Article on intimate partner violence (in Dutch)
November 9, 2021
Anne Groenen, Triene-Mie Lecompte and Pascale Franck published an article on intimate partner violence. Intimate terror: when one partner terrorizes the other. The police, the judiciary and assistance are looking for solutions. The three experts share insights to break through this violence and embark on the road to recovery.
Typical behaviors
In intimate terror, the perpetrator deliberately undermines the victim and gradually destroys her identity. Typical behaviors are: threatening, isolating, economically oppressing, humiliating, dominating, compulsively controlling and eventually committing serious physical violence. Children are often witnesses and also victims. The reason for the violence escalation is usually unclear and the violence does not stop when the survivor leaves.
Successful intervention
A successful intervention starts with a clear view of the mechanisms and consequences of intimate terror. This is necessary to be able to reach out in any situation, to lend a helping hand, to lend a listening ear and to provide the link to helplines at the right time. Making time for a good analysis of this problem is therefore a must. Providing long-term safety is a crucial condition for taking the next steps.
Family Justice Centers
Various services are active in this process. Family Justice Centers organizes multidisciplinary collaboration, detailed safety plans and effective intervention plans.
The general guideline is to work empowering in different areas of life after installing sustainable safety. Focusing on personal growth guarantees a positive future.