Resisting Abuse
Whenever people are abused, they do many things to oppose the abuse and to keep their dignity and their self-respect. This is called resistance.
The resistance might include not doing what the perpetrator wants them to do, standing up against, and trying to stop or prevent violence, disrespect, or oppression. Imagining a better life may also be a way that victims resist abuse.
Many people believe victims of domestic violence share some common “effects” of abuse by their intimate partners. They make an assumption that victims passively accept violence, and lack self-esteem, assertiveness, or boundaries. Much attention is paid to these “effects” of violence. Unfortunately, this leads people to have a stereotyped, negative view of victims.
Resistance is often not obvious
Abuse can be very dangerous, so usually victims resist it in ways that are not obvious. Others probably will not even notice the resistance so they assume that victims are “passive” and “they do not do enough to stand up for themselves.” In fact, victims actively resist violence, and in real life, the so-called “passive” victim does not exist.
For instance, some women will resist their partner’s abuse by leaving the house. Knowing this, some men will try to stop this resistance by taking shoes, money, bank cards and car keys. Others might pull the phone out of the wall to prevent their partner from calling for help.
