For centuries, women have experienced various types of violence because they are women. Violence against women is not a new reality, despite its current media coverage. What is new are the new perspectives, the new meaning and the delegitimization.
Gender-based violence in the couple is not a problem that exclusively affects the private sphere. On the contrary, it manifests itself as the most brutal symbol of the inequality existing in our society.
We cannot ignore that it is the tip of the iceberg, it is visible violence. However, there are other less visible types of violence that contribute to reinforcing visible and direct violence.
Violence is an inherent problem in every society, with multiple manifestations and forms.
Considering the psychological implications we can speak of two types of violence:
Its objective is the expression of emotions such as rage, anger, fear, etc; that are not expressed in a functional way due to the existence of deficits of various kinds. These deficits can be the lack of communicational and assertive skills, poor impulse control, etc..
The main characteristic of this violence is its symmetrical character, from peer to peer. Both members have received the same type of socialization, which will allow them to cope in the same conditions. Therefore, their behavior will be socially valued in the same way. For example, two friends who physically attack each other.
Its purpose is to maintain control and dominance through the use of force.
The goal is not the damage itself but the subduing effect it produces. It is characterized by its asymmetric character. Both members have received different types of socialization, unequal conditions and the social valuation of this behavior will be unequal. An example of this is gender violence.
The purpose in gender violence is maintain control and / or dominance in an unequal relationship, in which both members have received different socialization.
The concept of gender violence comes from the translation of the English term “gender violence”. This term was used in a generalized way from the 90s and has been defined by various authors.
Enrique Echeburúa indicates that gender violence groups together all the forms of violence that men exert on women due to their gender role.
Violences such as sexual violence, trafficking in women, sexual exploitation, genital mutilation, workplace harassment, etc., regardless of the type of interpersonal relationships that the aggressor and victim maintain.
Authors such as Esperanza Bosch, Victoria Ferrer and Aina Alzamora define gender violence as the violence exerted by men against women for the fact that they are and because of the social position they occupy based on their status as women in patriarchal society. It is about that violence due to the conditions introduced by gender.
The common element in all definitions is that gender-based violence is the violence against women for the sole reason of being women. In addition, it seeks through its instrumental nature, the reproduction of unequal relationships that situate and perpetuate the position of women in inferiority.
Gender violence in the couple implies any hostile, conscious and intentional behavior (not accidental) that, both by action and by inhibition, produces harm in the abused person.
In general terms, three types of violence in the couple are observed:
Those acts and / or behaviors that produce feeling or devaluation in women. Behaviors such as: humiliation, ridicule, verbal threats, insults, possessiveness, jealousy, isolation at an economic and / or social level, destruction or damage of personal property to which they are affected, etc..
Any non-accidental act that causes or may cause Physical damages. Behaviors such as slapping, pushing, hitting with fists or objects, kicking, biting, throwing objects, using a weapon, etc..
Those acts that imply an imposition of sexual contact against the will of the woman through intimidation or coercion. Behaviors such as abuse, harassment, humiliating sexual acts, violence in the sexual act, etc..
The various types of violence can occur separately or simultaneously combined with each other. It is also important to consider violence in your passive mode. This type of violence is characterized by behaviors that take the form of abandonment. Understood as negligent treatment that results in neglect of the physical, mental or social needs of the victim.
In 1979 Lenore E. Walker, through various investigations carried out with battered women who came to his office and related what their relationship was like with their partners, discovered a common pattern, the cycle of gender violence.
The theory of the cycle of gender violence comes from the construction of tension in these relationships and comprises three phases:
There is an increase in tension in the relationship. Minor episodes of aggression such as slapping, pinching, verbal aggression and / or psychological abuse.
In this phase, the woman's response will focus on trying to calm the abuser, allowing the abuse in a way that involves comparatively least harm..
Attempts to calm the aggressor are a double-edged sword. Through appeasing behaviors the belief in man that he has the right to mistreat her can be legitimized.
The woman will try to control as many factors as possible in her environment, even isolating herself from those people who could help her and even excuse the behavior of the couple.
Throughout the progression of the cycle, these soothing techniques employed by the woman will begin to be ineffective. This will lead to an increase and / or worsening of verbal abuse and violence. The impending loss of control and despair in both that will increase the tension.
The end of this phase will be characterized by a sudden escalation of tension produced by any circumstance that arises, producing the explosion of violence.
This violence is characterized by being out of control in the form of an episode of acute aggression, which will mark the beginning of the next phase.
It is characterized by being the maximum point of tension that leads to an explosion of violence.
In this phase, the level of violence has increased differing from the episodes of minor aggressions by the lack of control, damage and brutality of the aggression.
This episode is experienced by the woman as inevitable, as a loss of control, she knows that she cannot reason with it, and they often experience the sensation of being absent from the attack and pain. They feel psychologically trapped and they do not resist violence out of fear and paralysis.
When the episode of aggression ends, the third phase begins. However, throughout the relationship and the successive repetitions of the cycle of violence, this phase of explosion will increase in intensity..
It has also been referred to as phase of calm and affection. It is determined by the disappearance of tension and violence, perceived by both members of the couple as a relief.
