How Today's Society Silences Domestic VIolence Victims

Domestic Violence victims are often filled with shame; shame from their abuse, and shame for staying the abusive relationship. Often victims may deny their abuse, or downplay their abuse, because they are often afraid how they will be treated by others. Being abused, and admitting to yourself the abuse, makes you a victim, being a victim often comes with the idea of being weak. 

Author Wendy Patrick, of Psychology Today (2018) explains other examples of reasons victims are silenced "reporting the perpetrator´s behavior would involve revealing embarrassing and humiliating details they would rather never discuss—especially if they have been enduring this treatment for years.", she also writes "victims with children fear being labeled a “bad parent” for staying with a violent partner.  It is easier for some victims in this situation to rationalize they are living with a bad spouse, but a good parent.". People often blame victims for returning to an abusive relationship. Authors Overstreet and Quinn  (2013) share that often family and friends made victims "feel stupid" for being in, or staying in an abusive relationship, and that victims often feel that the community around them held these same beliefs. Victims often felt looked down upon when discussing with health care providers for abuse and "other stigmatized identities, such as substance use and low socioeconomic status" (Overstreet & Quinn, 2013). Often times society reflects on victims that domestic violence should be held as a secret, hidden from others and dealt with as a personal matter, rather than one that should need community help. Overstreet and Quinn (2013) write " These conceptualizations of abuse as a secret and personal matter intensified women’s feelings that they were responsible for solving their abusive situations, thereby reducing help seeking from other sources.", as well as "perceptions that partner abuse was a normal occurrence in one’s community also contributed to beliefs that violence should be endured or solved in a personal way.". Women often found issues determining to themselves if they were in a domestic violence relationship "because of the perception that abuse involves severe injuries or perceiving that abuse only happens to certain types of women (e.g., low income) (2013).  

Victims are often treated differently, both professionally and in personal life, after details of their victimization are found out (Patrick, 2018). Even though often in good taste, and well meaning support, victims may receive treatment they are not wanting. Such example of this as provided by Patrick (2018) is "After reporting the abuse, a victim may have to take time off of work for doctor´s visits, meetings with law enforcement and prosecutors, and testimony in court.  Employers routinely profess support and understanding of the need to miss work under such circumstances.  In some cases, however, this support can translate into disparate treatment. Some victims of domestic violence return to their job only to find their workload reduced, assignments altered to “light duty,” or face other job modifications as a result of reporting their victimization. Some employers honestly think they are helping victims by reducing their workload or changing their job assignments to give them time “to recover.”". This treatment and compromising of their job may cause a feeling of re-victimization, causing some victims to not report in the first place. These victims may experience discrimination and status loss.   

Such negative reactions can cause victims to stay in abusive relationships and not disclose information to others to seek help. Patrick (2018) writes "Continuing education and community awareness of the dynamics of domestic abuse can reduce the perceptions of the stigma that cause many victims to suffer in silence. Encouraging reporting through support and empowerment, coupled with assurances of job stability, will help victims break the cycle of abuse and embark on the road to recovery.". 

Sources: Overstreet, N. M., & Quinn, D. M. (2013). The Intimate Partner Violence Stigmatization Model and Barriers to Help Seeking. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 35(1), 109–122. doi: 10.1080/01973533.2012.746599

Patrick , W. L. (2018, April 9). How Social Stigma Silences Domestic Violence Victims. Psychology Today . Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/why-bad-looks-good/201804/how-social-stigma-silences-domestic-violence-victims

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