Profile of a Victim

Victims, male or female, may possess some or all of the following characteristics:

1. Feel socially isolated, lonely.
2. Feel guilty. Blame self for beatings. Accept responsibility for the batterer's behavior.
3. Feel s/he has no power or control.
4. Feel ambivalent or confused.
5. Feel embarrassed about admitting s/he is being beaten or that s/he has remained in the violent relationship.
6. Have low self-esteem. Often believe s/he cannot survive independently.
7. Believe the myths about battering.
8. Deny his/her anger over the beatings, but may blow up over minor irritations.
9. Often feel depressed and/or fearful.
10. Believe in traditional, stereotypical sex-roles.
11. Put the needs and feelings of other family members far above own needs.
12. Have a feeling of helplessness and lack of alternatives.
13. Experience stress reactions with psycho-physiological complications that may include: fatigue, backaches, headaches, inability to sleep.

Victims of domestic violence may suffer from a variety of physical as well as psychological injuries. Below are several indicators of domestic violence:

1. Frequent visits to doctor's office
2. Multiple sites of injury
3. Gastrointestinal problems
4. Eating disorders
5. Psychological distress: depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety
6. Evidence of sexual assault
7. Indication of injury to breast or abdominal area of pregnant female