Domestic violence also known
as relationship abuse, intimate partner violence, domestic abuse, or battering
is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or
other abusive behaviour as part of a systematic pattern of power and control
perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence,
sexual violence, psychological violence, and emotional abuse. It is often
accompanied by emotionally abusive and controlling behaviour.
Domestic violence can also include
abuse by other members of the household, including parents, siblings,
relatives, or roommates
‘Domestic violence is not simply an
argument. It is a pattern of coercive controls that one person exercises over
another. Abusers use physical and sexual violence, threats, emotional insults
and economic deprivation as a way to dominate their victims and get their way’
(WHO, 2007).
Introduction:
Domestic Violence?
“Violence against women is a manifestation of historically unequal power
relations between men and women, which have led to domination over and discrimination
against women by men and to the prevention of the full advancement of women…”
states the United Nations Declaration on the elimination of Violence against
Women, General Assembly Resolution, December 1993.
Domestic violence is
a family problem affecting individuals in every community, regardless of age,
economic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality. It
can result in physical injury, psychological trauma, and in severe cases, even
death.
Counselling of
Domestic Violence Victims?
Counselling is an important part of
the healing process for people who have been affected by domestic violence.
Counsellors provide support, guidance, and help to clients to develop coping
mechanisms. They help clients to understand the dynamics of domestic violence
and to make decisions about their future.
Counselling for domestic violence
individual is a typical task. It involves lots of patience, understanding,
empathy and the type, intensity and severity of domestic violence. The
counsellor should have sound knowledge of legal issues involved the domestic
violence.
There are many different types of
counselling available for domestic violence survivors. Some counsellors
specialize in working with women, while others work with men. Some counsellors
focus on individual counselling, while others offer group counselling or family
counselling.
Domestic Violence
Counselling Process
1. Assessment - The first step in the counselling process is
to assess the client's needs. This includes gathering information about the
client's history of domestic violence, their current situation, and their goals
for counselling.
2. Safety planning - Once the client's needs have been
assessed, the counsellor will work with the client to develop a safety plan.
This plan will outline steps that the client can take to protect themselves
from their abuser.
3. Emotional support and validation - The counsellor will provide the
client with support and guidance throughout the counselling process. This
support can take many forms, such as providing emotional support, helping the client
to develop coping mechanisms, and helping the client to make decisions about
their future. They help clients process their emotions, such as fear, guilt,
shame, and anger, and work towards rebuilding self-esteem and self-worth.
4. Psycho-education - The counsellor will also provide
the client with education about domestic violence. This education can help the
client to understand the dynamics of domestic violence and to develop a better
understanding of their own situation.
5. Coping strategies and empowerment - Counsellors assist clients in
developing healthy coping strategies to manage the emotional and psychological
impact of the abuse. This may include teaching relaxation techniques, stress
management strategies, assertiveness training, and boundary-setting skills.
Empowerment is emphasized to help clients regain control over their lives and
make informed decisions about their future.
6. Referrals - If the client needs additional services, the
counsellor will refer them to other resources, such as legal aid, housing
assistance, or job training.
7. Follow-up and aftercare - The counselling process typically
involves regular sessions, and counsellors may conduct follow-up assessments to
monitor progress and adjust the treatment plan if needed. Aftercare support is
essential to ensure that clients continue to receive the necessary assistance
and have access to ongoing support even after the counselling process
concludes.
Therapies for
Domestic Violence Counselling
According to Dr.
Sullivan
1. Individual counselling - It addresses a person’s unique
needs and on one to one settings. It recognizes that not everyone experiences
abuse in the same way, that the impact of abuse differs among individuals, and
what individuals need to move forward also varies.
2. Support group Counselling – This therapy focus on the shared
experiences domestic violence victims the knowledge that victim is not alone
provides a cognitive comfort. The shared understanding and sense of
universality among a group of peers can promote well-being.
3. Universal therapies such as yoga, meditation, and
mindfulness.
4. Creative arts therapies that involve artistic modes of
expression such as music, visual art, drama, dance, writing, poetry, or play.
5. Helping to overcome PTSD through empowerment (HOPE), a form
of therapy that aims to empower survivors who have developed PTSD due to
domestic violence.
6. Eye movement desensitisation and
reprocessing (EMDR)
and core motivation.
7. Help the client to learn healthy
communication and conflict resolution strategies (If you can solve a problem,
Why worry? Strategy).
8. Reduction of intensity and frequency of
expectations.
9. Identification of self-worth, focus on
growth, celebrate the success of growth, and move on.
10. Reframing perception (for example, taking
failure as an opportunity) helps in enhanced self-esteem and core motivation.
Probable Outcomes of Domestic Violence Counselling
- 1. Counselling helps in processing the trauma of domestic violence and to begin to heal.
- 2. Counselling helps in understanding the dynamics of domestic violence and to develop coping mechanisms.
- 3. Counselling helps in making decisions about the future, such as whether or not to leave the abuser.
- 4. Counselling helps in connecting with other survivors and to feel less alone.
- 5. Counselling provides a platform to realign the life with mainstream.
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