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LESSON 01: COURSE OVERVIEW SLIDE 01-01: COURSE INTRODUCTION Welcome to Dynamics of Domestic Violence. This course is the first in a series of courses designed to help you better understand and respond more effectively to domestic violence. This course will assist you in assessing a scene of domestic violence, help you to increase victim and officer safety, and aid you in holding offenders accountable. SLIDE 01-02: COURSE OBJECTIVES This training should take approximately 40 minutes to complete, including a brief review quiz. You must complete the entire course in order to receive credit. At the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Define domestic violence, • Describe the distinguishing characteristics of domestic violence, and • Identify common tactics used by abusers to control victims.

You will also better understand:

• Domestic violence victims, • Domestic violence perpetrators, and • The behaviors of children in abusive homes.

SLIDE 01-03: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: A COMMON CALL Domestic violence is far too common in our communities, and accounts for a large portion of calls for law enforcement help. Not only numerous, these calls can also be complex, frustrating, time-consuming, and dangerous. Skills and knowledge specific to domestic violence are needed to bring about a safe and effective law enforcement response at the scene, and to provide a prosecutable case to the court system. A basic understanding of the definition and dynamics of domestic violence relationships and the behaviors most often encountered can guide and enhance your response. SLIDE 01-04: A NOTE ABOUT GENDER According to statistical reporting and research, most cases of reported domestic violence involve male perpetrators against female victims. For this reason, the language in this training reflects the majority of cases, referring to victims as female and perpetrators as male. Although it is less common, males may also perpetrate domestic violence against male partners, and females may perpetrate domestic violence against male or female partners.

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LESSON 02: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SLIDE 02-01: DEFINITION Not every relationship involving an incident of violence or abuse fits the definition of a domestic violence relationship. Domestic violence is a pattern of harmful and coercive behaviors that a person uses repeatedly to gain or maintain control over a partner or former partner. Such a relationship is not an equal partnership. It is an imbalance of power. The abuser has more authority because he is able to frighten, manipulate, and intimidate his partner into submission by using abusive tactics. The victim may feel trapped, unable to leave, or unable to live independently. SLIDE 02-02: DESCRIPTION The term “domestic violence” can describe opposite sex relationships or same sex relationships. It may refer to married people, people who are living together, or people who are dating. Domestic violence also includes common tactics that an abuser uses toward a former partner in an effort to punish her for leaving the relationship, or in an effort to force her back into the relationship. In fact, domestic violence, onto former partners, accounts for a large portion of calls for law enforcement help. SLIDE 02-03: CHARACTERISTICS Abusive relationships are not all the same. However, some characteristics are common, if not universal. In most cases, the pattern of abuse escalates over time unless intervention occurs. The abuse by one partner targeting the other eventually becomes more dangerous and harmful, and occurs more frequently. Domestic violence homicides are usually, but not always, the culminating act following an intensification of violent tactics over time. SLIDE 02-04: CHARACTERISTICS Domestic violence occurs without respect to race, ethnicity, income level, or age. However, most calls to law enforcement for help are from victims having the least private resources for help. This fact presents an overall picture of domestic violence as something that happens most frequently in racial minority or low-income homes. It is easy, although inaccurate, to assume that domestic violence does not occur in the homes of famous, wealthy, or high profile people who can often afford private resources for help.

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LESSON 03: THE POWER & CONTROL WHEEL SLIDE 03-01: OVERVIEW The Power and Control Wheel has been widely used to describe and explain the various behaviors that act in conjunction with one another to constitute domestic violence. The wheel was created by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project in Duluth, Minnesota.

The words Power and Control are located at the center of the wheel to indicate the abuser’s objective for using domestic violence tactics to gain and maintain power and control over the victim. The abuser’s use of these tactics in a domestic violence relationship is not an accident. It is intentional and purposeful. Each “spoke” of the wheel illustrates a common type of abusive tactic. Most abusers use many, if not all, of the tactics in one form or another.

