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Savage Cycle

NCJ Number
155177
Author(s)
B Sykes
Date Published
1990
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This video uses actual police interviews, postabuse comments by victims, and statements by abusers, along with comments by professionals who work with spouse abuse victims to portray the cycle of spouse abuse and what must be done to break it.
Abstract
Personal comments by abused and abusing spouses include descriptions of violent incidents as well as verbal and emotional abuse. Professional commentators note that abusers have a strong need to control the behavior and even the personalities of their spouses. Verbal and physical abuse are used as techniques to exert control, and the violence emerges when the spouse does not submit to control. The emotional effects of abuse are also discussed by victims, and abusers profile the dynamics of their violent behavior. Some victims also acknowledge that the abuse provides an excitement and unpredictability in their relationship that can become like an addiction, such that they experience boredom in a nonabusive relationship. Professionals advise that both abusers and victims require counseling and intervention if the cycle of violence is to be broken. A discussion guide accompanies the video.