- SUSTAINABILITY AT IEU
Breaking the Silence: Understanding and Addressing Domestic Violence in All Its Forms
Domestic violence is a very complex problem that can be faced by people from different social groups, different income and status. It is important to realize that it is not only about the harm to human body but also about other forms of psychological pressure from others.
All varieties of domestic violence have common characteristics: the desire for power and control over another, lack of respect for the other person and control over another’s decisions and actions.
It’s also important to remember that all varieties have similar backgrounds for this violence: the abuser may have been a victim of another abuser, which in no way excuses him/her but explains his/her choice of such destructive interactions with others.
There are many varieties of violence, but we can distinguish 2 main types:
– Physical violence (harms the body in order to have control over it)
– Psychological violence (harms the psyche without harming the body on the part of the abuser).
Psychological violence is quite frequently ignored by victims because it does not have obvious physical signs. At the same time, the mental harm of physical violence, which is inevitable for the abused person, may not be taken into account.
Domestic violence can be directed either at children, wife or husband or at other loved ones (siblings, grandparents, friends, former family partners, brides, guardians or foster children).
It is important to remember that everyone can find themselves in any of these roles: as a victim or witness, and sometimes even as an abuser.
As a witness, we can provide support to those who have been hurt if we have resources or are looking for them. If we see that our loved ones are abusers, we can also try to encourage them to analyze their behavior or address advisors. If, indeed, such abusers follow your advice (it is extremely rare and should include prioritizing your safety and the safety of the abused). However, this only applies to abusers who offend unconsciously and try to change that. Unfortunately, it may not help and can be dangerous with those who abuse consciously.
If someone draws attention to systematic offense on our part, we should analyze our interactions to make sure we are not being an offender to others.
In the face of war, violence can be displaced or silenced by the contrasting horrific realities of war, but it is important to nurture the courage to confront it. Frequently, it can happen to people who were abused as children and they replay these scenarios with others in the role of victim or abuser, it is often a coincidence of unfortunate circumstances and environment.
To protect ourselves and our loved ones from violence, we should rely on something, and very often, this reliance is on something within: a firm belief that we are worthy of respect and love. We should always believe that we can change difficult circumstances of fate. Even if this path is not fast and especially when it seems that the whole world is against us, especially then, we need to believe that we will find support and do not stop looking for it.
We should remember that light overcomes darkness and take care to have more light people in our lives who will not allow us to be offended, to have more light within us than darkness, to feel the power of goodness from within.
The best way to take care of our safety is to keep in mind that we should worry about all aspects (body, psyche and soul) on a regular basis and seek help if we need it. This is the very act of taking care of ourselves, which can create an unshakable foundation of security.