Characteristics of Abusers
Violent and abusive people can be a threat to their relatives, family members, romantic partners, and even children. It is usually hard to tell an abusive individual by looking at him or her. However, individuals who mistreat others tend to portray a number of attributes or characteristics. The first unique characteristic is jealousy. More often than not, abusive individuals will accuse others of spending more time with their friends (Chhikara, Jakhar, Malik, Singla, & Dhattarwal, 2013). This characteristic is a sign of mistrust and insecurity. The second characteristic is controlling others. Individuals who become angry when one does not listen to them tend to be violent. Abusers also tend to isolate their victims from their family members and friends.
Cruelty to children and animals is a common attribute of aggressive people. The individuals are insensitive to suffering and pain. Such individuals will insult others. They might embarrass others even in public. Male abusers will “treat women as inferior to men” (Chhikara et al., 2013, p. 73). They might go further to treat their wives as slaves. They believe in male chauvinism and supremacy. Many abusers will demand sex from their partners even when they are sick.
Four Characteristics of Abusers in Domestic Violence Situations
Domestic violence is one of the unique challenges affecting many people in every community. This kind of violence is characterized by intimidation and assault. The coercion occurs when a member of a family establishes the best environment for asserting control over the other adults and children (Cheng & Lo, 2014). Abusive behavior in the family can be characterized by physical violence (Cheng & Lo, 2014). There are various characteristics associated with violent individuals in domestic violence scenarios. The first one is psychological exploitation. The abuser can intimidate or threaten the victim (Salkeld, 2012). The individual might humiliate, ridicule, and accuse the victims falsely. The offender can eventfully maim or kill his or her victim. A good example is the story of Tina Nash whose eyes were gouged out by her obnoxious lover (Salkeld, 2012). The name of her boyfriend was Shane Jenkin.
The second characteristic is having unrealistic expectations. A wrongdoer in the domestic setting will expect the targeted to complete their duties flawlessly. The victims find it hard to fulfill the needs and expectations of the abuser because they are unattainable. The third attribute that is used to identify individuals associated with domestic violence is the continuous use of sex (Chhikara et al., 2013). The offenders are known to find the idea of sexual assault quite exciting.
The fourth attribute exhibited by crooks in domestic violence situations is cruelty to small children. These offenders might force the children in their homes to complete chores or duties that are hard for them. The individual might discourage the children from eating at the family table. They tease and threaten children continuously. This kind of insensitivity will definitely affect the children psychologically and make it impossible for them to pursue their potential (Salkeld, 2012). It is, therefore, necessary for individuals in the family to be aware of these attributes. When such issues are identified, it can be possible for the other members of the family to come up with adequate strategies to minimize the chances of torture.
Four Roles of Substance Abuse and Effect on Domestic Violence
Scholars have observed that there is a unique relationship between substance use and violence. The proximal effects framework or model indicates that substance use creates the best environment for partner violence. The first role of substance use is that it encourages more individuals to engage in violence (Chhikara et al., 2013). This kind of behavior makes it easier for them to control the other members of the family. Brutal persons will become more violent after taking different substances such as illegal drugs and alcohol. This role of substance overuse will result in violence and subsequently affect the experiences of many individuals in the domestic setting. The case of Christopher Saenz indicates that substance abuse is associated with domestic violence. Saenz, who was taking illegal drugs, received “47-year imprisonment in the death of his wife” (DiFalco, 2016, para. 3).
Substance abuse, according to many psychologists, paralyzes the individuals or victims in the family. Such people find it hard to function efficiently or make sustainable decisions. Consequently, the individual will capitalize on the situation and mistreat the targeted victim. This factor explains why more substance abusers find it hard to resolve emerging problems and conflicts amicably (Chhikara et al., 2013). The third role of substance abuse and its impacts on domestic violence is observed in children who grow up in affected families. The children are forced to emulate similar behaviors and develop defense mechanisms. Chances are usually high that such children will grow up to become abusive and violent. They might eventually become alcoholic adults.
The fourth unique role of substance use is that it is a risk factor for a number of personality disorders or characteristics. For instance, a person who believes that women are inferior will become more violent after taking a certain drug or substance (DiFalco, 2016). Individuals with bipolar disorders will go further to threaten their partners and children. These roles of substance misuse should therefore be clearly understood in order to protect more people from domestic violence.
References
Cheng, T., & Lo, C. (2014). Domestic violence and treatment seeking: A longitudinal study of low-income women and mental health/substance abuse care. International Journal of Health Services, 44(4), 1-13. Web.
Chhikara, P., Jakhar, J., Malik, A., Singla, K., & Dhattarwal, S. (2013). Domestic violence: The dark truth of our society. Journal of Indian Academy of Forensic Medicine, 35(1), 71-75. Web.
DiFalco, L. (2016). The relationship between substance abuse and domestic violence. Academy Alert. Web.
Salkeld, L. (2012). ‘I’ve escaped a dark place’: Mother who had eyes gouged out describes how she has rebuilt her life as ex-lover is jailed indefinitely for monstrous attack. The Daily Mail. Web.