Domestic violence is a tragically common occurrence in our society. Women are more likely to be victims of domestic violence than men, but it is possible for the roles to be reversed and for women to be the perpetrators. There are many different reasons why domestic abuse occurs, including desire for domination, personality or psychological disorders, and a childhood history of abuse.
Desire for domination or control over another human being is a universal underlying cause of domestic abuse. The abuser learns to use violence, fear, and other abusive tactics to control those around him or her, especially close family members. Often, these harmful controlling tactics are learned from parents, family members, or cultural traditions as the abuser grows from childhood to adulthood.
Some abusers have underlying personality or psychological disorders. Some personality disorders are connected to a higher inclination toward violence, including antisocial and borderline personality disorders. The disorders may have been present at birth, or they may have been developed by the abuser in response to growing up in a violent household in which the abuser either witnessed abuse as the norm or was abused.
In many cases, the perpetrator of domestic violence was a victim of violence as a child or witnessed it occurring frequently. Children who become accustomed to watching violence being used as a conflict resolution tool may think it is normal to use it in intimate family relationships. Boys who are taught that women are inferior to men are also more likely to abuse their intimate partners later in life.
While Weatherford family violence lawyers report a lower rate of domestic violence than in other Texas cities, even the occasional case of domestic abuse is too much and should not be tolerated. In order to combat this pervasive problem, it is important for Texas residents to stand united and strong against domestic violence and support the laws that combat it.