Blog

Stopping the Cycle of Domestic Abuse

Posted by Joseph D. Lento | Oct 28, 2024 | 0 Comments

Domestic abuse is a pervasive problem in American society and can affect one in three women. It is regarded by mental health advocates as a systemic pattern involving a willful desire by the abuser to control a household member, usually an intimate partner, by a pattern of abusive actions. It can be very difficult for a victim of intimate or household abuse to clearly recognize the phases and patterns of domestic abuse. Once you understand these phases of domestic abuse, it will become increasingly clear that domestic violence is cyclic in nature, and it is imperative to stop the pattern completely and get help.

If you or a loved one are caught in the vicious cycle of domestic abuse in New Jersey, then you must obtain help in your crisis. You can get the legal help you need with a restraining order from the experienced legal professionals at Lento Law Firm Family Law Team at 888.535.3686 or contact the offices online.

The Phases of the Domestic Abuse Cycle

Phase One: The Honeymoon Period

This is generally a short-lived phase of compatibility. The intimate relationship is passionate and romantic, and the couple experiences a strong chemistry in their relationship.

Phase Two: Tension-Building

Instead of the intimate relationship gradually developing into a long-term partnership of respect and mutual support, the relationship begins to deviate from a healthy relationship. In the tension-building phase of the cycle, the victim may feel as if they are walking on eggshells. Although there may not be any physical aggression towards the victim in this phase, the abuser may start acting out by using drugs, drinking excessively, becoming more controlling or nit-picking, or even becoming increasingly sarcastic or angry towards their partner. At this stage, the victim is doing everything possible to keep the relationship together and have an appearance of normal functioning.

Phase Three: Explosion Phase

In this phase, it becomes obvious to the victim that there is serious trouble and even danger in the relationship. The explosion phase can involve battering, rape, destroying household property or the victim's personal property, or intense verbal abuse. At this point, the victim wants to leave, and the problem in this phase is that the abuser wants to keep controlling the victim and does what the victim wants in order to reconcile. This is sometimes considered a fourth phase called reconciliation/peacemaking. It can include giving gifts, having make-up sex, apologizing, promising to change, and promising to get professional help. The victim may believe that calm has now been restored in the relationship. However, the victim fails to realize that they are simply back in phase one, the honeymoon period, and the next phase of the abuse cycle will also repeat since it is a cyclic pattern of abuse. No real change towards a healthy relationship has happened.

Get Professional Help To Stop the Domestic Abuse Cycle

It is vital for the victim to realize that domestic abuse is a cyclic pattern, and the victim must reach out to professionals to help them deal with this cycle. State Hotlines and mental health advocates are often a first step. To ensure that this pattern of abuse really can stop, it is also essential to obtain a legal restraining order against the abuser. Spousal abuse is one of the most common forms of domestic abuse, and you will need strong legal support to get out of the cycle of spousal or domestic abuse. If you are a domestic abuse victim, contact the experienced professionals at the Lento Law Firm Family Law Team at 888.535.3686.

About the Author

Joseph D. Lento

"I pride myself on having heart and driving hard to get results!" Attorney Joseph D. Lento is a veteran of one of the nation's busiest family courts with nearly 20 years' experience passionately helping families. By day, he worked in the trenches of family court, and at night, he studied the law. He helped countless families while working at family court, and he went on to become an attorney, dedicating his law practice to continuing the work he started years earlier. Mr. Lento's experience both behind the scenes and on the front lines allows him to understand a client's family law matter from all angles, and allows him to find and employ the most effective strategies to get favorable outcomes for any client. Joseph D. Lento is licensed in New Jersey and New York, and is admitted pro hac vice as needed nationwide. In the courtroom and in life, attorney Joseph D. Lento stands up when the bell rings! He does not settle for the easiest outcome, and instead prioritizes his clients' needs and protects their interests.

Comments

There are no comments for this post. Be the first and Add your Comment below.

Leave a Comment

Comments have been disabled.

Contact a Family Law Attorney Today!

Attorney Joseph D. Lento has more than a decade of experience practicing Family Law in New Jersey. If you are having any uncertainties about what the future may hold for you and your family, contact our offices today. Family Law Attorney Joseph Lento will go above and beyond the needs for any client and fight for what is fair.

This website was created only for general information purposes. It is not intended to be construed as legal advice for any situation. Only a direct consultation with a licensed Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York attorney can provide you with formal legal counsel based on the unique details surrounding your situation. The pages on this website may contain links and contact information for third party organizations - the Lento Law Firm does not necessarily endorse these organizations nor the materials contained on their website. In Pennsylvania, Attorney Joseph D. Lento represents clients throughout Pennsylvania's 67 counties, including, but not limited to Philadelphia, Allegheny, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Schuylkill, and York County. In New Jersey, attorney Joseph D. Lento represents clients throughout New Jersey's 21 counties: Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren County, In New York, Attorney Joseph D. Lento represents clients throughout New York's 62 counties. Outside of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, unless attorney Joseph D. Lento is admitted pro hac vice if needed, his assistance may not constitute legal advice or the practice of law. The decision to hire an attorney in Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania counties, New Jersey, New York, or nationwide should not be made solely on the strength of an advertisement. We invite you to contact the Lento Law Firm directly to inquire about our specific qualifications and experience. Communicating with the Lento Law Firm by email, phone, or fax does not create an attorney-client relationship. The Lento Law Firm will serve as your official legal counsel upon a formal agreement from both parties. Any information sent to the Lento Law Firm before an attorney-client relationship is made is done on a non-confidential basis.

Menu