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woman suffering from domestic violence
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Participants in domestic violence diversion programs are taught to recognize the long-term impact of domestic abuse and understand its causes. In relationships where partner violence occurs, the perpetrator attempts to exert dominance over the victim through abusive tactics, which can include emotional manipulation and other forms of control.
Domestic violence is often erroneously attributed to the perpetrator's loss of emotional control. However, abusers are complicit in consciously using physical violence and intimidation to control their partner. While perpetrators can belong to any socio-economic class, gender, or background, abusers are overwhelmingly male.
This influences how abuse can sometimes manifest as forcing the partner to fulfill extreme gender roles, including restricting access to employment or household finances. Perpetrators also harm their children, either indirectly by creating an unstable and violent home environment, or directly.
Through domestic violence counseling programs, perpetrators are forced to accept responsibility for their actions, acknowledge the damage their decisions have caused, and learn new psychologically healthy ways to communicate with their partner.
