Domestic Abuse and Its Impact on the Prepetrator, Victim, and Bystander & Supporting Services

Domestic Abuse and Its Impact on the Perpetrator, Victim, and Bystander & Supporting Services

Physical violence 

Physical violence is the type of violence that involves physical contact and attempting to cause pain and injury. In the following sections, we will focus on domestic physical violence - hitting. 

Impact of the violence on the perpetrator

If the physical violence happens in an abusive relationship or domestic violence, the attempt of the perpetrator is to gain total control of the victim. The perpetrators might constantly accuse the victims of being unfaithful, or never care about the perpetrators, as sometimes the perpetrators might have low self-esteem.

They also keep on track of the victim, or sometimes even control all the money the victims spend; so once the victims do something against these restricts, for example, trying to run away, the perpetrators will get angry and irritated and harm the victim. They often feel released after a series of hittings, kickings, or smashing things around. Sometimes the perpetrators don’t have a specific feeling if they hurt the victim while the perpetrators are on alcohol or drugs. 

Impact of the violence on the victim

The victims might be scared, terrified, and depressed when the perpetrator hurt them because they are in pain. The victims also feel isolated because, for the perpetrator to gain full control, the victim might not have any family member or friend to ask for help. The victims usually keep the fact that they have been hit from their parents and siblings. Because victims are afraid that they might make fun of them. They have a very mixed feeling as they still love the perpetrator. So in most cases, these victims want the abuse to end but not the marriage. But as the toxic relationship develops, something terrible might happen. Richard Crafts, who has abused her wife and eventually hit her to death【1】.

Impact of the violence on the bystander

There are two types of impacts on the bystander, the families and friends would feel bad for the victims and angry for the perpetrators, while some neighbors are afraid to get involved so they stay silent. If the victims choose not to tell their friends and families that they have been abused, the friends and families would be angry with her once they find out. 

When the bystanders are children, it might lead to severe mental trauma for them. The children might develop a wrong understanding of marriage. For example, they might think marriage is for men beating their wives. In some cases, they might become an abuser later in their lives. 

Three Support Service

One website that can help teenagers to prevent physical violence, typically domestic violence is loveisrespect.org/ . It teaches teenagers about what a healthy relationship is, and how to end a toxic relationship, as well as how to prevent and determine physical violence. It helps prevent domestic violence from happening in the first place.

The other great source to prevent violence is the familydynamics.ca. It has trainings and workshops for families to create healthy family dynamics without physical violence and abuse. 

When violence has happened to teenagers, to prevent it from developing any further, kidshelpphone.ca can help. It offers articles, tools, and resources on the site to help young people through challenges or experiences they might face.

Citations

【1】Blanco, J. I. (n.d.). Richard Crafts | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers. Murderpedia. Retrieved January 27, 2021, from http://www.murderpedia.org/male.C/c/crafts-richard.htm