There are myths pertaining to the topic of domestic violence. Sadly, some of the myths floating around hinder the victim from getting help, as well as hinder the offender from believing that they can turn their abusive behavior around. Here are 15 myths everyone should know about domestic violence.
Myth #1: Battering only occurs in low income households.
Fact: Battering occurs in every economic bracket, and from all manners of professionals, from scientists and doctors to farmers and janitors, and everything in between. According to the NISVS (National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey), nearly half of the relationships in the U.S. experience domestic violence.
Myth #2: Responsibility is always placed on the abuser.
Fact: Communities usually look at the woman as the source of the abuse, and scrutinize her motivations for not leaving the relationship.
Myth #3: Batterers suffer from mental illness.
Fact: Only a small percentage of batters truly suffer from mental illness. The majority of batterers are persuasive, charming, and display normal behavior. For the vast majority, batterers choose to behave abusively.
Myth #4: Temporary restraining orders and protective orders are rarely effective in stopping batterers.
Fact: Tethers and tracking devices have changed the game. Batterers think twice about violating orders when they’re being tracked.
Myth #5: The police rarely arrest a batterer because they view domestic violence as a private matter.
Fact: That is no longer the case. The police will arrest anyone accused of battering when they are called to the location. All 50 states have instituted warrantless arrest polices, namely, to arrest alleged batterers on site.
Myth #6: All batterers are beyond help, there are no treatment plans that will effectively end their violent habits.
Fact: Batterer’s counseling programs prove effective in many cases. Vast amounts of empirical evidence suggests that counseling works. Depending on the program, there is a success rate of between 53% to 85% of participants that do complete their program. With that being said, there are three main types of intervention: Arrest, Psychoeducational Group Counseling, and Court-Mandated Group Counseling.
Myth #7: Woman battering is not a significant problem because most of the time it does not result in serious injury.
Fact: According to the National Violence Against Women Survey, over 40% of the women surveyed sustained injuries after an attack. Additionally, statistics show that battered women make up 20% of all the women who visit the emergency room for injuries.
Myth #8: Domestic Violence is a one time event or an isolated incident.
Fact: Abuse is a pattern that starts verbally and escalates physically. Battering is a repeated tactic that batterers use to control their partners. Other control tactics include, threats, economic deprivation, intimidation, psychological and emotional abuse, as well as sexual abuse.
Myth #9: Most men would never justify violence in a relationship under any circumstances.
Fact: Poll after poll shows that an overwhelming percentage of men justify the use of violence if their partner is unfaithful. See Richard Gelles’ poll and Louis Harris’ poll, or any other poll for that matter.
Myth #10: Stress and/or drinking alcohol causes battering.
Fact: A majority of batterers are not drinkers nor alcoholics. Drinking will not end the violence, despite the fact that batterers use drinking as an excuse for their behavior. Likewise, stress is not an excuse either. Many people under extreme stress do not attack their co-workers or bosses. Batterers choose to abuse their partners because they believe it will not result in any repercussions.
Myth #11: Battered women who remain in a violent relationship are masochistic.
Fact: Women remain in a violent relationships due to several factors: Economic Dependency; Learned Helplessness (where repeated abuse and failed attempts of escape has left the woman to believe that nothing will ever work to gain her life back); Fear of getting killed by her partner for leaving the relationship; Fear of a custody battle over their children, as a result of leaving.
Myth #12: Only a handful of women experience PTSD as a result of domestic violence.
Fact: Clinical studies show that the PTSD rate ranges from anywhere between 45% to 84% of women who have been battered. In fact, many of these women struggle with suicidal ideation.
Myth #13: Batterers are often good fathers and deserve joint custody.
Fact: Batterers almost always abuse their children. Additionally, children always suffer emotionally and psychologically from witnessing violence in the household.
Myth #14: There aren’t any “throw away” battered women.
Fact: Battered women who suffer from developmental disabilities, drug abuse, PTSD, or AIDS are largely unrecognized by many domestic violence programs.
Myth #15: Batterers suffer from poor impulse control, that’s why they abuse.
Fact: The majority of batterers have plenty of impulse control, that’s why they are violent towards their partner and children and no one else. Additionally, many batterers deliberately injure their partner in places where the bruises do not appear to the public.
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Contact TheHotline.Org to get you the help you need before its too late.
Contact the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health @ nationalcenterdvtraumamh.org or by phone: 1-312-726-7020 extension 2011 to speak to a trained professional that’ll help you find the right therapy or treatment plan for you.