DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Domestic Violence
Mary (Katie) Gibbs
CRIS 608
Liberty University
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Domestic Violence
Abstract
Traumatic events such as natural disasters, death of a loved one, combat situations, domestic
violence, child abuse, sexual assault, etc can all cause a variety of mental health issues as
trauma affects everyone differently. Side effects such as exhaustion, confusion, sadness,
anxiety, numbness, agitation, dissociation, physical arousal, depression, and PTSD can occur
after someone goes through a trauma. This research paper will focus on domestic violence
and the treatment options for an individual who has survived this form of trauma. Domestic
violence is an epidemic affecting people in every community and culture, thus causing
mental illness, homelessness, loss of employment, and many other social issues that human
service professionals see every day. This is an issue that affects people of all races,
sexualities, and religions. This abuse can have lifelong effects on the victims, their children,
and their loved ones.
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Defining Trauma
Kleber (2019) defines a traumatic event as something that involves the confrontation with
war, violence, disasters, sudden loss, serious illness, and other overwhelming and disturbing
events. According to the psychiatric classifications and the6Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders, a traumatic event is defined as the exposure to death, threatened death, actual
or threatened serious injury, or actual or threatened sexual violence. Trauma can cause an
individual to feel helpless or powerless. Emotional responses to trauma can vary in severity.
Some emotional responses commonly associated with trauma are exhaustion, confusion, sadness,
anxiety, numbness, agitation, dissociation, physical arousal, depression, and PTSD.
Experiencing a traumatic life event can increase one’s vulnerability to obtaining mental
health issues. It has the ability to completely disrupt someone’s daily life depending on how they
are affected by the trauma. It can also be the root cause for developing post-traumatic stress
disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric disorder that can occur after someone has
experienced a traumatic event. Experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event can also cause
someone to misuse drugs or alcohol to cope with the side effects.
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is a type of trauma that happens frequently within our society. Domestic
violence tends to happen in all social classes and among all ethnicities (Everstine & Everstine,
2013). It can occur in many different forms. Men, women, and children all have the potential to fall
victim to domestic violence and the trauma is can cause. According to Everstine & Everstine
(2013), domestic violence is the most prevalent form of violence among humans. Domestic
violence is often associated with IPV or intimate partner violence. Patra (2018) defines intimate
partner violence as any behavior within an intimate relationship (married, unmarried, and live-in)
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that causes physical, psychological, or sexual harm to those in that relationship.6Patra (2018)
discusses the difference between domestic violence and intimate partner violence by stating that
domestic violence is defined as the physical, sexual, and emotional maltreatment of one family
member by another. 6It typically includes all types of family violence such as elder abuse, child
abuse, and marital rape; however, IPV is limited to acts of aggression between intimate partners.
There are several different forms of abuse that can take place in domestic or intimate
partner violence such as emotional abuse, financial abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse.
Each form of abuse can cause lifelong trauma for the survivor. Physical abuse is the form of
abuse that is discussed most frequently. Physical abuse is often portrayed in the media when
domestic violence is discussed. Physical abuse can be anything from chocking, slapping, hitting,
pushing, and throwing objects. This kind of abuse can lead to hospital visits, health conditions,
feelings of worthlessness, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTDS), and increased levels of stress.
An individual who experiences domestic violence can often develop distorted thinking and can
mirror “brainwashing” as the individual can begin to accept the abuse and believe they deserve it
(Everstine & Everstine, 2013).
Emotional abuse is often the most common type of abuse that happens. Emotional abuse
often leads to other forms of abuse. This type of abuse is not always taken seriously because it
does not leave any visible markings or indicators. Studies show emotional abuse may be the most
damaging form of maltreatment causing adverse developmental consequences equivalent to, or
more severe than, those of other forms of abuse6(Dye, 2020). Dye (2020) also reports that
individuals who experience emotional abuse are more likely to develop depression, anxiety,
stress, and neuroticism personality. The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children
defines emotional abuse as “a repeated pattern of caregiver behavior or a serious incident that
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convey to children that they are worthless, flawed, unloved, unwanted, endangered, or only of
value in meeting another’s needs” (p. 81).
Financial abuse or economic abuse is a unique form of intimate partner violence (IPV)
and includes behaviors that control a survivor’s ability to acquire, use, and maintain resources.
These tactics can result in someone becoming economically dependent on their partner and may
limit their ability to leave the relationship and establish independence (Johnson, 2022). This type
of abuse is when one partner takes control over the other’s partner’s economic resources. This
abuse can lead to feelings of isolation, powerlessness, insecurity, and co dependence.
“Sexual assault (SA) is a common and deleterious form of trauma” (Dworkin, 2017).
