A Power and Control Perspective
Text Description
Domestic violence involves a range of behaviors which can include physical
and sexual violence; using coercion and threats; using intimidation;
using emotional abuse, using isolation; minimizing, denying and
blaming; using children; using male privilege; and using economic
abuse. These forms of abuse do not occur in isolation from each
other, but rather occur simultaneously.
The Power and Control model of Domestic Violence identifies power and
control as the goal of all of these tactics of abuse because victims'
experiences consistently indicate that the behavior of their partners
is not random or arbitrary, but purposeful and systematic. The goal
of abusers' behavior is to exert control over their partners. This
goal reflects their belief that they have a right and entitlement to
control their intimate partners. The various forms of abuse, the different
behaviors, are used a tactics of control.
Examples of the Various Forms of Abuse
- Using Coercion and Threats
- making and/or carrying out threats
to do something to hurt her
- threatening to leave her, to commit
suicide, to report her to welfare
- making her drop charges
- making her do illegal things
Using Intimidation
- making her afraid by using looks, actions, gestures
- smashing things
- destroying her property
- abusing pets
- displaying weapons
Using Emotional Abuse
- putting her down
- making her feel bad about herself
- calling her names
- making her think she's crazy
- playing mind games
- humiliating her
- making her feel guilty
Using Isolation
- controlling what she does, who she sees, and talks to, what
she reads, where she goes
- limiting her outside involvement
- using jealousy to justify actions
Minimizing, Denying and Blaming
- making light of the abuse and not taking her concerns about
it seriously
- saying the abuse didn't happen
- shifting responsibility for abusive
behavior
- saying she caused it
Using Children
- making her feel guilty about the children
- using the children
to relay messages
- using visitation to harass her
- threatening to take the children
away
Using Male Privilege
- treating her like a servant
- making all the big decisions
- acting like the "master of the castle
- being the one to define men's and women's roles
Using Economic Abuse
- preventing her from getting or keeping a job
- making her ask for money
- giving her an allowance
- taking her money
- not letting her know about or have access to family income
