What is Aggression?
physical or verbal behaviour intended to harm a person who does not want to be harmed
What is Violence?
is a term sometimes but not consistently reserved for acts intended to cause extreme physical harm (e.g., severe injury or death)
- However, growing recognition that violence may sometimes be psychological
rather than physical
three types of violence that vary in kind:
What is Situational couple violence?
Grows from verbal conflict -> physical (no original intent to dominate)
Often mutual
Reactive form of violence: reflects frustration & hostility evoked by argument
three types of violence that vary in kind:
What is coercive controlling violence?
One uses aggression to control / dominate the other
(intimate terrorism or battery)
More often by men
PROACTIVE = strategy to intimidate and control another person
Often one sided and result in severe injuries, attempted murder, and death
Escalate over time
three types of violence that vary in kind:
What is violent resistance?
occurs when a partner forcibly fights back against intimate terrorism
* Women who defend themselves twice as likely to sustain injury
➢Thus, attempts at violent resistance may be short-lived
Characteristics & warning signs of violence:
- Constant fear / confusion
- Invalidation / belittling
- Minimize / downplay abuse
- Attempts at control
- Threats / intimidation / aggression
- Fear to maintain dependence
Explain the three stages of Cycle of coercive controlling violence:
Tension-building phase
* Hostility erupts in angry outbursts, often a response to jealousy & desire for
control
Explosive, acute battering phase
* Tension unleashed in act of rage & aggression, often in the context of
disagreement or frustrating moment
Contrition phase
- Perpetrator apologizes, promises to change, tries to convince victim that abuse
will never happen again- Then repeats
Which two mental illnesses are perpetrators of violence more likely to be diagnosed with?
antisocial or borderline personality disorder
Common characteristics of Perpetrators?
➢Insecurity, hypersensitivity to rejection, jealousy
o Overattribute critical/rejecting thoughts to women
➢ Easily provoked to anger
➢ More violent & more likely to see violence as justifiable
➢ Traditional gender attitudes
➢ Narcissism (inflated or unstable sense of self-esteem, sensitivity to ego threat &
proneness to respond with aggression)
➢ More likely to abuse drugs and alcohol
➢ Experiences of aggression and violence in family of origin
Do battered women make attempts to stop abuse?
Yes!
Confront / reason / change behaviour to avoid triggers
growing recognition & development of coping strategies
70% will seek help
NOT JUST PASSIVE
Do people successfully leave abusive relationships?
Longitudinal study: 43% of women facing intimate terrorism left within 2.5 years
May take many attempts
- Entrapment due to psychological & economic abuse, isolation, fear of even
greater violence & retaliation - May be deterred by continuing attachment & commitment to partner, emotional
& economic dependenc
Common belief: Abused women will be worse off when they leave
Is this true?
people are happier after leaving abusive partner than they expect
I3 model = Situational couple violence (SCV) influenced by 3 factors
- Triggers
- Impelling Influences
- Inhibiting influences
➢ Instigating triggers = events that arouse anger (e.g., betrayal, insults)
➢ Impelling influences = factors that make it more likely one will experience
violent impulses when provoked (e.g., family history of violence, impulsivity,
attachment insecurity, alcohol or drugs)
➢ Inhibiting influences = factors that counteract aggressive impulses (e.g.,
good problem solving skills, commitment & accommodation)
So
- Events
- Push to violence
- Push away from violence
Most victimized group in sexual minority couples?
Bi ppl (biphobia usually)
(Stereotypes on perceived or real infidelity)
Why might LGBTQ+ people struggle MORE with Intimate partner violence?
Impact of violence for sexual minorities may be compounded by lack of supportive services, hesitancy to disclose
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Class 114
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Class 261
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Class 315
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Class 433
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Class 529
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Class 619
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Class 724
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Class 823
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Class 915
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Class 1021
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Class 1133
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Class 1226
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Class 1322
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Class 14: Attachment 138
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Class 1526
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Class 1631
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Class 17: Sexuality 138
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Class 1842
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Class 19: Conflict 153
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Class 2041
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Class 21: Gaslighting8
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Class 22: Power, Influence, & Violence 132
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Class 2316
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Class 24: Relationship dissolution 17
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Class 2543
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Singlehood16
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Couples Therapy8
