Intimate partner violence affects more than just the person who’s physically hurt. Children and other family members, and sometimes entire communities, can be affected by these abuses. This article explores the broader impacts of domestic violence, while highlighting new mental health treatment developments and hope for survivors.
Is your partner jealous and possessive, making you afraid to spend time with other people? Do they try to control your money, your access to friends or your car? Does your partner threaten to hurt or kill you? Do they keep weapons around the house or show them to you in a menacing manner? Does your partner have a short temper and often loses control? Does your partner think of you as a sex object rather than as a human being? Do they use drug or alcohol abuse as an excuse for mistreating you?
In addition to physical abuse, a perpetrator may also emotionally abuse his or her victim. This abuse might include calling the victim names, humiliating them in front of others or belittling their opinions or accomplishments. They might also sabotage their victim’s ability to work or force them to turn over all of their income. Lastly, they might threaten to harm their child(ren), other family members or the family pet. This emotional abuse can be just as harmful as the physical abuse and is a precursor to further abuses. It can lead to depression, eating disorders and sleep disturbances in children.
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