Abusive Heterosexual Partners PDF

Presentation title 1 ABUSIVE HETEROSEXUAL PARTNERS Family Violence​ University of Belize  LECTURE OUTLINE Types and estimates of intimate partn...

Presentation title 1 ABUSIVE HETEROSEXUAL PARTNERS Family Violence​ University of Belize  LECTURE OUTLINE Types and estimates of intimate partner violence Descriptions of batterers Theoretical causes of IPV Typologies of batterers Female batterers  CASE STUDY Ari came into group counseling like many other men arrested and ordered into counseling. He seemed calm and collected, dressed nicely from his day’s work as a department store manager. He protested his arrest, claiming that it was “all a mistake.” All he did was give Bernadette a little push in the car because she wouldn’t “shut up.” Ari’s story was that he came home exhausted from a long day at work only to find Bernadette all dressed up and saying that she “had to get out of the house; she wanted to go out to dinner.” Ari said he was too tired, but Bernadette got angry and started screaming that he only “thought of himself.” Ari gave in. It was already 8:30 by the time they pulled into the restaurant parking lot. The restaurant was crowded and noisy, and Ari was angry and sullen as they waited for their dinner. He and Bernadette each had several drinks, but Ari could not calm down. “No one ever cares about my feelings,” he thought. When they returned to the car after dinner, Bernadette launched into a diatribe about Ari’s “failure” to accept her 6- year-old son by a previous marriage. She kept “mouthing off as usual,” and Ari’s driving became erratic. As they arrived home, Ari reached across the front seat of the car and slapped her because he “had to do something to get her attention.” When he went around to open the passenger-side door for Bernadette, she “fell out and hit her head on the pavement.” The neighbors called paramedics and the police, and Ari was arrested. Bernadette’s medical report said that she had been “knocked out”; she did not “fall and hit her head.” It took more than 10 weeks of group counseling before Ari would admit that his little slap was really a knockout punch. MALE-TO-FEMALE INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE (MFIPV) Sociodemographic Characteristics of Batterers Current/former intimate partners are the most likely to be involved in homicide-suicide events Abuse is more prevalent in blue collar and lower class families Lower socioeconomic class is strong predictor Gender Females are the most likely victims and males the most likely offenders Presentation title MALE-TO-FEMALE INTIMATE 5 PARTNER VIOLENCE (MFIPV) Age women 18–54 years of age comprised 85% of spousal violence victims SES Abuse is more prevalent in blue- collar and lower-class families Lower socioeconomic class is a strong predictor of IPV  DEFINITIONS OF INTIMATE 6 PARTNER VIOLENCE AND ABUSE Marital abuse or spouse abuse - verbal abuse, threats, and physical assaults ranging from minor to severe, including weapon use. Sexual assault (e.g., marital rape) constitutes a separate dimension of abuse. Stalking was added as a form of intimate abuse in the 1990s. Psychological abuse - encompass behaviors such as damaging property, evoking fear, exploiting finances, and partner-controlling behaviors. Presentation title 7 PATTERNS OF IPV Lenore Walker coined the term Cycle of violence Three phases ○ Tension building - minor incidents, jealousy, threats, ○ Acute or battering - major violent outbursts, actual physical violence ○ Honeymoon or loving respite - remorseful and afraid of losing partner According to this theory: o Male to female IPV intensifies in degree and frequency over time o binds the people involved into a repetitive pattern of behavior. Presentation title THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE 8 (a) Tension building: In this phase, minor incidents of violence may occur along with a buildup of anger. This phase may include verbal put-downs, jealousy, threats, and breaking things, and can eventually escalate to Phase 2; (b) Acute or battering: In this phase, the major violent outburst occurs, the actual physical violence. Following this phase, the couple often enters Phase 3; (c) Honeymoon or loving respite: In this phase, the perpetrator is remorseful and afraid of losing his partner. He may promise her anything, beg forgiveness, buy gifts, and basically seem to be “the man she fell in love with.” The words of a battered woman personalize the cycle:  HOMICIDE / SUICIDES / FAMILICIDES 9 o Homicides o Male intimates rather than strangers committed the majority of known female homicides o Suicide: o males were significantly more likely to commit suicide than non perpetrators o More likely