On May 26, 2004 Joan Shippen along with a group of women came to speak with us about domestic violence. These women have been a victim of abuse in there homes. Joan Became involved with the program five-years ago. She stared out volunteering and then soon began to work full time. Every police station has a paid victim's advocate counselor. Spousal abuse can be mentally, emotionally and physically damaging. The state of Utah 80% of inmates came from an abusive home. More women are injured with domestic violence deaths per year then automobile accidents and caner combined. It is sometimes required when a women is being questioned about the abuse the perpetrator cannot be present. Domestic Violence is about cycles not about incidents or bad behavior. The main cycle of domestic violence is about control and power. In a healthy respected relationship there is equal partnership. In an abusive relationship there is domination or in other words a master servant or a boss. Furthermore that is a term called financial abuse, this occurs when one spouse has control over the money, Sometimes the other spouse may never know where the finances are going as well as titles and loans. There is no common profile for an abuser. The abuser usually a fun outgoing and well liked by others. They are very successful and creative thinkers .
One of these ladies talked about emotional abuse. It is a form of verbal abuse that consists of name calling and making you feel like you"re not good enough for that other person. You always feel like it is your entire fault. They sometimes pick on your kids to make you angry. Many of these women keep quit because of fear or because that have to admit to themselves that there is a problem. The person you married practically becomes a stranger to you and you live your life in fear. There are certain cycles of abuse that often occur it often starts with tension building, battering, apology, gift giving, honeymoon, fault finding, jealousy and before you know it they cycle repeats itself.
