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©
2003 Jordan Institute
for Families
Vol.
8, No. 3
May 2003
Similarities between Perpetrators of Domestic Violence and Child Abuse
Many of the tactics used by domestic violence perpetrators are similar to those used by child abusers (Leberg, 1997; Groth, 1982; Herman, 1998; Sanford, 1988). Both batterers and child abusers:
- Feel a sense of entitlement,
feel justified
- Are manipulative and often
blame the victim
- “Groom” their
victims
- Maintain a good public
image
- Are selfish and self-centered:
their goal is self-gratification, power, and control
- Use other people for their
own purposes
- Sow divisions within the
family and isolate their victims
- Confuse love with abuse
- Threaten the victim (and
victim’s family, friends, pets, etc.)
- Impose secrecy
- Claim a loss of control
rather than specific exercise of it
- Promise to change and may
even express remorse
- Receive societal/cultural
support or affirmation
Source: NCCWDVC, 2002