Candace Chambers
Staff Writer
When many think of domestic violence, thoughts of punching, hitting, slapping, and the like are images that often appear. Celebrities such as Rhianna, Tina Turner, and the late Whitney Houston have caused public discussions about the forms of physical domestic abuse. However, although violence can occur in physical forms, domestic violence can also be emotional, verbal, sexual, or economic.
Since domestic violence stems from the desire for power and control, perpetrators often use various means of violence to gain authority over their victim. These types of occurrences can occur with spouses, lovers, or friends. The United States Department of Justice’s Office on Violence against Women classifies types of abuse as, “any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone.”
Some forms of emotional abuse include, but are not limited to, social isolation, intimidation, extreme jealousy, and disrespectful behavior. Verbal abuse includes yelling, name calling, or humiliation.
While in college, many students experience dating or seek significant others. Sometimes, forms of abuse may not seem as visible if there is no physical contact, but violence can still be prevalent.
LaQuita Sims, marketing specialist for the Latasha Norman Center for Counseling and Disability Services, explains how perpetrators seek control and will target those who seem less defensive.
“It is a method of control. Most of the time what the perpetrator is trying to do, is develop some type of control simply because they’re dealing with their own personal, unresolved issues such as anger, child abuse and neglect, substance induced emotions, childhood bullying, any type of control that the perpetrator can use to manipulate the victim,” said Sims.
Sims added, “It’s [domestic violence] more of an illness to myself, rather than some type of physical violence or sexual violence, simply because the perpetrator is aware of the behavior, but they are unaware of their reasons.”
To prevent any type of domestic abuse, whether physical, emotional, verbal, sexual, or economic, it is essential to establish healthy relationships and watch for signs of abusive behavior.
Some signs include insults, attacks, threats and cycles of violence, from the tension building phase to the honeymoon phase, then a repeat.
JSU students have the campus resource of the Latasha Norman Center for assistance in coping. with issues they may be facing.
Many JSU students believe that establishing a healthy relationship is important to prevent cases of domestic violence.
Jonathan Brown, a senior political science major from Jackson, Miss. said, “It affects everybody, not just you and your relationship. You have to think about brothers, sisters, kids, and friends. It’s just not worth it, too.”
Ogochukwu Ngwudike, a Graduate student and English major from South Nigeria said, “It’s for there own well-being and health; mental health, psychical health. I think they should establish honest kinds of relationships at least so they also have support systems when it and if it happens. Because sometimes, I assume, they don’t have anyone to go to. So if they establish healthy relationships outside of the abusive relationship, they will have some kind of system to support them when they eventually decide to leave.”
