The purpose of this paper is to define domestic violence, discuss the various myths surrounding it, and explain the effects of societal and individual misconceptions on the attribution of blame in abusive relationships. Domestic violence, also commonly known as intimate partner violence, is aggression that may be physical, psychological, and/or sexual in nature. Contrary to popular belief, both men and women are perpetrators of domestic violence, although more studies have been conducted with women as victims than have been done with male victims. Based on a study done in 2011, the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey established that “over 35% of women and more than 28% of men reported they had been raped, physically assaulted, or stalked by an intimate partner during their lifetime,” (Policastro & Payne, 2013). While these figures alone are concerning, it is suspected that these reported cases are only a small fraction of the actual number of victims. The United States Department of Justice has estimated that these numbers may actually be doubled due to underreporting (Halket et al., 2013). Domestic violence also has severe effects on victims’ mental health. According to Humphreys & Thiara, “there is a direct link between women’s experiences of domestic violence and heightened rates of depression, trauma symptoms, and self harm,” (Humphreys & Thiara, 2003). While domestic violence is an extremely severe and dangerous occurrence, society has often undermined its severity by adhering to domestic violence myths that result in victim blaming.
Domestic violence myths are one of the major factors that result in the perception of the blameworthy victim in domestic violence situations. Domestic violence myths are “misconceptions and false beliefs about intimate partner violence, victims, and abusers,” (Policastro & Payne, 2013). The adherence of these beliefs can play a crucial part in society’s response to domestic violence, as well as the victim’s own response to their abuse. Common domestic violence myths include “the ideas that domestic violence only involves physical abuse, battered women could easily leave if they wanted to, and victims are to blame for the violence,” (Policastro & Payne, 2013). Literature on the subject shows that over 1/3 of people believe victims are responsible for their own abuse, and 2/3 believe that female victims are able to leave their abusers if they really wanted to (Policastro & Payne, 2013). Policastro and Payne conducted a study to determine the level of domestic violence myth acceptance, as well as the misunderstanding of domestic violence in general using a sample of 370 students at a large southern university. The results of the study concluded that 51% of the sample believed that “women decide on their own to stay in abusive relationships,” and 51% found it hard to understand why victims remain in these relationships (Policastro & Payne, 2013). These results indicate a moderate support for domestic violence myths.
Society’s adherence to domestic violence myths is a serious problem due to the ultimate outcome of these beliefs. If society shares these misconceptions about domestic violence, this creates a justification of the act, and the perception of the blameworthy victim. As a result of these beliefs, the victim may feel responsible for their own abuse, and may be less likely to report the violence, leave their abuser, or seek help if they feel they are to blame. Another result of the adherence to these myths is that society will be less likely to help victims of domestic violence. In a time when victims are so vulnerable, the focus needs to be on helping these victims, not making their situation even more difficult by supporting these myths.
In the United States, the tendency to blame the victim of domestic violence occurs at both the societal and individual level. At the societal level, this victim blaming is reflected in our judicial system in two ways. First, domestic violence cases are settled in family court, making the victim the complainant. Recently, however, several states have changed, “whereby both the state and the federal government are now taking responsibility for protecting the victim by becoming the complainant,” (Bryant & Spencer, 2003). Second, federal law does not guarantee that domestic violence laws are enforced unilaterally, which may result in misinformed attitudes by judiciary professionals such as judges and police officers (Bryant & Spencer, 2003). At the individual level are essentially individuals’ tendencies to blame the victims of domestic violence. In order to test the attribution of blame in the United States, Bryant & Spencer examined university students using the Domestic Violence Blame Scale (DVBS).
In this study, the DVBS was used to assess “the amount of blame an individual attributes to victims of domestic violence, as well as the amount of blame an individual attributes to situational and societal factors that support domestic violence,” (Bryant & Spencer, 2003). The results of this test concluded that male subjects were more likely to blame victims for aggravating their abuser. It also concluded that students with a history of family violence were significantly more likely to attribute blame to society for promoting views that increased the prevalence of domestic violence. Further, it concluded that juniors and seniors at the university were most likely to assign blame to the media for promoting views that increased the prevalence of domestic violence (Bryant & Spencer, 2003). The results of this study confirmed that there is, in fact, a tendency to assign blame to victims of domestic violence.
The most dangerous outcome of the attribution of blame to victims of domestic violence is that if victims believe that they are to blame for their abuse, they are likely to remain in the abusive relationship. Humphreys and Thiara (2003) interviewed female victims of domestic violence on the reasons why they left the abusive relationship. In response to the question “why did you leave?”, “60 per cent believed that they might be killed; 66 per cent said the violence was becoming worse; 69 per cent feared for their emotional well-being; and 60 per cent feared for their mental health,” (Humphreys & Thiara, 2003). However, leaving an abuser can be the most dangerous time in an abusive relationship. Halket et al. list some of the many barriers that may keep victims in an abusive relationship: “women are 75% more likely to be murdered once they leave the relationship,” (Halket et al., 2014), and many victims are drawn back to their abuser during the “honeymoon phase” when the abuser may apologize, promise to never do it again, buy gifts, etc. Victims are also often economically dependent on their abuser, which could lead to homelessness if they choose to leave. Lastly, many victims with children “believe that it is in the child’s best interest to have both parents in the home,” (Halket et al., 2014). As if these barriers don’t make it difficult enough for victims to leave their abusers, if domestic violence became normative due to the societal perception of a blameworthy victim, victims would be even less likely to leave. Similarly, the adherence to victim blaming may cause victims themselves to feel responsible for their abuse, and will be less likely to seek help. In this way, by potentially keeping victims in their abusive relationships, society’s tendency to blame the victim may have severe and dangerous consequences.
Domestic violence is a far too common occurrence in today’s society, and the tendency of our society to adhere to domestic violence myths minimizes this abuse and attributes blame to the victims in these relationships. The minimization of domestic violence can lead to denial by the abuser, and it has been shown that, “men who engage in significant denial are less compliant with treatment,” (Henning & Holdford, 2006).
These misconceptions ultimately create a dangerous environment where the perceived severity of domestic violence is diminished and victims feel responsible for their own victimization. In order to prevent and reduce the misunderstandings of domestic violence, steps should be taken to educate our society about the reality of this abuse. Professionals that may play a role in reducing domestic violence such as human service workers, police officers, and judges should attend continued training on the issue. Universities should also have mandated programs for all students to educate them on the realities and dangers of domestic violence. Through proper education and understanding of domestic violence, the prevalence of abuse could be drastically reduced, and many victims’ lives could potentially be saved.