Impact of domestic violence on women

Both men and women suffer domestic violence but women are by far the main victims of violence and abuse from male partners. The following is a summary of the main forms of domestic violence and abuse and its impact on the victim:

• Emotional abuse is one of the earliest signs of abuse in a relationship. Emotional abuse ranges from name calling, to criticism about appearance or personality, to humiliation in public. One of the main effects of such repeated abuse is its negative impact on the woman’s self-esteem. Eventually the woman may believe the abuse and stay with the partner for fear of no one else wanting her.
  
  
• Physical Abuse ranges from pushing, shoving and grabbing, to biting, kicking or hitting with a fist, object or weapon. Some women try to fight back but this often worsens the man’s violence.
  
  
• Psychological abuse is a way of using non-physical power to control or abuse a victim. Perpetrators may intimidate a partner, for example, using glares or smashing property, or isolate the victim from friends and family. NB. The element of isolation can be intensified for women in rural settings. Other forms of psychological abuse include threatening her or threats to self harm if she doesn’t do what he wants. Children can be used to relay messages that are intimidating or harassing. Perpetrators will often deny the abuse, tell her it’s her fault, minimise how serious it is and insist on making all the decisions for her.
  
• Psychological abuse increases women’s fear about what might happen, or creates such mental and emotional confusion that it is easier for women to comply than continually battle against it. Women can often end up taking the blame for, feeling guilty about, or deserving of, the abuse they suffer.
  
  
• Economic or financial abuse includes not allowing women partners to get work or keep wages, not giving them enough money for housekeeping or clothes for themselves or the children, or by simply making them ask for money all the time (Pence and Paymar 1993). This often means the woman’s social life and outings can be non-existent or restricted by the partner as well as prevent her from leaving an abusive relationship through fear of having no financial means to support herself or her children (Kantor and Jasinski 1998).
  
• Sexual abuse/violence is not only a matter of rape or forced sexual contact, it also incorporates sexual harassment through unwanted sexual suggestions, touching, or derogatory sexual remarks (Mullender 1996, Women’s Aid 2001c). Research has shown that women are at far greater risk of being raped by a partner than a stranger (Browne and Williams 1993, Harris and Grace 1999, Myhill and Allen 2002).
  

NB. While it is the physical violence that commonly precedes public or judicial attention, women often report that the psychological and emotional abuse is longer lasting in the hurt and damage it causes, both to themselves and to their children.

Introduction | Impact of domestic violence on children
Additional risk factors | Implications for social work practice and assessment
Good practice examples | Websites