Domestic Violence

Domestic violence should never happen to anyone – ever!

Domestic violence happens when one person tries to dominate and control the other person. This can be within an intimate relationship, marriage or family. Domestic violence is not just one person’s physical abuse of another; this can also be a pattern of psychological, economic, and sexual coercion of one person using power to dominate another. Domestic violence is often marked by physical and verbal assaults, threats of bodily harm and emotional abuse.

Domestic violence is about obtaining and holding power and is used to gain and maintain total control over the victim. Abusers may use several forms of emotional manipulation to strengthen their power and can include: shame, intimidation and guilt to feel empowered.

Most acts of domestic violence follow a pattern known as the Cycle of Violence. This cycle of abuse can be seen in three phases of behavior:

  • The tension-building phase: Walking on egg shells, tip toeing around the offender.
  • The acute battering incident: The actual explosion of violence, or outburst of emotional and verbal abuse.
  • The affectionate phase: “All is forgiven,” “I am such a fool,” “This will never ever happen again,” etc.
  • Remorseful, loving honeymoon stage: “From here on in, things will change and be better,” “We are a family again,” “I love you so much it hurts,” etc.


The longer this cycle continues without intervention, the more frequently people engaged in the abuse enter the cycle – which results in an ever increasing and more dangerous level of abuse.

Please get help.