29

How does disability affect women who experience domestic violence?

Answer 29

Perpetrator is often not just a partner, but also a carer

Increase risk of losing children

More ability to be controlled/assaulted/threatened

Challenges engaging with legal/support services