Dworkin (2017) shared that 17–25% of women and 1–3% of men will be sexually assaulted in
their lifetime. Sexual abuse is any kind of sexual act that is forced on an individual without their
consent. Sexual abuse can happen to anyone, and it can cause feelings such as shock, shame,
fear, anxiety, confusion, and withdrawal.
Women are without a doubt the largest population who become victim to domestic
violence. The U.S Department of Justice found that women are 90-95% more likely to
experience domestic violence compared to men. However, women are not the only victims of
domestic violence. Men, children, and members of the LGBTQ community can all be victims to
domestic violence. Abusers seek power and control. They prey on the more physically
vulnerable partner.
Adverse childhood experiences such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse,
mental illness of a parents(s), forms of alcoholism, homelessness, or other financial issues can all
lead to abusive behavior or becoming an abuser. Witnessing or experiencing violent events as a
child has been hypothesized to lead to the intergenerational transfer of violence through imitating
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or tolerating similar behaviors in adult relationships6(Mair, 2012). Insecurity can also lead to an
individual becoming an abusive partner. Someone who feels insecure in their work life or
personal life may be more likely to crave power or control in their relationships. Self-esteem
issues or a need for power can occur due to a lack of love and security in childhood.
Assessment
Assessing a client who is dealing with trauma from a domestic violence or intimate
partner violence situation can be challenging since the response to this kind of trauma can look
different from person to person. It is important to be aware of that a threat or gesture can
possibly scare just as much as them committing a violent act (Everstine & Everstine, 2013). It is
also important that the counselor or therapist not move too quickly. The survivor needs to set the
pace. During therapy a clinician must seek to understand the client’s relational triggers and the
client’s level of capability in forming an alliance (Briere & Scott, 2015).
When I first meet with a client for an assessment I focus on if they appear withdrawn,
anxious, depressed, cognitively impaired, or frightened. Things like poor eye contact and body
language are also important to pay attention to. Assessing the individual’s appearance can
sometimes be useful if they have noticeable bruises or markings. However, this is not always a
good indicator since domestic violence comes in many different forms.
Using the HITS assessment tool can give a good initial assessment to determine if abuse
is present. HITS stands for hurt, insult, threaten, and scream. This screening tool uses these for
items to determine the frequency of intimate partner violence. This screening can be self-
reported, or it can be administered by the individual doing the assessment. The score can range
from four to twenty. Someone who scores ten or higher would be considered at risk for intimate
partner violence.
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When assessing the individual, I would want to use danger screening/assessment tool.
The danger assessment tool (DA) helps to determine the level of danger that the individual has of
being killed by their partner. Using this tool requires weighted scoring and interpretation.
Campbell (2008) defines the danger assessment as an instrument designed to assess the
likelihood of lethality or near lethality occurring in a case of intimate partner violence. Campbell
(2008) discusses the importance of having tools like this when doing assessments, because the
United States has the highest rate of intimate partner homicide of any industrialized country. “In
the United States, approximately 1,200 women have been killed by their current or former
intimate partner during each year of the 21st century, with approximately 300 males killed by
their intimate partners during those same years” (Campbell, 2008).
Another assessment tool that would be useful in determined if domestic violence or
intimate partner violence is present is domestic violence inventory (DVI). This assessment tool is
an evidenced based self-report test that can be used to evaluate individuals (male or female)
accused of domestic violence. This tool is used by court appointed evaluators, counselors,
therapists, psychologists, or other mental health professionals. “The DVI has six scales for
measuring offender risk of violence (lethality), substance (alcohol and other drugs) abuse,
controlling attitudes and behaviors, as well as stress coping abilities (emotional and mental
health problems)” (Lindeman, 2011).
When conducting the assessment, it is important to remember that many domestic
violence victims or intimate partner violence victims find it difficult to admit the abuse. They
have been manipulated into having a deep sense of loyalty to their abusive partner. Many abusers
isolate their victims so that they do not have anyone else in their life. This causes the victim to be
afraid of being alone, therefore developing a sense of dependency on the abuser. In many cases
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victims of domestic violence will completely deny that the abuse is taking place. They might
avoid questions about the signs of abuse that is being witnessed. They might experience feelings
of shame or guilt regarding the abuse.
Treatment Options
Treatment options for individuals who have been traumatized by domestic violence can
be completely different from one client to the next. The clinician or therapist needs to find out if
a client is in any danger of loss of life or bodily integrity or if they are at risk of hurting others
(Briere & Scott, 2015). Safety planning should be the first thing discussed once it has been
determined that the individual is in a domestic violence situation. A safety plan is set in place so
that the individual can ensure their own safety as well as the safety of their children. Safety
planning can include things like having bags packed for when there is an opportunity to escape,
changing locks, opening a savings account, knowing where important papers are located,
reaching out to someone that you trust and letting them know the situation, finding a place to go
once leaving the home, and anything else that can assist the individual.
