1.  Domestic violence affects only a small percentage of the population.            

 

    TRUE                        FALSE

2.  Domestic violence occurs mostly in lower socioeconomic groups.  

 

 TRUE                         FALSE

3.  Women are most often the victims rather than the perpetrators of abuse.

 

    TRUE                          FALSE

4.  Children who are abused often become abusers themselves.            

 

   TRUE                          FALSE

5.  Alcohol and other drug abuse cause violent behavior.          

 

    TRUE                          FALSE

6.  When two women in a same-sex relationship fight, it’s usually a “fair fight” .

 

TRUE         FALSE

7.  It’s easy to identify a batterer based on how he behaves in public.        

 

     TRUE                        FALSE

8.  Abuse does not stop and may even intensify when the woman is pregnant.  

 

      TRUE                      FALSE

9.  Children living in homes where domestic violence is present probably aren’t affected emotionally unless the

violence is targeted at them.

      TRUE                       FALSE


Answers
 

1. False.                        Domestic and sexual violence affect a large percentage of the population, cutting across all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic boundaries. According to statistics one in three women is a victim of domestic violence. One in three girls and one in six boys are victims of sexual abuse before they reach the age of 18.

2. False.                          Domestic violence occurs at all socioeconomic levels. Financial pressures may put pressure on families that can exacerbate violence, but it is important to remember that socioeconomic pressures are NOT the cause. Domestic violence is a result of the need for one person to exercise power and control over another. The problem is prevalent in upper, middle and lower class communities alike.

3. True.                          Intimate partner violence a crime that largely affects women. In 1999, women accounted for 85% of the victims of intimate partner violence.

4. False.                         While approximately seventy-three percent of abusers were victims of violence as children, not all victims turn into batterers. Many victims grow up to be loving, healthy parents.

5. False.                         Although alcohol and/or drugs are present in almost 50% of abuse cases, they are never the cause of violence. An insatiable need for power and control is the cause for domestic violence. Alcohol and drugs may loosen inhibitions allowing batterers to unleash violent behaviors.

6. False.                         Statistics show that domestic violence is equally common in same-sex and heterosexual relationships. Stereotypes about men and women may prevent us from acknowledging domestic violence. Beliefs that “boys will be boys” or that “women never fight” are a way of ignoring the power and control issue that is present in all domestic violence situations. Just because the couple may be equal in strength doesn’t mean that one cannot exercise power and control over the other.

7. False.                         It is often very difficult to identify a batterer. Domestic violence is one of the most clandestine problems. Batterers are often skillful manipulators, knowing how to present a good image so that the violence remains a secret. Many people are surprised when they learn that their neighbor, friend or family member is a batterer.

8. True.                          According to statistics, women are at greater risk of being victimized by domestic abuse when they are pregnant. Batterers may feel increasingly threatened and jealous of the victim’s attention towards the unborn baby, and become more violent as a result.

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