Over twenty percent of all battered women kill their partners. Making the decision to leave any abusive relationship is a process where many factors have to be considered. Domestic abuse affects people of all cultures, religions, ages, sexual orientations, educational background, and income levels. Victims are frequently blamed for being victims.

Domestic violence continues because of isolation, silence, and the failure to seek help. In a lot of situations, the victim feels like they are crazy or that they are the only one that this has happened to. Therefore, they except the abuse as a way of life. Some people blame the victim because they don't attempt to try to make changes like leaving or getting help. Seventy three percent of women who are injured by their partner, are injured after separation.

CASA is an organization designed to work with all individuals in need of domestic violence services, regardless of reason. CASA has developed an Internet web page to help people understand more about domestic violence. They have put together thirteen condensed signs of abuse. (1) You live in fear of making your partner mad and change your ways to avoid it. (2) Your intimate par

Physical - abuse that may include pushing, slapping, biting, kicking, hitting with objects, restraining, and use of weapons.

Even after the victim leaves the batterer, their are still long term effects of abuse. Battered women suffer physical and mental problems as a result of domestic violence. Battery is the single major cause of injury to women, more significant that auto accidents, rapes, or muggings. (O'Reilly, 1983) The emotional and psychological abuse may be worse than the physical injury. (Straus, 1987) Physical injuries cause difficulties as women grow older. Arthritis, hypertension, and heart disease in battered women are caused by the abuse in their early adult lives. (Corrao, 1985) One-third of the children who witness the abuse of their mothers grow up with behavioral and/or emotional problems, including, psychosomatic disorders, stuttering, anxiety and fears, sleeping disorders, excessive crying, and school problems. One of the most common mistakes that battered women make is taking the abuser back leaving. This is called the "Sweet Baby Syndrome". The first syndrome is the Honey Moon Syndrome which is also know as "Hearts and Flowers". This is when the batterer bribes the victim to return to him. Next, is the Super Dad Syndrome, when he tells her that he will be a great father if she returns. The Revival Syndrome is when he only went to church a few times, but he tells her that he has been going every Sunday since she left and he has excepted Christ into his life. The Sobriety Syndrome is when he says he has stopped drinking. "If he has stopped drinking, he will stop beating me." Drinking adds to the beating, but it does not cause the beating. The Counseling Syndrome is when he says he has been going to counseling and he won't do it anymore. Long term counseling is needed and less that one percent voluntarily go into counseling. Children are the silent victims of domestic abuse. Their voices may be heard, but their pain often goes unnoticed. Seeing the two most important people in their lives being hurt or hurting damages a child's emotional being forever. The effect of domestic abuse on children has many consequences. - Increases in miscarriages, babies are born with health problems, sleep disturbances, problems with temper as they grow up, lack of confidence, headaches, immaturity, ulcers, severe acne, and joining in the beating of an adult victim - These are all consequences of domestic abuse.

Verbal - abuse that may include name-calling, cut downs in front of family and friends, and making fun of the body and appearance.

Emotional - abuse that may include making fun of appearance and scarring the

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Approximate Word count = 1796
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)