Defining an Abusive Relationship (1)

Domestic violence refers to abuse in an intimate relationship. Defining "abuse" or even "intimate relationship" is not as easy as one might first think.

An intimate relationship is one in which two people, heterosexual or homosexual, are dating, living together, married, or separated. Basically, the two people are well known to each other and have, or have had, emotional ties to each other. In many cases, they will also have economic, family, and other ties.

Abuse is difficult to define because it involves not only the behavior, but also the behavior's meaning to the people involved, as well as the intent behind the behavior and it's effect.

There are some behaviors which everyone in American culture would agree are abusive: physical battering, rape, and threats to kill are the most obvious. Beyond that, however, there is considerable variation among subcultures and individuals about what kinds of behavior are abusive. For instance, would you consider calling someone degrading names abusive? Or forbidding them to leave the house? Is a slap in the face abusive? How about threatening to get rid of the cat?

Think for a minute about your own definition of abuse. When you have given it some thought, make a quick note of it.