Can Non-Violent Abuse Be Considered Domestic Violence in New York?

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), intimate partner violence (IPV) is “abuse or aggression that occurs in a romantic relationship.” It can refer to abuse suffered by spouses and children, or anyone who lives in the same home or is involved in a romantic relationship with the abuser. It refers to more than just physical abuse. It can also refer to stalking, emotional abuse, and other forms of control that one partner exerts over the other. In addition, IPV can vary based on how often it occurs and how severe it is. IPV can range from one episode of violence to severe episodes carried out over multiple years. In this article, the Rockland County, New York, domestic violence lawyers at the Law Office of Robert S. Sunshine will discuss intimate partner violence and its various forms.

Types of IPV 

• Physical violence – Occurs when one individual attempts to hurt their partner using physical force.

• Sexual violence – Occurs when one partner forces or attempts to force the other partner into engaging in a sexual act, when the partner does not consent or cannot consent.

• Stalking – Occurs when one partner engages in a pattern of repeated, unwanted attention and contact that causes the other party to feel fear or concern over one’s safety or the safety of someone close to them.

• Psychological aggression – Occurs when one partner uses verbal or non-verbal communication with the intent to harm the other partner emotionally or mentally, or exert control over the partner.

Understanding emotional and psychological abuse 

According to Emotional abuse in intimate relationships: The role of gender and age, emotional abuse can include all of the following:

• Verbal assault
• Dominance
• Control
• Isolation
• Ridicule
• The use of intimate knowledge for degradation

Experts believe that emotional violence targets the psychological well-being of the victim and that it often stands as a precursor to physical abuse. A high correlation exists between emotional abuse and physical abuse. However, emotional abuse is distinct and can occur by itself. Verbal abuse early in the relationship is a prime predictor of subsequent physical abuse in the relationship.

Ultimately, the purpose of emotional or verbal abuse is to control, subdue, punish, or isolate a partner or child through the use of humiliation and fear. Behaviors like insults, name-calling, gaslighting, dominance, and manipulation are all tools of the abuser to control and subdue their partner. In addition, any act that contains a threat of physical violence is also a form of emotional abuse.

In addition to ridicule and name-calling, physically threatening behavior such as punching a wall, driving recklessly with your partner in the car, property damage, and more are considered forms of emotional abuse. Such acts are rooted in the desire for one partner to have control over the other partner, limit their autonomy, and cut their ties to the past.

Talk to a Rockland County, NY Domestic Violence Attorney Today 

The Law Office of Robert S. Sunshine, P.C., represents the interests of victims of domestic violence. We can help you get injunctions or file for divorce against an abusive partner. Call our Rockland County family lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing your next steps right away.

Sources:

cdc.gov/intimate-partner-violence/about/index.html

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3876290/