Three Longterm Effects of Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is an issue that permeates society as a whole, but individual cases are often very sensitive and even embarrassing. It is difficult to ascertain the long term outcomes that domestic violence cases can impact on any particular person. Issues can divide communities and damage family relations. Communities should not turn a cheek to any case of domestic violence, for that empowers the abusers; all cases should be seen through to the fullest extent of the law.

That said, the long term effects of domestic violence are staggering. Here are just the three most prominent lingering detriments caused by domestic violence.

Separation

The abuser gains a sense of empowerment and control over another human being. For this reason, the abuser will restrict who the victim can and cannot see. That is to say, in many cases the abuser attempts to sever the victim's family ties and ostracize the victim from his or her loved ones. Such separation only heightens the abuser's sense of power. In effect, a victim can be wholly isolated from friends and family. Thus, a victim becomes more dejected, as he or she has no one to turn to.

Self Esteem

The victim must acquire much strength in order to break the cycle that is domestic violence. Not only do they have to face their abuser, but they must also admit what they perceive as embarrassment to authorities and friends. For that reason, oftentimes the victim will hide his or her issues with domestic violence, as the pain of coming to terms with one's situation is also great. Furthermore, a constant barrage of physical and verbal attack severely damages one's self esteem. However, once a victim does break the cycle of domestic violence, he or she now has the task of rebuilding his or her self esteem. This process is unable to be accomplished while the victim is still in an abusive relationship, though.

Family, friends, and witnesses

Not only does an abuser harm an immediate victim, but also does the abuser harm those close to the victim. An obvious example of this is pain suffered by the friends and family of the victim. However, a less obvious, but possibly more detrimental side-effect, is in the case where there are small children in the household as well. Young children cannot comprehend the violent actions and may perceive them as the norm. They will grow up with a misconception that blurs abusive and healthy relationships, and thus perpetuate the cycle of domestic violence.

Sources:
www.domesticviolence.org