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Effects of Domestic Violence

Health Problems, Eating Disorders, and Malnutrition

Health Problems, Eating Disorders, and Malnutrition

Domestic violence may have extremely detrimental effects on a victim’s physicalvictimanxietydomestic abuse studies have indicated that domestic violence survivors are more likely to suffer from eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, then other individuals are. One study questioned women who were suffering from an eating disorder and found that almost half of the women polled had been subjected to some form on domestic abuse and violence at some time in their lives. 

Criminal domestic violence causes an individual to experience severely low self esteem. They are often told that they are invaluable and worthless, and after repeatedly being the target of negative comments, a victim may begin to believe the accusations of their abuser. Therefore, it is common for domestic violence survivors to think very little of themselves. 

Often, an abuser will make demeaning comments about a victim’s appearance and tell them that they are unattractive or heavy. An individual may begin to believe these statements, and turn to anorexia or bulimia as a method of losing weight. 

In other cases, a victim of abuse may feel that they have done something to deserve the cruelty that they are being subjected to, and they may conclude that their appearance is partially to blame for the brutality. Victims of criminal domestic violence may feel that if they were thinner or more attractive, then their abuse would not be subjecting them to domestic violence. 

These individuals often develop eating disorders as a strategy to please their abuser and prevent the abuse from occurring. An individual who believes that they are to blame for the abuse that they are suffering from may limit their food intake as a method of self punishment. It is very easy for this behavior to result in severe malnourishment. 

In some instances, domestic violence survivors utilize their food intake as a means of establishing control over something. Often, these individuals have had all control taken from them. They are not given any power over their daily lives, and they have been forced to submit to the authority of their abuser. 

Their food intake may be the only thing that victims have the ability to control. Therefore, a victim of abuse may restrict their food intake until they are at risk for extensive malnourishment. Domestic violence survivors may experience a loss of appetite due to the depression that is often associated with abuse and violence. 

In many cases, domestic violence survivors use food as a means of emotional release. These individuals may purge food as a way to release negative emotions and ignore pain. On the other hand, domestic violence survivors may over eat, using food to fill a void or to provide them with comfort. Criminal domestic violence has extremely detrimental consequences for a victim’s physical, psychological, and emotional health.  

Drug and Alcohol Dependence With Domestic Violence

Drug and Alcohol Dependence With Domestic Violence

Research indicates that the use of alcohol and domestic violence often occur simultaneously. Domestic violence treatment programs report that many of the victims who are receiving help overcoming the adverse effects of abuse are also seeking treatment for substance abuse. 

Victims of domestic violence and abuse are much more likely to become dependent on drugs and alcohol then individuals who have not been subjected to abuse. Alcoholics are more likely to have experienced physical or emotional abuse as a child then people who do not have a substance abuse problem. Studies have shown that children who are subjected to abuse are more likely to become reliant on drugs and alcohol, and domestic violence increase the likelihood that an individual who develop a substance abuse problem later in life. It is not difficult to understand why this pattern exists.

All of the various forms of domestic abuse are extremely painful and traumatic for the individual who is being subjected to this detrimental behavior. An individual who is trapped in an abusive environmentphysical abuseStudiesshelters recognize that substance abuse problems must also be addressed for an individual to cope with their traumatic experiences and regain control over their lives. 

While some domestic violence treatment programs focus on altering the behavior of the abuser, other programs devote resources to confronting the negative effects of abuse that a victim may be experiencing. Domestic violence treatment will usually include therapy for the victim, which will help the victim to face the psychological consequences of violence and abuse, and assist them in developing effective methods of combating these effects. It is essential that an individual who has been subjected to abuse receive domestic violence treatment, so that they develop a successful means of coping with the trauma that they have experienced, instead of turning to substance abuse to ease their long term psychological pain.

Watch Out for a Strained Relationships with Others

Watch Out for a Strained Relationships with Others

Domestic violence is more widespread than most realize; millions of individuals are subjected to intimate partner abusebattered persons syndromesigns of domestic violencephysical violence. These injuries will vary a great deal in severity. They may include scrapes, bruises, cuts, burns, and fractured bones. The victim may exhibit frequent and severe wounds that are not congruent with daily activities. In other instances, domestic violence signs will not be visible. They will include emotional and psychological damage that cannot be seen. 

However, just because these injuries cannot be seen on a victim’s body does not mean that this damage is not painful and adverse. These types of signs of domestic violence may include major shifts in personality. An individual who is being subjected to intimate partner abuse may no longer appear to be themselves. They may have once be happy, energetic, and full of life. One of the common domestic violence signs is severe depression. This may cause an individual to experience a loss of interest in the things and the activities that they once enjoyed. They may appear to be extremely lethargic and chronically sad. Another one of the frequently observed signs of domestic violence is a sudden change in behavior. 

An individual who was once strong and independent may appear to be subordinate and submissive, especially around their abuser. A victim of violence and brutality may appear to be anxious, scared, and stressed on most occasions. Domestic violence signs may be displayed by both the victim of intimate partner abuse and the perpetrator. An offender may display specific types behavior that would normally be deemed as negative or adverse. This may include actions that are manipulative and coercive. An individual who is responsible for subjecting their partner to violence and brutality will not usually stop this behavior. In most cases, an abuser will continue to subject their spouse to domestic violence. 

Domestic violence usually increases in severity over time. Being able to recognize the signs of domestic violence, especially early on, is essential if a victim is going to safely escape the Physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse financial abusevictimphysical abuse, may forbid the victim from going out with their friends. An abused individual may be prohibited from working or from going to school to further their education. 

A perpetrator seeks to ensure that their victim has no support system to help them escape the abusive relationship. As long as the abused victim does not maintain contact with former friends and family members, then the perpetrator does not need to fear that someone will notice a change in the victim’s behavior and personality. An individual who is not partaking in outside activities or communicating with other people will not have the ability to disclose information about the psychological, sexual, or physical abuse that they are suffering from. The absence of a support system for the victim assists the abuser in establishing and maintaining power and control. It will help to ensure that the abused individual has no method of escape. An abuser may employ various techniques in order to guarantee that their victim is not communicating with their family or their friends. 

In most cases, an abuser will threaten physical abuse, or inflict physical abuse upon the victim if they are caught speaking with other people. The use of violence and brutality will usually coerce the victim into remaining silent about the behavior that they are being subjected to. The abuser may prevent the abused individual from receiving access to financial funds, therefore, a victim will often not have the ability to visit with friends and family. 

The perpetrator may monitor the victim’s e-mails and phone calls in order to guarantee that they are not speaking with individuals that they used to be close with, or that they are not divulging sensitive information. Domestics violence and abuse does not only have a detrimental effect on a victim’s past and present relationships, but also adversely effects any future relationships that the individual may attempt to establish.

An individual who has been subjected to violence and cruelty may develop various psychological disorders, including depression and post traumatic stress disorder. These negative consequences have a large effect on a victim’s ability to establish and maintain meaningful relationships. An abused individual who is suffering from depression often looses interest in partaking in activities that they used to enjoy, and they may not maintain any desire to socialize. Often, individuals who have been victimized fear getting attached to people. Victims of domestic abuse have been hurt and betrayed by an individual who was supposed to love and care for them. 

As a result of this, people who have been exposed to violence and abuse often suffer from severe trust issues. They may find it difficult to trust anyone with even the smallest tasks or information. They will no trust other people to treat them well, and may expect maltreatment from the people in their lives. Therefore, victims of abuse will often avoid interacting with people, and they will have a great deal of difficulty becoming attached to another individual. In order to overcome these consequences of domestic violence, a victim may need to receive therapy and counseling.