Cycles of Domestic Violence
Stage one of the cycle of violence/abuse.
What is tension or the tension building phase
The most common form of abuse.
What is psychological/emotional abuse
When an abuser reduces the amount of social supports, resources, or indivudals their partner comes in contact with
What is isolation?
True or False: Domestic Violence only happens to women.
False: Men and people from all genders, including LGBTQ+ individuals, can be victims of domestic abuse.
Hypoarousal in the parasympathetic nervous system causes this trauma response.
What is the 'freeze' response
Stage two of the cycle of violence/abuse.
What is violence, explosion, abuse, or explosive event?
How many times does it take a survivor to leave an abusive relationship on average?
7 times.
When an abuser uses nonverbal looks, actions, or gestures, to control/manipulate their partner. ie, displaying weapons or punching a wall or table
What is intimidation?
True or False: Alcohol and/or drug use causes abuse.
False: Substance use can exacerbate or escalate abuse but is not the 'cause' of abuse.
Hyperarousal in the sympathetic nervous system results in these two trauma responses.
What are the 'fight' and 'flight' responses
Stage three of the cycle of violence/abuse.
What is the honeymoon stage
List the five types of abuse.
Physical, emotional/psychological, sexual, financial, and stalking
When an abuser uses verbal language to persuade and/or force their partner to do what they want/into submission
What is use of coercion and threats
True or False: Abusers have anger management problems and can't control themselves.
False: Abuse is a deliberate choice for power and control, not a loss of control.
A group of interconnected brain structures that help regulate your emotions and behavior. The structures of this system work together with other brain regions by processing your memory, thoughts, and motivations.
What is the limbic system
True or False: The honeymoon phase is when the abuser apologizes and promises to change, and is the phase that most perpetuates the cycle of violence.
True.
List the three types of relationships covered in the relationship continuum.
Healthy, unhealthy, abusive
When an abuser makes light of or diminishes the impact of abuse by not taking it seriously, saying the abuse did not occur, or shifting responsibility for abusive behavior, i.e., saying it was her fault
What is minimizing, denying, and/or blaming
True or False: 1 in 3 adolescents in the US is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional, or verbal abuse from a dating partner
True: However, these numbers are likely higher in actuality as abuse is severely underreported.
A type of trauma response where the survivor appeases or placates a threat to stay safe, often by people-pleasing, abandoning their own needs, and avoiding conflict, ie. This is especially popular when fight, flight, or freeze responses aren't options
What is the 'fawn' response
When violence is passed down from one individual or generation to the next. ie. The daughter of a domestic violence survivor also becomes a victim of domestic violence.
What is the intergenerational transmission/cycle of abuse
A plan/resource/document that includes safe places to go, things to pack, and community resources to contact when abuse occurs.
What is a safety plan
These two types of abuse are explicitly mentioned in the power and control wheel and are used to manipulate the survivor into doing what the abuser wants.
True or False: Domestic Violene/Intimate Partner Violence is less common among LGBTQIA+ individuals.
False: LGBTQ+ women, trans people and non-binary people are equally as likely, if not more so, than their cisgender and heterosexual peers to have experienced IPV at some point in their lifetimes.
The part of the brain responsible for activating the fight or flight response. This part of the brain is also responsible for processing emotions and is a part of the limbic system.
What is the amygdala?