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SLIDE 03-02: EMOTIONAL ABUSE Examples of emotional abuse include name-calling, put-downs, humiliation, and other attempts to make the victim feel bad about herself, feel guilty, or feel she is “crazy.” This type of abuse is very common, and generally does not rise to the level of illegal or criminal behavior. However, many victims feel it is the most damaging form of abuse because of its long-lasting emotional and psychological effects. Emotional abuse is effective in making victims feel they caused the violence, they will not be believed, or they are not worthy of better treatment. SLIDE 03-03: ISOLATION Isolation tactics include controlling or limiting whom the victim sees or talks to and where she goes. This tactic may take the form of isolating the victim from relatives and friends, church, social activities, and work-related functions. Restricted contact with others is one of the reasons the victim finds it difficult to get help or to leave. Most often, tactics of isolation do not rise to the level of criminal activity. However, in extreme cases, the victim may be held captive. SLIDE 03-04: MINIMIZING, DENYING, BLAMING Abusers often make light of the harm they cause, deny that it happened, or place the blame on the victim. Abusers are sometimes successful in getting the victim to minimize the incident, blame herself, or deny the abuse occurred in an effort to please the abuser in order to avoid further abuse. In some cases, victims of abuse will also minimize the violence, blame themselves, and even deny that it happened altogether as a means of coping with the abuse. This behavior is very seldom criminal in nature. SLIDE 03-05: USING CHILDREN Abusers may place children in the center of the struggle, knowing that victims are vulnerable in this area. An abuser may threaten to harm the children, to take the children away and never let her see them again, or to call Child Protective Services to report her for bad parenting. A tactic used when couples separate is to seek child visitation in order to use it as an opportunity to stay in touch with and harass the victim, or to use the children to pass messages to the victim. Using children may rise to the level of criminal behavior if the abuser threatens, harms, or kidnaps children. SLIDE 03-06: ECONOMIC ABUSE Limiting or denying the victim’s access to money or resources serves to keep the victim entrapped in the relationship and dependent upon the abuser. An abuser may cause his victim to lose a job or prevent her from seeking a job so that she will not have money or contact with others. An abuser may demand that the victim turn over all her money or income, make her ask for any money that she needs, or make her show receipts for any money that she has spent. Most often, this behavior is not criminal in nature. SLIDE 03-07: USING MALE PRIVILEGE This tactic seeks to limit the victim’s participation as an adult partner in the relationship. The abuser may treat his victim as a servant, making all the rules and major decisions without her input, because he is the “man of the house.” An abuser may attempt to use “male bonding” as a strategy to try to get male law enforcement officers to take his side at the scene. He may convince his female partner that the officers will believe him and not her, because they are men.

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SLIDE 03-08: USING MALE PRIVILEGE The abuser may try to invoke other privileges if he:

• Is an adult and his partner is a minor, • Is a citizen and his partner is undocumented, • Speaks English but his partner does not, or • Does not have a criminal record but his victim does.

