28 / 32
28 | CANYON CORRIDOR CONNECTION
Communi t y Highl ights
Domestic violence is not physical violence alone.
Domestic violence is any behavior with the
purpose to gain power and control over a spouse,
partner, girl/boyfriend or family member. Abuse
is a learned behavior; it is not caused by anger,
mental problems, drugs or alcohol or other
common excuses.
When the general public thinks about domestic
violence, they usually think in terms of physical
assault that results in visible injuries to the
victim. This is only one type of abuse. There are
several categories of abusive behavior, each of
which has its own devastating consequences.
Lethality involved with physical abuse may
place the victim at higher risk, but the long term
destruction of personhood that accompanies the
other forms of abuse is significant and cannot
be minimized.
Control:
Controlling behavior is a way for the
batterer to maintain dominance over the victim.
It is often subtle, almost always insidious and
pervasive. This may include but is not limited to:
• Checking the mileage on the odometer
following the victim’s use of the car.
• Monitoring phone calls, using caller ID or
other number monitoring devises, not allowing
the victim to make or receive phone calls.
• Not allowing freedom of choice in terms of
clothing styles, makeup or hairstyle. This
may include forcing the victim to dress more
seductively or more conservatively than he or
she is comfortable.
• Calling or coming home unexpectedly to check
up on him or her.. This may initially start
as what appears to be a loving gesture, but
becomes a sign of jealousy or possessiveness.
• Invading privacy by not allowing the victim
time and space of their own.
• Forcing or encouraging dependency by making
the victim believe that he or she is incapable of
surviving or performing simple tasks without
the batterer.
• Using the children to control the mother
or father by using the children as spies,
threatening to kill, hurt or kidnap the children,
physical and/or sexual abuse of the children
and threats to call Child Protective Services if
the mother or father leaves the relationship.
Physical Abuse:
According to the AMEND
Workbook for Ending Violent Behavior, physical
abuse is any physically aggressive behavior,
withholding of physical needs, indirect
physically harmful behavior or threat of physical
abuse. This may include but is not limited to:
• Hitting, kicking, biting, slapping, shaking,
pushing, pulling, punching, choking, beating,
scratching, pinching, pulling hair, stabbing,
shooting, drowning, burning, hitting with
an object, threatening with a weapon or
threatening to physically assault.
• Withholding of physical needs including
interruption of sleep or meals, denying money,
food, transportation, or help if sick or injured,
locking victim into or out of the house,
refusing to give or rationing necessities.
• Abusing, injuring or threatening to injure
others like children, pets or special property.
• Forcible physical restraint against the victim’s
will, being trapped in a room or having the exit
blocked, being held down.
• The batterer hitting or kicking walls, doors or
other inanimate objects during an argument,
throwing things in anger, destruction
of property.
• Holding the victim hostage.
Sexual Abuse:
Sexual abuse is using sex in an
exploitative fashion or forcing sex on another
person. Having consented to sexual activity
in the past does not indicate current consent.
Sexual abuse may involve both verbal and
physical behavior. This may include, but is not
limited to:
• Using force, coercion, guilt or manipulation or
not considering the victim’s desire to have sex.
This may include making the victim have sex
with others, have unwanted sexual experiences
or be involuntarily involved in prostitution.
• Exploiting a victim who is unable to make an
informed decision about involvement in sexual
activity because of being asleep, intoxicated,
drugged, disabled, too young, too old or
dependent upon or afraid of the perpetrator.
• Laughing or making fun of another’s sexuality
or body, making offensive statements, insulting
or name-calling in relation to the victim’s
sexual preferences/behavior.
• Making contact with the victim in any
nonconsensual way, including unwanted
penetration (oral, anal or vaginal) or touching
(stroking, kissing, licking, sucking or using
objects) on any part of the victim’s body.
• Exhibiting excessive jealousy resulting in
false accusations of infidelity and controlling
behaviors to limit the victim’s contact with the
outside world.
• Having affairs with other people and using that
information to taunt the victim.
• Withholding sex from the victim as a
control mechanism.
Emotional Abuse & Intimidation:
According
to the AMEND Workbook for Ending Violent
Behavior, emotional abuse is any behavior that
Paint Phoenix Purple
October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Last month alone
11 Arizonans died as a
result of domestic violence.
In Arizona this year
alone, we have lost a total of 88 people, 11 of those being children.
#DontLookAway and know how to help end domestic violence.
This article has been adapted from the website of The Arizona
Coalition to End Sexual & Domestic Violence. For more
information please visit azcadv.org.
Types of Abuse:
• Control
• Physical Abuse
• Sexual Abuse
• Emotional Abuse & Intimidation
• Isolation
• Verbal Abuse: Coercion, Threats & Blame
• Using Male Privilege
• Economic Abuse