Once the individual is out of that situation then they can focus on healing from the trauma
they have witnessed or experienced. DBT or dialectical behavioral therapy is tool that can be
used for someone who is working through their experiences with domestic violence. Bay (2022)
describes dialectical behavioral therapy as is a cognitive-behavioral treatment that was initially
designed to help people who were chronically suicidal, self-injuring and for treatment for
borderline personality disorder.6 Later is began to be used for many other mental health issues
such as: substance use/abuse, victims of domestic violence, trauma, PTSD, complex PTSD,
anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder.6“DBT skills help people learn focus their thoughts and
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feelings on these polarities and learn practical daily living skills to identify these dialectics and
ways to get out of them” (Bay, 2022).
CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy is another tool that could be used to process trauma
after experiencing domestic violence. The American Psychological Association defines cognitive
behavior therapy as a type of therapy that focuses on the relationship among thoughts, feelings,
and behaviors. It targets the current problem and symptoms. As well as focusing on changing
patterns of behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that cause difficulty in functioning. Therapists or
counselors use this tool by asking clients to re-evaluate their thinking patterns. This can help
them identify which thinking patterns are unproductive or unhelpful. Some examples of
unhelpful thinking patters can be overgeneralizing bad outcomes, negative thinking that
diminishes positive thinking, and always expecting terrible things to happen. Cognitive behavior
therapy can also be used for treating types of depression or anxiety, but it is most useful for
treating post-traumatic stress disorder.
HOPE or helping overcome PTSD through empowerment is another tool that can be used
in this situation. This is a form of CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy. This therapeutic tool is
intended for battered women with post-traumatic stress disorder who are living in domestic
violence shelters. When HOPE is being used it focuses on the following: immediate physical and
emotional risks, PTSD symptoms, behavioral and cognitive patterns that interfere with daily life,
shelter and treatment goals as well as post shelter goals.
Group therapy or support groups is a tool that can be used for domestic violence
survivors. “While support groups were initially created within domestic violence (DV) programs
to provide survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) with a supportive atmosphere through
which to discuss their experiences and provide mutual help to other survivors, such groups have
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expanded in breadth and scope over time. Now many groups are available that either target
specific populations of abused women” (Sullivan, 2012). Support groups can allow survivors to
feel supported and/or understood. This setting can be very helpful for individuals to see that they
are not alone.
Faith Based Approach
Faith and spirituality can play a role in the healing process for all mental health issues if
the client is interested in making this a part of their journey. Any kind of mental health issue,
stress, or life changes can cause an individual to question their belief systems. If faith is an
important part of one’s morals than it can assist them with staying on a path that is best suited for
them. When someone is exposed to high levels of trauma or stress, they are more likely to act in
a way that is not typical for them. “Given that PTSD separates the “left brain” (emotions) from
the “right brain” (reasoning), it impairs the decision-making process. When decision-making is
impaired, it becomes much easier for a person to make foolish or immoral choices” (Ashford,
2022).
Ashford (2022) lists the first three things that a human service professional should do
when working with someone with PTSD who would like to have a faith-based approach. “The
first and best way to minister to a traumatized person is to recommend they seek medical help, if
they have not already. Brain-based therapies can help a person’s brain hit “reset” so that their
emotional state and decision-making abilities are substantially improved. Second, ministry to
traumatized people should center on listening more than instructing. A traumatized person tends
to divide the world sharply between people who understand and people who don’t. Third, we
should be careful not to reduce a traumatized person’s pain to the lowest common denominator
to apply Biblical promises simplistically to that person’s situation” (Ashford, 2022).
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Conclusion
People experience trauma in a variety of different ways. Traumatic events can lead to
many different mental health issues. Domestic violence or intimate partner violence is a
traumatic experience that happens regularly in our society. Domestic violence causes trauma for
the victim, children, and loved ones involved. This is an issue that affects people of all races,
sexualities, and religions. This abuse can cause a variety of different side effects in the
individuals who are victim to it. Some of those side effects are mental illness, bruises, broken
bones, hospital visits, loss of relationships, loss of employment, isolation, and feelings of
helplessness.
Healing from any kind of trauma can be a long and difficult journey but it is very
possible. Treatment for domestic violence victims can come in many different forms. Treatment
options such as safety planning, talk therapy, group therapy, and CBT therapy techniques can all
be very successful. Each domestic violence survivor is different and will have different needs;
therefore, treatment success will look different for everyone.
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