Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse - Definitely Related
According to the National Coalition against Domestic Violence, one in every four women will experience domestic violence at some time in her life.
Domestic violence is an epidemic that occurs in every community in America without regard to race, income, religion or education level. The behaviors that are defined as domestic violence include
- emotional abuse
- enforced isolation from family and friends
- physical violence
- sexual assaults
In addition to targeting a spouse, domestic violence may also be directed towards children and other relatives.
Experts have long known that there is a link between domestic violence and substance abuse. The Department of Justice has found that 61 percent of domestic violence offenders also have substance abuse problems.
Estimates are that 25 to 50 percent of episodes of domestic violence are preceded by alcohol or drug use. Both the victim and the abuser may be drinking or under the influence of drugs when a violent incident occurs. The relationship between domestic violence and drug and alcohol abuse is complex. It is simplistic to say that substance abuse is the cause of domestic violence. The majority of domestic batterers are men who may be suffering from a traumatic event that occurred in their past. Since domestic violence is a generational family problem, a man who subjects his family to domestic violence may have been victimized himself as a child.
These are some of the myths that surround domestic violence:
• Myth: Domestic violence is caused by substance abuse. This is not the case; they are two separate problems and must be treated separately.
• Myth: Substance abusers cannot control their violent behavior. This is also not true. It has been proven that batterers know how to hide the violence they inflict, even when they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Myth: Treating the substance abuse problem will end the domestic violence. There is no guarantee that successful treatment for substance abuse will stop the domestic violence.
In most cases, substance abuse treatment does not address the anger management problems that cause domestic violence. In addition to anger issues, many domestic violence offenders have a need to establish power over their spouse and family. These domestic violence issues need to be treated separately from substance abuse. Effective treatment for domestic violence offenders includes cognitive therapy, which helps the offender develop alternative ways of reacting to anger, and skill development, which helps the offender learn how to establish loving relationships that are free from violence.
Getting help for a substance abuse problem can help cope with emotions that lead to aggresion, and also prevent exacerbating the situation by creating criminal issues. If you know someone who is struggling with chemical dependency or domestic violence (or both), call us or contact a professional today.