In such cases, the abuser may exploit his standing or “privilege” to control his less-privileged partner. These behaviors are seldom viewed as criminal in nature. SLIDE 03-09: COERCION & THREATS Once an abuser has established that he is able and willing to use force and other harmful tactics against his victim, his threat to do so again is very real. Threats to hurt her, her children, her family, her pets, or her friends are thus believable and elicit the same fear and submission as the act itself. Because the victim and abuser know one another well, threats can often be made in the presence of others, including law enforcement officers, without discovery. Gestures or tone of voice may imply a threat to the victim and thus silence her. Threats and coercion can rise to the level of criminal behavior and may lead to assault charges. SLIDE 03-10: INTIMIDATION Abusers use intimidation to “remind” their victims of what may happen. Intimidation tactics include behaviors such as smashing objects near the victim, harming pets, or hitting the wall next to her head. Sometimes a certain look or gesture may be enough to intimidate and frighten the victim based on the abuser’s previous behavior. Overt intimidation may be charged as criminal. However, some intimidation is subtle and officers may not recognize it, even when it occurs in their presence. SLIDE 03-11: THE WHEEL’S OUTSIDE BORDER The words “physical and sexual violence” surround the spokes of the wheel. These behaviors enforce or back up the tactics inside the wheel. Many of the tactics would not be effective if not for the use of reinforcing violence. For example, most people would not limit their contact with others that are dear or important to them unless they were fearful of harm to themselves or their loved ones. Threats and intimidation would not be effective tactics if the victim did not believe that the abuser could and would act upon them. Physical violence is the most apparent form of abuse. It may include punching, kicking, biting, hair pulling, burning, strangulation, stalking, breaking objects, animal abuse, and ultimately, murder. SLIDE 03-12: THE WHEEL’S OUTSIDE BORDER It is important to note that the use of physical force or sexual assault rises to the level of criminal activity warranting intervention by law enforcement. The individual tactics used to control or manipulate usually do not warrant intervention by law enforcement. You must become knowledgeable of tactics of power and control in order to refer the victim to the appropriate resources. Now that you’ve learned how to identify domestic violence, let’s go a step further so that we can better understand the perspectives and behaviors of those involved in domestic violence.

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LESSON 04: UNDERSTANDING VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SLIDE 04-01: UNDERSTANDING VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Domestic violence is a complicated issue. An understanding of the behaviors and motivations of the victim, the abuser, and the children enhance your ability to unravel the circumstances at the scene of a domestic violence incident, and to make an arrest or other resolution decision. SLIDE 04-02: LEAVING, RETURNING, OR STAYING IN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATIONSHIP You may have trouble understanding why a victim might stay with or return to an abusive partner. Love, economic dependence, time invested, lack of resources, religious faith, family pressure, and fear that the danger will be even greater are all viable reasons why a victim may stay or return. Victims often hope that things will change, and abusers often promise they will. However, most victims do eventually try to leave, sometimes repeatedly, only to learn that leaving is difficult and can be dangerous. While frustrating to officers who find themselves called to the same address repeatedly, the problem to focus on is that the perpetrator is abusive, not that the victim is still there. Staying with or returning to an abuser may not seem wise, but it is not a criminal act. SLIDE 04-03: LEAVING, RETURNING, OR STAYING IN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATIONSHIP Leaving is not always the solution to ending abuse. Many calls for law enforcement assistance come from victims who have left abusive partners but the partners continue to harass, threaten, and abuse. Abusers sometimes escalate the level of violence because victims dare to defy their authority by leaving. SLIDE 04-04: LAPSES IN REPORTING TIME Fear or shame may cause some victims not to reach out for help from others until the abuse has become severe, or begins to include others. Even in the wake of a serious incident the victim may delay reporting until she is in a safe place, the abuser has left, or someone else has encouraged her to make a report. Victims who have had previous negative experiences with law enforcement may also be reluctant to ask for help. The abuser may have told the victim that he has an “in” with local law enforcement or others in authority, and that they will not believe her. The decision to provide assistance should not be influenced by a failure to report previous abuse or the amount of time that has lapsed before a call for help was finally made. SLIDE 04-05: LACK OF VICTIM COOPERATION Victims learn to use many means to protect themselves. A victim may appear to resent having law enforcement arrive, or may defend and side with the abuser. She may refuse to offer a statement or answer questions. She may even yell at or try to obstruct you physically. This is most often the case when someone other than the victim placed the call for help. Usually, what appears to be protection of the abuser is actually self-protection for the victim, based on her fear of what will happen once you leave. This is especially true if she has had prior experiences where law enforcement intervened and her abuser later retaliated against her for involving them. She has learned that whenever the abuser gets mad or opposed in any way, she is his “safe target,” the one he can vent his outrage on with the least chance of consequences. Other reasons may include lack of confidence in the criminal justice system.

