25th NOVEMBER

 INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

 

MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

MYTH: Domestic Violence Only Occurs Among Lower Class or Minority or Rural Communities.

“What can you expect from immigrant or deprived background people?”

FACT: Domestic violence happens to people of every educational and socioeconomic level.  Domestic violence happens in all races, religions, and age groups.  Domestic violence occurs in both heterosexual and same-sex relationships.

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MYTH: Domestic Violence Is Only Physical.

“There’s no violence if there’s no bruise or wound”

FACT: Family violence can be defined as any controlling or violent behaviour that causes emotional, psychological, sexual, financial or physical damage to a family member, partner or ex-partner, or causes them to feel fear.

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MYTH: Domestic Violence Is Not Common.

“It’s very unusual to know about domestic violence nowadays”

FACT: Family violence has long been a hidden and underreported problem, but it is a very widespread social issue around the world.

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MYTH: Domestic Violence Only Affects Women.

“Men, kids and the elderly can’t be affected by domestic violence”

FACT: Victims are of all ages, from newborn children to the elderly and include both males and females.

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MYTH: Domestic Abuse Is a Private Matter and It’s None of My Business.

“We cannot help an abused or harassed person out of our family”

FACT:Domestic violence is a crime. We all have a role to play in ending it.

MYTH:Battered People Can Just Leave.

“If you’re not happy in your relationship, just go away”

FACT: Fear, lack of safe options, and the inability to survive economically prevent many victims from leaving abusiverelationships.  Threats of harm, including death to the victim and/or children, keep many battered women/men trapped in abusive situations. 

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MYTH:Abuse Takes Place Because of Alcohol or Drugs.

“We must forgive him/her because of his/her addiction”

FACT:Domestic abuse is not caused by alcohol, drugs, unemployment, stress or ill health. These are only excuses or a way to justify an abuser's behaviour.

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MYTH:The Victim Provoked the Violence.

“It’s your fault. You deserve what I’ve done to you”

FACT:There is no justification for abuse. Abusers often try to excuse their behavior, often through blaming the survivor or refusing to take any accountability.

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MYTH: Abusers are always crude, nasty, violent men and easily identified.

“It’s so easy to recognize who is an abuser or a batterer”

FACT:Not all abusers look or act like ‘a monster’. They come from all walks of life and you can’t tell by looking at or meeting someone whether they abuse their partner. Many men (and women) who abuse their partners can also be loving, sensitive and playful.