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Making appropriate parenting arrangements in family violence cases: applying the literature to identify promising practices

Figure 2 - Continuum of Aggression and Abuse (La Violette, 2005)

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Common Couple Aggression	High Conflict	Abuse	Battering	Terrorism / Stalking
Aberrant act Remorse ^[6] Does not cause fear, oppression or control No serious injury Comes from escalating arguments Could happen in any family	Do not solve problems well Anger is an issue in family May have remorse May have sporadic physical aggression and/or destruction of property Not emotionally abusive No fear Comes from escalating arguments	Sporadic physical aggression Name-calling, but not character assassination Verbal abuse, but not psychological Development of apprehension May be remorseful Threats of abandonment Threats of getting custody Aggression takes place without witnesses	Monopolization of perception Generally more regular physical abuse, but may occur without any physical abuse Threats to victim’s support system Isolation Name-calling that attacks character Threats to kill self or others Jealousy Putting down of family and friends Destruction of property Self-absorbed Sexual abuse Change in victim’s personality More generally violent	Monopolization of perception Insidious psychological abuse Well-thought out threats to kill—very specific Torturing pets Extreme isolation of victim by perpetrator Generally more regular physical abuse, but may occur without any physical abuse Sexual humiliation and degradation

Common Couple Aggression

High Conflict

Abuse

Battering

Terrorism / Stalking

Aberrant act
Remorse ^[6]
Does not cause fear, oppression or control
No serious injury
Comes from escalating arguments
Could happen in any family

Do not solve problems well
Anger is an issue in family
May have remorse
May have sporadic physical aggression and/or destruction of property
Not emotionally abusive
No fear
Comes from escalating arguments

Sporadic physical aggression
Name-calling, but not character assassination
Verbal abuse, but not psychological
Development of apprehension
May be remorseful
Threats of abandonment
Threats of getting custody
Aggression takes place without witnesses

Monopolization of perception
Generally more regular physical abuse, but may occur without any physical abuse
Threats to victim’s support system
Isolation
Name-calling that attacks character
Threats to kill self or others
Jealousy
Putting down of family and friends
Destruction of property
Self-absorbed
Sexual abuse
Change in victim’s personality
More generally violent

Monopolization of perception
Insidious psychological abuse
Well-thought out threats to kill—very specific
Torturing pets
Extreme isolation of victim by perpetrator
Generally more regular physical abuse, but may occur without any physical abuse
Sexual humiliation and degradation

<- More likely to see gender equivalence

Male dominant violence ->

[6] It has been noted that the concept of displaying remorse may have cultural connotations. In this area, as with all aspects of assessment, professionals require cultural competence for providing service to a diverse group of clients. In some cultures, expressing remorse may be easily done, but not reflect genuine responsibility taking; in other cultures, there may be genuine remorse, but the socialization of men may preclude an outward expression of this responsibility taking (Zorza, personal communication).

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Making appropriate parenting arrangements in family violence cases: applying the literature to identify promising practices

Figure 2 - Continuum of Aggression and Abuse (La Violette, 2005)