POLOKWANE – “Children living with domestic violence usually suffer an emotional and psychological trauma from the impact of living in a household that is dominated by tension and fear. They grow up with fear and not trusting anyone who tries to comfort them at times,” she said.
The following are types of domestic violence abuse that can take place/occur among individuals/families:
• Physical Abuse:
This is a form of abuse that includes any form of physical contact that is intended to cause physical injury. Even if it’s a minor injury. e.g, punching, kicking, slapping, choking, shoving, biting, burning, stabbing, , hair-pulling, hitting, pinching, grabbing, shaking, shooting, forced drug or alcohol consumption, restraining or assault with a weapon.
• Discriminatory abuse:
Normally, this type of abuse involves race, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, financial abuse, neglect, physical abuse, psychological and sexual abuse, emotional abuse and verbal abuse. This kind of abuse can take the form of derogatory comments, harassment, being made to move to a different, resource/service based on age, being denied medical treatment on grounds of age or mental health and/or not providing access.
• Psychological Abuse
This type of abuse consists of any ongoing actions meant to instill fear, control or intimidation. This type of abuse can take the form of controlling when the victim can leave the house and who the victim can see, requiring ‘permission’ to talk to others, blackmail, threatening harm to self or others, destruction of the victim’s property, abuse of the victim’s pets, threatening to harm the children or take them away, ‘mind games,’ stalking, forced accompaniment, frequently checking up on the victim, taking the car keys, taking away access to a phone, and similar actions.
• Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse includes any form of unwanted sexual contact or sexual conduct which can include; sexual assault, fondling, forced prostitution, sexual harassment, physical violence to sexual organs, forced sex with others, forced use or disuse of contraception, forced abortion, sexual humiliation and accusations of infidelity.
• Emotional Abuse
This type of abuse may include constant insults, frequent humiliation, repeated criticism, belittling, name-calling, inducing guilt, silent treatment, making and breaking promises, damaging the victim’s relationship with the children, treating the victim like a servant and mocking. Efforts to destroy a victim’s self-worth. Intimidation and threats of physical violence can leave an emotionally-abused spouse paralysed with fear.
• Financial Abuse/Economic abuse
This kind of abuse deals with abusive handling of money issues such as preventing the victim from getting an education or working outside the home. Forcing the victim to work, controlling the couple’s bank accounts, withholding money and controlling spending. Requiring justification for purchases.
“Remember that with all these types of abuse, you can obtain a restraining order against your partner to protect you from further harm from someone who has hurt you. To keep the abuser away from you or to stop harassing you, or keep the abuser from the scene of the violence. And you can also get mental/psychological help from psychologists near you in order to protect yourself or your children in some cases,” Setwaba concluded.
