When an abuser is subjecting others to domestic violence, it has an impact on everybody in the California household. These impacts may present themselves in different ways depending on who you are and what your relationship with the abuser is. No one comes out unscathed.
Why does domestic violence happen?
People who become violent with their partner or others in their household often do so because they’re trying to control those around them. They might attempt to do this through intimidation in order to make them afraid enough to just give in and meet their demands. This can range from verbal abuse to threatening violence upon them.
The victims of this kind of violence experience a broad range of consequences. These effects may be social, psychological and physical. They may be feeling socially isolated because they are cut off or distant from their friends and relatives. Victims frequently don’t feel like they can’t talk to their neighbors and others in the community – people who would in all likelihood be more than willing to provide a support system if they were to reach out.
It doesn’t get easier until you leave
Most forms of domestic violence tend to only worsen over time as the abuser feels the need to exert more force to keep control over the household. When it gets to that point, domestic violence victims often experience or are at risk of injury. These may be mild or require hospitalization, but the psychological effects that come with them are rarely light.
It’s every person’s fundamental right to have agency in their life. But when you’re suffering domestic abuse, that control is taken away from you and reclaiming it can feel impossible.
When the one place you should feel safe has become a place of fear and isolation, it can seem more like a trap. The impacts of domestic violence are insidious and a major challenge to overcome. But numerous people have done it, and this can hopefully serve as an inspiration to those who are summoning up the courage and strength to break out of a toxic situation themselves.
