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Research Paper and Outline
Stephanie A. De Los Santos
Liberty University
EDCO 811: Marriage Counseling (DO2)
Dr. Geoffrey Reddick
April 23, 2023
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Abstract Paragraph
God’s intent for marriage was to cultivate the love between a man and a woman with
Him at the center of their relationship. Establishing a pure and intimate union with Him, founded
on His Word, has been and will always be His desire. Unfortunately, after the fall of man, sin
entered the world and defiled the sanctity of marriage. Although God never intended for
marriages to suffer and break apart, the reality is that divorce and/or separation is so prevalent in
today’s society. Marital issues can range from miscommunication to defining gender roles or
managing crisis situations within the marriage. This research paper will address domestic
violence and the impact it has on the family unit (victim, abuser, and children). Over the years,
the need continues to rise for marriage counselors who can address the extreme trauma that
comes with physical, verbal, emotional and/or spiritual abuse. The torment an individual
experiences within an abusive relationship often results in emotional and psychological trauma
that has a long-lasting effect on the lives of all persons involved. In order to address the trauma
that results from domestic violence, counselors must do more than just implement therapeutic
techniques and strategies, they must first understand the full disposition of both the victim and
abuser. This information provided in this research paper will give insight to how counselors can
prepare for addressing specific issues for individuals in the middle of a domestic violence crisis.
The highest priority for the counselor is to develop a plan of action ahead of time that will
ultimately ensure the safety of those being victimized.
Keywords: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), domestic violence, marriage counseling, family
development, healthy relationships, family in crisis, physical abuse, family therapy
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Outline
I. Introduction
a. Clear, strong definition and understanding of domestic violence and Intimate
Partner Violence (IPV).
i. Definition of domestic violence: use of physical violence in tandem with
coercive control, which entails the repeated use of tactics to dominate and
assert power over the victim (Haselschwerdt and Hardesty, 2016).
ii. Definition of IPV: abuse or aggression within a romantic relationship; can
range from one episode of violence to several episodes; also known as
domestic violence (MacMillan, 2020).
iii. Main difference is that domestic violence can occur between any family
member; IPV is only between couples (NCADV, n.d.)
b. Thesis statement: For better or for worse are the resounding words from the day a
husband and wife took an oath of commitment to cherish one another in holy
matrimony; but what happens when the worse involves physical, emotional,
and/or verbal abuse? Any kind of abuse is detrimental to the heart, mind and soul
and must be confronted immediately to alleviate long-term effects that can keep a
person in bondage.
II. Statistics: Prevalence in the U.S.
a. 1 in 3 women in the US have experienced some type of IPV in their lifetime
(MacMillan, 2020).
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b. A quarter of U.S. women (24.4%, approximately 29 million) and one in 10 men
(10.6%, about 12 million) experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence,
and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime (Gilbert et al., 2022).
c. Approximately 22-35% of women and approximately 7-29% of men have
experienced some form of violent or stalking behavior from their intimate
partners (Chester and DeWall, 2018)
d. Women disproportionally victimized by severe physical violence and rape are
more likely to experience multiple forms of violence and injury, and more likely
to be killed by an intimate partner (Hardesty and Olgosky, 2020).
e. Women experience higher rates of violence by marital/opposite sex partners than
men. In 1998, 1 million violent crimes qualifying as IPV were committed against
individuals; of the million 85% were against women (Levers, 2012, p. 179).
III. Risk Factors/Treatment
a. The Victim
i. Risk factors: Stockholm syndrome pattern of attachment between captive
and captor; economic and emotional dependency; and couples living in
impoverished neighborhoods (Levers, 2012).
ii. Treatment (Levers, 2012):
1. Empowerment approach—client is given as many choices as
possible to determine the course of her own life.
2. Maintaining a professional relationship without implying
friendship beyond appropriate boundaries is the most helpful
response to the client.
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b. The Perpetrator
i. Risk factors: Men who fail to develop secure attachments in childhood;
antisocial and borderline personality disorder related to physical and
psychological violence and frequency of family of origin violence.
ii. Treatment (Levers, 2012):
1. Approach that blends attachment theory and CBT, taking into
account early childhood risk factors.
2. Couples therapy, following a careful risk assessment.
IV. Theoretical and Clinical Counseling Principles
a. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
b. Family Systems Theory: assumes all individual problems are a manifestation of
the dysfunction present in the family unit, with each family member contributing
to the problem (Levers, 2012).
c. Christian Family Therapy: needed to provide counseling based on biblical
principles. Christian family therapists not only carry the same moral obligation as
other professionals trained to assist families in maximizing their potential, but
also in becoming models and training their children to know themselves and God
(Yarhouse, 2017).
d. Group Psychotherapy: provides guidance from therapist and support from others
with similar experiences (Brown, 2018).
V. Prevention Strategies/Plan of Action
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a. Prevention programs mandated by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention;
public acknowledgement of the problem by political forces and action by
governmental agencies; hold public officials accountable (Levers, 2012).
b. Education and self-reflection: seek out and use continuing education to effectively
deal with IPV and other trauma; use supervision, a professional who thoroughly
understands IPV; find like-minded colleagues to share challenges and rewards of
IPV clients; and develop a system of self-care (Levers, 2012).
c. Intervention and Safety Plan
i. National Domestic Violence Hotline
ii. Free legal help (www.texaslawhelp.org)
iii. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (Fact sheets and resources)
iv. National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
VI. Biblical Principles
a. What does the Bible say?
i. All violence is offensive to God and humanity (Psalm 11, Proverbs 3 and
10).
ii. All forms of violence (including verbal abuse) is considered a sin
(Malachi 2:16-17, Psalm 11:5, Colossians 3:19).
iii. God’s heart is to bring freedom to the abused (Proverbs 12:18, 18:21,
Colossians 3:8).
iv. God will redeem victims from oppression and violence (Psalm 72:14).
b. The Impact of the Church
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i. The church has the ability to make a great impact on families by teaching,
leading, and providing resources as well as a safe environment for family
counseling.
VII. Conclusion
a. Restatement of Thesis
i. Closing thoughts on families/spouses impacted by IPV/domestic violence.
ii. Summarize everything discussed above and provide personal input along
with biblical foundation.
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