BEHS 453 Discussion 1: Emotional Abuse

Interview #1 49-year-old Female

1. How do you define domestic violence? Is hurting someone to the extent that harm and abuse to control that individual was intended.
2. How do you define emotional abuse? This is abuse that is not seen externally, it is abuse that effects the individual and is controlling and be littering. It controls the persons life in a greater way than physical abuse. It changes how someone lives and thinks.
3. Please give some examples of emotional abuse. It can be from a boss that is controlling or a spouse or partner. The abuser makes the victim feel weak and unable to live freely. Makes them feel that they can’t do anything right. Consistently making that person feel bad about themselves. Constantly telling someone they are no good or can’t wear the correct cloths, Cant cook food correctly and cant clean the house correctly.
4. Do you think emotional abuse is as damaging as physical abuse? Emotional abuse is worse than physical abuse. This is because it is abuse that can not be seen on the outside. The victim most of the time knows their abuser and is close to them. The victim doesn’t want to be alone or feels that they can’t be normal without that person. They would rather live in fear then live alone. A lot of times the issue goes on for years until the victim has had enough of it. Physical abuse is seen from the outside and is harder to cover up. Usually this is helped by a friend or coworker convincing the victim to seek help and get out of the abusive situation.

Interview #2 53-Year-old Female

1. Ask the following questions:

How do you define domestic violence? Physical assault on someone to        whom you are legally and/or emotionally connected

How do you define emotional abuse? A type of control of someone to whom you are emotionally connected.

Please give some examples of emotional abuse. Telling someone if you can’t have them, then no one can. Being overly critical of the other person’s performance, such as, “You could have done better”, and not giving any praise or encouragement. Monitoring who your partner sees, for how long, and insisting on them being home by a particular time. If your partner tries to insist on the same behavior towards you, you become angry and say you don’t deserve that kind of treatment and you will do what you want.

 

Do you think emotional abuse is as damaging as physical abuse?- Why or why not? Just like physical abuse, damage from emotional abuse can certainly depend on the person on the receiving end. Both hurt and are remembered. But it does depend on the resilience of the person being hurt. If they can take what has happened to them and use it in a positive way, they can grow from it, then there is healing to be done. But there are people, many people, that cannot take what has happened to them and grow. Both need to be prosecuted equally.

 

 

Interview #3 31 Year-old male

1. Domestic violence happens at home, it involves physical violence, and verbal violence. Besides, stopping offering food or less food family members need. Domestic violence causes people different harm physically and psychologically.

 

2. Emotional abuse is about abusing people mentally to devalue people. It includes emotional control, emotional neglect, and verbal abuse.

 

 

3. Emotional abuse example

Parents always told their kids they are stupid, and they can’t do things right.

 

 

4. I agree, it is not easy to see Emotional abuse happening. There might be deny and self-doubt. But people experiencing emotional abuse had trauma all life long, suffer from mental health issues, and had a hard time to make a living.

 

Interview# 4 23-Year-old Male

1. Domestic violence is when members of the same household cause physical harm to one another.

 

2. Emotional abuse is when one’s behavior causes emotional and/or psychological harm to another, usually with intent to harm or manipulate, and often as part of a larger pattern in along-term relationship.

 

3. Examples of emotional abuse include yelling at, insulting, manipulating, controlling, neglecting, and gaslighting someone.

 

4. Emotional abuse can absolutely be as damaging as physical abuse, in part because it is more easily hidden and denied, making it harder to address and heal from.

 

 

Analysis-

Doing this interview, I wanted to make sure that I reached out to more than just female participants. Domestic abuse seemed to have a stigma attached to it that it only happens to females and the aggressor is always males. I wanted to gain a perspective from different age groups as well. The one direction I have noticed that everyone has in common, it’s about having control. Ensuring that the victim cannot leave the abuser. There were some different opinions that varied but over all it was the same outcome. I wanted to make sure that my interviews were from upper class, then middle income, and lower income living. No matter the income level you have the realization is domestic abuse is real and effects everyone the same. Your income level or your status in the community doesn’t protect or make you immune to the effects of abuse.