to be separated from their partner at the time of suicide Presentation title 10 SEXUAL ASSAULT Definitions of rape lack a true correspondence with a sexual assault experience sexual behaviors considered rape only if the assault included force a woman’s saying “No” alone is insufficient to make a rape claim Intimate rape occurs frequently in violent marital relationships Research shows that rape by an intimate partner evokes far more psychological damage than rape by nonpartners or ex-partners Abusive male partners may also try to interfere with birth control and/or refuse to wear condoms  PSYCHOLOGICAL / EMOTIONAL ABUSE OF INTIMATE PARTNERS Presentation title 11 Most common form of partner abuse and psych aggression is more damaging to victims than physical Tolman’s Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory (PMWI): two dimensions Dominance – isolation Emotional - verbal  PSYCHOLOGICAL / EMOTIONAL ABUSE OF INTIMATE Presentation title 12 PARTNERS Has seven major types of psychological abuse based on Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory (PMWI) Isolation: e.g. Prevents or discourages the victim from seeing friends or family, or going to work or school. Economic abuse: e.g. Controls all the money Degradation: e.g. calling her stupid, loser, or bitch Rigid sex role expectation e.g. expecting submissiveness Withholds emotional responsivity: e.g. being detached and uninvolved Monopolization (abuser center of woman's life) Psychological destabilization (makes woman feel crazy) E.g. Gaslighting - a form of psychological manipulation in which the abuser attempts to sow self-doubt and confusion in their victim's mind.  PSYCHOLOGICAL / EMOTIONAL Presentation title 13 ABUSE OF INTIMATE PARTNERS Emotional abuse is a significant predictor of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and, combined with partner control, is a significant predictor of negative mood and psychosomatic complaints  PSYCHOLOGICAL / EMOTIONAL 14 ABUSE OF INTIMATE PARTNERS Controlling behavior is typical of male batterers. a subtype of psychological abuse The Power & Control Wheel Created by the Domestic Abuser Intervention Programs as part of “The Duluth Model” Outlines tactics abusers use to gain power and control Presentation title 15 Economic Abuse restricting access to resources Without funds, battered victims and their children usually cannot leave their Presentation title 16 ATTITUDES AND CLASSIFICATIONS OF BATTERERS SOCIETY’S ATTITUDES TOWARD BATTERERS There seems to be approval of male-to-female violence. Some see domestic violence as not only permissible but also “macho” and praiseworthy  BATTERERS’ ATTRIBUTIONS FOR MALE-TO- Presentation title 18 FEMALE INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE Batterers tend to blame their own aggression on nearly anyone or anything but themselves external stressors or temporary states, such as substance abuse or jealousy They formulate household rules that their female partner must obey and justify the abuse when she doesn’t  JOHNSONS VIOLENT COUPLE 19 CATEGORIES Situational couple violence : most frequent - not severe, perpetrated by both members - one if violent, gender symmetric, and occurs most often in the general population Mutual violent control: both are violent and controlling - gender symmetric Violent resistance: self-defense - person is violent but not controlling - most common in agency samples Intimate terrorism: one partner is violent and controlling - most common in shelters, perpetrated almost exclusively by men, frequent and injurious Presentation title 20 TRAITS OF BATTERERS  INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES (TRAITS) BETWEEN Presentation title 21 BATTERERS AND OTHERS Men with IPV are less well adjusted and display different personality traits COMMONLY IDENTIFIED CHARACTERISTICS OF MALE BATTERERS  Presentation title 22 TRAITS OF BATTERERS DENIAL AND ANGER, HOSTILITY, AND MINIMIZATION INTERMITTENT EXPLOSIVE DISORDER Abusers tend to downplay or (IED) minimize the significance and They have significantly high seriousness of their violence anger and hostility scores Claim they did not really hurt their This still does not permit the female partner assumption that anger and hostility cause intimate Presentation title 23 ANGER, HOSTILITY, AND INTERMITTENT EXPLOSIVE DISORDER (IED) Intermittent explosive disorder: periodic anger, dangerous assaultive actions that represent extreme responses to stressors and are not attributable to other mental disorders or the effects of psychotropic drugs - ⅔ of individuals with a history of partner violence suffered IED episodes during an anger attack Presentation title TRAITS OF BATTERERS 24 DEPRESSION / SELF ESTEEM / SHAME / GUILT / AND HUMILIATION IPV men are more depressed and low self esteem -- parental punishment and child abuse are central precursor to men’s adult abusiveness IPV perpetrators engage in intimate partner aggression because they suffer from low self-esteem Childhood feelings of shame, humiliation, and guilt, may be precursors to MFIPV TRAITS OF BATTERERS 25 ATTACHMENT DIFFICULTIES AND EMOTIONAL DEPENDENCE Attachment difficulties implicated as a precursor to partner violence among both men and women Emotional dependency: partner violent men are more emotionally dependent They may be sensitive to themes of abandonment  TRAITS OF BATTERERS 26 JEALOUSY Definition: a complex of thought, emotion and action that follows loss or threat to self-esteem and / or the existence or quality of romantic relationship Jealousy as trait: jealousy score was one of the strongest predictors of both male and female aggression Correlation between jealousy and IPV homicides are generally positive TRAITS OF BATTERERS 27 MARITAL DISSATISFACTION / SATISFACTION Correlation between marital satisfaction w/ other traits: ○ Marital dissatisfaction is significantly related to wives' low decision-making power ○ Marital dissatisfaction is correlated to some forms of insecure attachment ○ Continuing marital dissatisfaction may predict MFIPV recidivism  28 MALE TO FEMALE IPV THEORIES Presentation title SOCIALIZATION 29 Violence most likely learned behavior w/ biological underpinnings Antisocial orientation: harsh treatment in childhood associated with chronic partner violence Relationship between childhood maltreatment and IPV Power assertive punishment reported by the mother Report of parental IPV Reports of child physical abuse, sexual, and neglect Presentation title 30 SOCIALIZATION Childhood attachment The insecure romantic attachment status of fathers is closely associated with the self-reported insecure attachment status of their children Exposure to traumatic events in childhood where they see or experience a threat to their own life or physical safety or to that of other causes fear, terror, helplessness, or even Presentation title SOCIALIZATION 31 Entitlement. Men can be socialized to expect their wives to treat them with esteem. Men’s feelings of entitlement to power and their use of dominance in marital conflicts to control female partners hinge on sex- role socialization Patriarchal socialization confers upon males the roles of primary wage earner, head of the household, dominant marital partner, and the right to exert power and control, through the use of force if MALE TO FEMALE IPV THEORIES 32 VERBAL SKILLS / COMMUNICATION Assertion deficits of perpetrators Perpetrators often struggle to express their views clearly or make requests appropriately, leading to increased verbal hostility. Misperception of communication Partner-violent men tend to underestimate the care and affection they receive from their partners, believing they "do more and get less" in the relationship. Presentation title 33 VERBAL SKILLS / COMMUNICATION Problem-solving difficulties Partner-violent men are poor problem solvers May play a role in men’s negative reactions to marital stress Unable to utilize effective conflict resolution strategies and high marital distress Presentation title 34 ALCOHOL / DRUG ABUSE AND BATTERING Strong association but not cause - more severe and frequent when intoxicated Impulsivity has link from childhood abuse Impulsive drinking is linked with impulsive abuse  35 STRESS, EMOTIONS, MOOD STATES, TRAUMA, AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER Stress: Both perpetrators and victims of IPV suffer from a high level of debilitating stress that affects cognitions, emotions, and physiology. Sources of stress: negative life events younger age unemployment status violence toward nonfamily members  Presentation title 36 STRESS, EMOTIONS, MOOD STATES, TRAUMA, AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER Trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder Some perpetrators have been traumatized and have painful memories, trouble concentrating, flashbacks, extreme startle reactions, and numbing of emotions High levels of PTSD are documented in a significant number of survivors and may have symptoms for many years Presentation title MALE TO FEMALE IPV THEORIES 37 Biopsychosocial model: biological determinants such as hormones & neurotransmitters may drive general male violence Victims of aggression can endure long-term structural changes to the brain Testosterone is significantly associated with verbal and physical levels of violence Presentation title 38 MALE TO FEMALE IPV THEORIES BIOLOGY AND GENETICS Genetic Studies significant heritability for antisocial personality