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SLIDE 04-06: VICTIM INPUT ABOUT THE ARREST DECISION You may think it is helpful and considerate to ask the victim at the scene of a domestic violence incident if she wants her abuser arrested. However, asking the victim, especially in the presence of the abuser, puts her in jeopardy. She risks the abuser’s retaliation if she says “yes” and reinforcement of his control if she says “no.” It is a no-win situation for the victim. You are in a better position to make the appropriate decision based on the facts and circumstances you encounter in your investigation. The decision to go forward with prosecution should be made by prosecutors regardless of victim’s degree of participation in process.

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LESSON 05: UNDERSTANDING PERPETRATORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SLIDE 05-01: DISPELLING MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT ABUSERS There is no specific profile to distinguish perpetrators of domestic violence. Abusers are not necessarily obvious to others and, in fact, may be well off, well known, accomplished, and famous. At the scene, some abusers can seem very cool, calm, collected, and rational compared to the victim, who may appear angry, hysterical, or out of control. These circumstances may make it difficult to believe that the accused abuser actually behaved in ways described by the victim. It is important not to rule out the possibility that the accused did indeed behave abusively, since appearances can be misleading. SLIDE 05-02: INVOLVEMENT OF ALCOHOL & DRUGS It is common for alcohol or drug use by the abuser and/or the victim to be part of a domestic violence incident. Violent behavior is often blamed on the effects of drinking or drug abuse. However, studies confirm that alcohol or drug abuse do not cause domestic violence, although the problems often coexist. Many abusers who are violent when drunk or high also use abuse tactics to attempt to control their partners when they are sober. Some people who use violence in their relationships do not use drugs or alcohol at all. It is important to record, investigate, and respond to substance use or abuse, and domestic violence when both are apparent at the scene. Treating the substance abuse problem alone does not address or end violent behavior. SLIDE 05-03: SELECTIVE TARGET VS. GENERALIZED USE OF VIOLENCE According to research, few domestic violence perpetrators use violence against others besides their intimate partner. These abusers can represent a threat to not only to their victims, but to anyone they find themselves in conflict with, including you. For those abusers who restrict their use of violence to intimate relationships, the abuse is carefully committed in private where there are no witnesses. The abuse is directed at a selective target only, where the abuser may feel there are few consequences for their behavior. Even people who know the abuser well, may believe they are incapable of violence, having never witnessed their private, abusive behavior.

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LESSON 06: UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN IN ABUSIVE HOMES SLIDE 06-01: CHILDREN AS WITNESSES OR TARGETS OF ABUSE Most children growing up in violent homes are aware of the abuse, even if their parents think they are not. Children often overhear, and sometimes witness violent episodes involving parents. Sometimes the children are also the targets of abuse and may be physically hurt on purpose, or accidentally, especially if they attempt to intervene. Do not underestimate children as valuable witnesses when investigating domestic violence allegations. SLIDE 06-02: CHILDREN’S RESPONSES TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE No single profile fits all children in abusive homes. Some children act out, showing fear or anger in response to the upheaval in their lives. Others withdraw into themselves. Officers sometimes remark that children at the scene appeared to be unfazed or disinterested in what was happening, staring at the TV, and not engaging with officers. Some children may appear to be happy and well-adjusted, doing well in school and with friends. These withdrawn or happy children may suffer quietly, experiencing symptoms such as nightmares or bedwetting related to repressing their emotions. SLIDE 06-03: CHILDREN’S RESPONSES TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Some children involve themselves into the abuse to protect one parent or to side with the other, usually for their own protection. Some may believe they are the cause of the violence and work very hard at being “good” in an effort to end the abuse. Responses to domestic violence are very individualized; even children in the same family may react differently. SLIDE 06-04: CHILDREN AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS While some children are relieved and grateful for law enforcement intervention, others may fear, mistrust, or simply not like police officers. Parents may teach or threaten children not to talk to police. If children in abusive homes believe they are the cause of the abuse, they may be afraid that you will arrest or punish them. You may have to work to establish trust and rapport with these children in order to include them in your investigation. SLIDE 06-05: CHILDREN & HIDING It is crucial to ask about the presence of children at the scene of a domestic violence incident, as they may be hiding. Children who are hiding from the abuser may be prepared to protect themselves if found. On more than one occasion, officers have open closed doors to find children pointing weapons at them, afraid that their abusers will find them. Announcing your presence is a good safety precaution when searching for children. SLIDE 06-06: CHILDREN & TRAUMA Sometimes officers are reluctant to make an arrest of an abuser in front of the children, fearing it will traumatize them to see a family member taken into custody. However, law enforcement intervention is not the most traumatizing part of domestic violence for children. Children in violent homes have already experienced trauma by seeing violence inflicted on and by people they love, people who are supposed to take care of them and keep them safe.

