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Whether you are a man or a woman, domestic violence can have an effect on your life in some way or another. Even if you are not a victim, domestic violence affects the whole family and even the community. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in three women and one in four men are victims of domestic violence at one time in their lives. No matter who you are and whether you are the abused or the abuser, the abuse has to stop. Sometimes it takes spending some time in jail to stop the cycle. But once the couple is back together, the cycle typically starts all over again.
Different Types of Domestic Abuse
What is domestic abuse? It is not just about physical violence or sexual abuse. There are also different types of domestic abuse that can cause scars and mental health disorders like PTSD.
For example:
- Physical abuse is hitting, kicking, slapping, punching, choking, or any other type of action that would physically hurt someone.
- Sexual abuse is the act of forcing the victim to have sex or perform sexual acts against their will. This can be done with intimidation, violence, or physical force.
- Emotional abuse includes manipulation and using lies and guilt to get the person to do something they do not want to do.
- Verbal abuse means hurting the victim with disrespectful words or calling them names. It also includes humiliating the victim in public.
- Economic abuse is the act of limiting the victim’s access to money such as the bank account or credit cards.
- Psychological abuse is similar to emotional abuse, but it is more about making the victim believe they are crazy.
Domestic Violence Affects Everyone
Because domestic violence touches all of us in some way, classes can be helpful for both the victim and the abuser as well as others in the family. The family of the abused and abuser will suffer from being a witness or worrying about the family member who is being abused. Especially children. In fact, children who grow up in a household with domestic violence including physical or sexual abuse are more likely to become an abuser or a victim of abuse when they grow up. They are also more likely to suffer from a mental health disorder such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, or anxiety.
Domestic Violence Classes
There are different types of domestic violence classes but the most common are those for individuals who have been convicted of domestic battery or abuse. If you have been convicted of any kind of domestic violence, you will most likely be ordered to complete a set of domestic violence classes before you can even consider talking to the victim again, let alone go back home. But you don’t have to think of this as a punishment. This can be very beneficial for you by helping you learn how to be in a healthy relationship. Even if you do not believe that you are violent, your perceptions may be different than others’ and it is helpful to learn how to look at things from other people’s point of view.
You May Even Enjoy the Classes
Not only will you learn how to have a better relationship with your partner, but you can also benefit in your other relationships such as with family, friends, and coworkers. These classes will teach you how to better communicate with others, how to deal with your emotions, and what to do when you cannot control your anger. In fact, you may even learn to like the classes and want to continue even after your time is up. It certainly cannot hurt to continue. Everyone needs help with something because nobody is perfect just like no relationship is perfect. All relationships can benefit from these types of classes.
Talk to a Counselor
You may also be interested in talking to a relationship counselor to help you with other relationships such as with your children or other family members who may have become wary of you after the incident. Family therapy is another way to improve relationships with your family. Regain.us is an online counseling service that offers counseling from licensed therapists and counselors from the comfort of your own home or wherever you happen to be. In fact, you do not even need an appointment. You will be assigned a chat room to share with the counselor where you can communicate whenever you like with your phone, tablet, or any other electronic device with the internet.
Domestic Violence Classes for Victims
Others who take domestic violence classes include victims and members of the victim’s family. It is helpful for those who have been in a domestic violence situation to learn how to deal with it both emotionally and psychologically. If you are a victim of domestic violence, these classes can help you figure out if you are gravitating toward abusive partners because of something that happened to you in the past. In cases such as these, online counseling can help you as well. Talk to an expert about what type of counseling would be best for you.
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