What Do You Know About Domestic Violence?

To help patients suffering from domestic violence, you need to know the truth about it. Can you separate fact from fiction? Test yourself and see what you know about this subject. Answers can be found at the end of the quiz.

1. The term "domestic violence" refers to assaultive and coercive behaviors by:
   
   A. Adults or adolescents against their intimate partners
   B. Adults toward children
   C. Children toward elders
   D. All of the above
   
   
2. Domestic violence occurs:
   
   A. Primarily in urban areas
   B. Primarily between people of color
   C. Primarily with low income or unemployed people
   D. In every race, class and population area
   
   
3. Domestic violence is usually caused by:
   
   A. Learned behavior
   B. High stress in the life of the batterer
   C. Provocative words or actions by the victim
   D. Substance abuse
   
   
4. Psychological studies reveal that the one point of common history among men who batter is:
   
   A. They are alcoholics or drug addicts
   B. They have poor communication skills and don't know how to express their feelings
   C. They witnessed the battery of their mothers when they were boys
   D. They have anger management problems
   
   
5. Research shows the difference between women who kill their battering partners and women who don't is:
   
   A. They were intoxicated
   B. They were defending their lives or the lives of their children
   C. They were abused as children
   D. They had a previous history of violent crimes
   
   
6. If a victim stays with a batterer, it is often because:
   
   A. She believes her partner when he promises to change
   B. Her partner has threatened to kill her, her children, or himself if she leaves
   C. She is financially dependent on her partner
   D. She will be ostracized by her community, religious group or ethic group if she leaves
   E. She believes her children "need a father" no matter what
   F. She no longer has enough self-esteem to realize she can make it on her own
   G. She is too paralyzed by depression or trauma to take action
   H. Any or all of the above
   
   
7. The most dangerous time for a woman in a domestic violence relationship is:
   
   A. At the beginning, before they have established roles and rules for the relationship
   B. At the end of the relationship, when she leaves
   C. When her partner is drunk or high
   D. When she is pregnant
   
   
8. If a victim voluntarily returns to a domestic violence relationship, it is often because she:
   
   A. Initially exaggerated about the severity of the abuse
   B. Has a psychological need for abuse
   C. Is unable to be helped
   D. Could not find affordable housing
   
   
9. After leaving a domestic violence relationship, most women tend to:
   
   A. Stay alone and avoid intimate relationships
   B. Repeat the pattern and choose another abusive partner
   C. Rarely have another violent relationship if they have appropriate intervention and counseling
   D. Enter into a lesbian relationship the next time
   
   
10. The best thing a battered woman can do to avoid harm from her partner is:
    
    A. Learn to be a better wife or girlfriend
    B. Learn what sets off their partner's violent behavior and avoid those triggers
    C. Get their partner to attend couple's counseling with them
    D. Break off the relationship
    E. Create a safety plan

Quiz Answers

1. A
2. D
3. A
4. C
5. B
6. H
7. B
8. D
9. C
10. E