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SLIDE 06-07: CHILDREN & TRAUMA Seeing the consequences of violent behavior may be a valuable lesson for children, and may help them feel safer knowing that someone is looking out for them. You can minimize the trauma for children by explaining your actions and assuring them that their safety is your concern.

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LESSON 07: REVIEW & CONCLUSION SLIDE 07-01: COURSE REVIEW We’ve covered a lot of information on domestic violence, including, what it is, who’s involved, and what may be behind their actions and behavior. Now, take a moment to check your understanding of the material presented in this course by answering a few review questions. REVIEW & REINFORCEMENT QUIZ Q1: In which of the following relationships can the term “domestic violence” be used to describe a pattern of abuse? Select all that apply. (Review slide 2-2)

o Married couples o Couples living together but not married o Dating couples o Same-sex couples o Couples no longer together

Q2: Without intervention, ____________. (Review slide 2-3)

o Domestic abuse usually escalates over time o Domestic abuse usually diminishes over time o Domestic abuse stays about the same throughout the relationship

Q3: Which statement about abuse tactics is NOT true? (Review slide 3-9)

o The goal of abusive behavior is power and control over another. o Isolation can sometimes reach the level of criminal behavior. o Abusers will never threaten or intimidate the victim in the presence of officers. o Economic abuse keeps victims entrapped in a violent relationship.

Q4: You should ask the victim if they would like the abuser to be arrested. (Review slide 4-6)

o True o False

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Q5: Which of the following common tactics of abuse usually rise to the level of a crime? (Review slide 3-12)

o Emotional abuse o Using the children o Intimidation o Physical and sexual violence

Q6: Which reasons might prevent a victim of domestic violence from leaving her partner? Select all that apply. (Review slide 4-2)

o Lack of resources o Fear of abuser’s retaliation o Economic dependence on abuser o Still loves abusive partner

Q7: Alcohol or drug abuse is the cause of domestic violence. (Review slide 5-2)

o True o False

Q8: Which of the following statements is true? (Review slide 5-3)

o Domestic abusers are violent to everyone o Domestic abusers are never violent to anyone but their partner o Domestic abusers often present as incapable of committing violence o Domestic abusers present as bullies, thugs and bums

Q9: Arresting an abusive parent in front of his children should be avoided because it traumatizes children. (Review slide 6-6)

o True o False

Q10: Victims may not readily cooperate with law enforcement because of which of the following reasons? Select all that apply. (Review slide 5-3)

o Self-protection o They want the police to leave o Disbelief in the criminal justice system

SLIDE 07-02: COURSE CONCLUSION Congratulations! You have completed Dynamics of Domestic Violence. The information that you have learned in this course will help you to better identify and understand domestic violence, its victims, its perpetrators, and the behaviors of children in abusive homes. You should be able to respond more effectively to domestic violence, with a higher understanding of what constitutes domestic violence.