In this phase there is a change of attitude and behavior in the aggressor. This one is affectionate, affectionate and repentant with the woman. Your goal is to repair violent behavior.
He is complacent and helpless in order to gain her approval and support. He even usually promises that he will change, that with her help he will be able to heal and that without her he is nothing.
The abused woman will try to maintain the illusion of happiness. She will convince herself that the episode of violence will not be repeated, forgiving the abuser.
It is in this phase formed by love repentance, when the woman is psychologically victimized the most, since an illusion of interdependence is generated. I knowproduces a mutual dependence: in the woman for his affectionate behaviors and in the man for the search for her forgiveness.
At the end of this phase, the cycle restarts, repeating the pattern but varying the duration of each of the phases.
Here, the phases of accumulation of tension and of regret will progressively appear with a shorter duration.. To the point where the regret phase disappears, turning the toxic relationship into a continuous explosion phase.
Therefore if we intend to combat, eliminate and delegitimize gender violence, It is essential to become aware of and analyze the meaning of this type of violence, the characteristics that define each violent act, and the phases in which it manifests.
These aspects will allow progress towards a greater awareness that it is not an isolated problem. It will allow you to identify if you are being a victim of abuse and prevent possible situations of violence in future relationships.
Women actively try to get over the situation and leave the relationship. However, a large number of women continue in the relationship to occur over time various consequences and emotional responses that can evolve in different ways.
At the beginning of the relationship, abuse arises in a subtle and even imperceptible way (frequent devaluations, controlling behaviors, etc.). This will produce a progressive accustoming to violence, considering it as something intrinsic to the life of a couple.
This effect has been termed as the syndrome of accommodation to abuse.
From a cognitive point of view, women tend to minimize and / or deny both the abuse they suffer and their victimization and for example, you may think that in all couples there are frictions.
One of the factors that contributes to the woman continuing in the relationship is that she considers that her partner can change. This effort on the part of the victim can make them endure living together for years..
When violence is chronically established, it is mixed with periods of regret and tenderness. These periods can produce emotional dependence, also called paradoxical attachment.
In this second phase, women often consider that they must continue fighting to get their partner to change. In this way, the real possibilities of change are overvalued..
In the third phase of the cycle, women begin to perceive violence as something uncontrollable. Lose hope in the change. Begins to distrust your ability to leave the relationship.
The factors mentioned in each of the phases of the cycle of violence the chances of the woman being able to leave the relationship decrease.
Chronic exposure to violence will produce multiple consequences on a physical, psychological and social level. Both pose a high risk factor for health.
The physical consequences of violence involve both those injuries and injuries suffered that require medical assistance and those physical responses produced by the stress caused by exposure to violence in the relationship..
Among the physical consequences in women who are victims of physical and / or sexual violence, it is worth highlighting:
On a psychological level, the consequences of continuous exposure to abuse can be devastating for the emotional stability of the victim.
A high prevalence of post traumatic stress disorder and other alterations such as depression, anxiety, etc., which are produced as a psychological reaction to chronic violence and are not about limitations that are determined by the personality of the victim. These psychological alterations produce maladjustment to daily life and interfere with daily functioning.
The psychological consequences can be classified as cognitive, affective and behavioral or social.
These consequences cause health problems both physically and psychologically. These are consequences that can last for years even after you have managed to leave the relationship
All of these factors, taken together, make it difficult to seek outside help. Many women who experience this violence do not request health care, neither to the competent authorities nor to report what happened.
It is important to consider the consequences of gender-based violence. One of the differentiating elements of this violence from other types of violence lies in the consequences.
Understanding the effects will allow professionals in the different fields of action to carry out a more accurate intervention. In this way, myths about gender violence that still persist in our society are avoided. They are false beliefs that hinder intervention. They also induce the justification of violence, producing the victimization of the victims. This is also called secondary victimization.
Bibliography:
Amor, P., Bohórquez, I., Echeburúa, E. (2006). Why and at what physical and psychological cost does the woman remain with her abusive partner? Psychological Action, 4 (2), 129-154.
Castro, A., Gil, J., Paz, J., Peralta, E., Alonso, C., Ordóñez, P. (2009). Professional intervention in women victims of gender violence in the field of education. Andalusia: General Directorate of Gender Violence. Council for Equality and Social Welfare. Junta de Andalucía.
Andrés-Pueyo, A. (2009). The prediction of violence against the partner. In E. Echeburúa, J. Fernández-Montalvo and P. Corral (Eds.): Prediction of the risk of homicide and serious violence in the relationship. Instruments for risk assessment and adoption of protection measures (pp. 21-53). Valencia: Reina Sofía Center.
Bosch, E., Ferrer, V., & Alzamora, A. (2006). The Patriarchal Labyrinth: Theoretical-Practical Reflections on Violence Against Women ... Barcelona: Anthropos, Editorial del Hombre.
Delgado, C. (2008). 70 Answers from psychology. In Caja Duero (Eds.). 161 responses on gender violence. (pp.31-64). Salamanca: Globalia Graphic Arts.
Walker, L.E. (1979). The battered woman. New York: Harper & Row
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