disorder symptoms in maritally assaultive men Sex differences in the brain Females have smaller amygdala (locus of emotions) and bigger prefrontal lobes (control of aggressive impulses) than men May explain why men get angrier than women and have a harder time controlling their aggression MALE TO FEMALE IPV THEORIES 39 PERSONALITY DISORDERS Borderline personality disorder: personality disorder characterized by a long-standing pattern of instability in mood, interpersonal relationships, and self-image that is severe enough to cause extreme distress or interfere with social and occupational functioning 88% of batterer populations suffering from some level of psychopathology Presentation title 40 MALE TO FEMALE IPV THEORIES Psychopathology (mental illness, "brain disorders") among batterers Researchers conclude that a proportion of maritally violent men have some form of psychopathology Feminists argue that this view of mental illness serve as an abuse excuse for batterers and diminishes the role of patriarchy as the prime motivation for male aggression half the men classified as male IPV offenders test in the normal range Presentation title 41 FEMALE-TO-MALE INTIMATE PARTNER ABUSE (FMIPV)  CASE HISTORY ZAIDA AND KUMAR—“I JUST BOPPED HIM ONE” Zaida was one of three women arrested in one jurisdiction over a year’s time for female-to-male partner violence and diverted into a counseling program. All other members of the group were men. Zaida was 57 years old and had been married for 35 years. She worked in a factory and admitted having a problem with alcohol. She looked haggard and perhaps unwell. The evening that she completed her 26 sessions in the program, she finally opened up about her reasons for hitting Kumar. He seldom talked to her, she complained, and she was “damned mad about it.” When she came home from work and saw Kumar drinking a beer in front of the TV, she often greeted him with a question, such as “What’s for supper?” If she didn’t like his answer, she just “bopped him one on the head.” If she got “really pissed off,” she grabbed his beer and threw it on the floor. Kumar never defended himself even once, but if she socked him, he would not speak to her the rest of the evening. The group therapist tactfully pointed out that he “thought he saw a connection” between Zaida’s assaults and Kumar’s refusal to speak to her. Zaida was stunned into silence, but she listened attentively as men in the group commented. The men told her that Kumar probably would talk to her if he didn’t have to worry about getting socked. Zaida was thoughtful but said nothing more until the final good-byes. As she proudly marched off, she told the group members that they would never see her again, and they didn’t. Presentation title 43 FEMALE PERPETRATORS Men are not the sole perpetrators of intimate violence. Some women abuse men, and a rare few who even kill their male partners. Presentation title 44 SELF-DEFENSIVE FEMALE VIOLENCE Much of FMIPV is self-defensive - women are very often reacting to what is being done to them, rather than initiating confrontations (violent resisters) Classifying self-defence Should women who use violence against their male partners be termed “batterers”?  MOTIVES FOR FMIPV 45 Some women appear to be as aggressive as their male counterparts The higher women’s status in a society and the greater the amount of individualism allowed, the higher the rate of female- to-male IPV CORRELATES OF FEMALE-TO-MALE IPV 46 Childhood abuse and later perpetration of FMIPV positive associations between child abuse and women’s partner violence Jealousy and FMIPV A high combination of dominance/jealousy score is one of the strongest predictors of both male and female aggression Presentation title 47 CORRELATES OF FEMALE-TO-MALE IPV Powerlessness Female perpetrators report more powerlessness than nonviolent women Suicide/depression Female perpetrators are at greater risk for suicide than are male perpetrators There is a link between FMIPV and depression perpetrating violence against one’s male partner offsets feelings of depression. FEMALE PERPETRATORS 48 Battered Women Who Kill Battered women have killed their abusers to stop the violence (i.e., self-defense) Battered women syndrome: Subcategory of PTSD which include learned helplessness in the female victim Fear for their lives and children’s safety stress symptoms belief that there is no other way to escape She may believe that there is no other way to escape It is a legal self-defense to consider the state of mind of a battered woman who kills Presentation title 49 REFERENCE Barnett, Ola W. Family violence across the lifespan : an introduction / Ola Barnett, Cindy L. Miller-Perrin, Robin D. Perrin.—3rd ed.