New Alternatives

Assessment and Counseling

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Batterers Intervention Groups (B.I.G.)

TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

According to Batterer's Intervention Standards (BIS) of Michigan
(The following is not exhaustive of all terms associated with Domestic violence. This list may be revised).

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
"Domestic Violence is a pattern of controlling behaviors, some of which are criminal, that include but are not limited to physical assaults, sexual assaults, emotional abuse, isolation, economic coercion, threats, stalking and intimidation. The batterer uses these behaviors in an effort to control the intimate partner. The behavior may be directed at others with the effect of controlling the intimate partner." (BIS for the State of Michigan)

BATTERER
Batterer refers to the individual who uses any of the above behaviors to control the victim.

VICTIM
Victim refers to the individual who is abused and whose behavior the batterer attempts to control. (BIS for the State of Michigan)

CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATIONS
Criminal behavior in domestic violence situations may be directed against the person, property, animals, associates, and family members of the victim. It may include violation of any criminal law and is not limited to physical assaults, sexual assaults, threats or stalking behavior. (BIS for the State of Michigan)

PHYSICAL VIOLENCE
Physical abuse may include any unwanted physical behavior against a partner such as:

• Pushing or shoving
• Throwing objects
• Hitting or beating, choking
• Burning
• Using a weapon
• Restraining the partner from leaving
• Refusing to get help for a partner if he or she is sick or injured

PHYSICAL ABUSE ACTS AS A DETERRENT TO INDEPENDENT ACTION BY THE VICTIM, INCLUDING ATTEMPTS TO END A RELATIONSHIP OR COOPERATE WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

INTIMIDATION
Intimidation includes:

• Looks
• Gestures and actions that remind the victim of the abuser's potential for physical violence
• Smashing things
• Destroying the victims property
• Abusing pets
• Displaying weapons
• Abandoning a partner in a dangerous place

• Hurt the victim, the victim's family, (including children and/or pets)
• Commit suicide
• Cause trouble for the victim with government authorities, employers, family, or friends

WHETHER CREDIBLE OR NOT, THREATS CAN BE AS EFFECTIVE AS TAKING ACTION IN DETERRING THE VICTIM FROM SEEKING HELP.

ISOLATION
Isolation includes:

• Controlling what the victim does or whom s/he sees or contacts
• Hold the victim against his/her will
• Deny access to a car or telephone
• Deter her from working or attending school
• Alienated him/her from family and friends

ISOLATING THE VICTIM DESTROYS THE SUPPORT NETWORKS A VICTIM USUALLY NEEDS TO END AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP AND MAKES HER MORE VULNERABLE TO THE BATTERER'S COERCION.

EMOTIONAL ABUSE
Verbal insults serve to:

• Undermine the victim's self-confidence, thereby discouraging her from ending the relationship
• Strive to convince the victim that s/he is unattractive, a bad parent or wife, stupid, unemployable, crazy, incompetent, promiscuous, and the cause of the batterer's abuse.

SEXUAL ABUSE
Sexual abuse includes:

• Rape
• Unwanted sexual practices
• Sexual mutilation
• Forced or coerced prostitution

OTHER PRACTICES THAT SOME PROGRAMS CONSIDER SEXUAL ABUSE INCLUDES:

• Not disclosing a sexually transmitted disease
• Making degrading sexual statements
• Accusing the woman of having affairs or attempting to attract other men
• Forcing her to imitate pornography or pose for pornographic photographs
• Comparing her body and sexual behavior to that other women

USING CHILDREN
Using children include:

• Controlling the victim by threats or violence against the children
• Criticism of parenting skills
• Threats related to child custody

BY PROVIDING FOR ONGOING CONTACT, JOINT CUSTODY ENABLES THE BATTERER TO CONTINUE TO INTIMIDATE OR ATTACK THE VICTIM, THE CHILDREN OR BOTH. SOME STATUTES NOW PROHIBIT JOINT CUSTODY IN THE EVENT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CONVICTIONS, AND RECENT RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT WITNESSING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAS A SERIOUS LONG-TERM PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT ON CHILDREN.

USING ECONOMIC CONTROL
The batterer might:

• Keep control over all of the family's resources, including the victim's income if she works
• Giving her an allowance or forcing her to ask for money for basic necessities
• He might keep some sources of family income secret

AS A RESULT, MANY VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE HAVE TO LIVE IN A SHELTER OR BECOME HOMELESS IF THEY LEAVE THE RELATIONSHIP.

USING MALE PRIVILEGE
Batterers use "male privilege"

• Acting like the "master of the castle"
• Making all important family decision
• Expecting the partner to perform all the house hold duties and to wait on the batterer-to legitimize control over the victim by placing the batterer's own behavior in the context of common sexist norms