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Myths Surrounding Violence Against Women


  1. Alcohol Causes Individuals To Become Violent


    2. Although there is evidence that alcohol is involved in a significant number of reported assaults, the relationship between alcohol and violence is not a casual one. One can not deny that there is a significant relationship between alcohol and violence. According to the large scale Statistics Canada, Violence Against Women Survey of 1993, the rate of wife assault for women currently living with men who drank regularly (at least four times per week) was triple the rate of those whose partners were non-drinkers. For women who cohabitated with heavy drinkers (those who frequently consume five or more drinks at one time), the rate was six times as high. It is reported that alcohol may be a factor in 33-50+% of assaults against women. Alcohol is often used as an excuse and has been used as a legal defense for physical and sexual assaults. The common denominator present for sober and drunk abusers is the internal permission that violence can be used against women to maintain power and a sense of control.


  2. Women Are Masochistic, Or Enjoy The Abuse, If They Stay In Abusive Relationships


It is important to realize the complexity of violence against women. External factors which prevent women from leaving abusive relationships must be attended to instead of looking to psychological pathologies of the victim. Some factors perpetuating the cycle of violence are:

  1. Economic dependence upon the abuser


  2. Elements of the judicial system serves to revictimize the victim.


  3. Learned behavior e.g., sex-roles, compatibility of love and violence, assuming blame or responsibility for the violence.


  4. Learned helplessness, low self-esteem, perceived lack of options.


perhaps one of the most influential factors that lock partners into abusive coping mechanisms, is the dynamic or the pattern abusive behavior tends to assume. The Cycle of Violence is one of the destruction of hope through violence followed by the restoration of hope through the honeymoon phase, followed by further destruction of hope.

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