Within domestic violence, there’s a term known as intergenerational or transgenerational violence. These terms indicate violence involving and affecting several generations within families.Intergenerational violence occurs when abuse passes through the family, starting from the older generation–parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents–to the younger generation–children. Abuse tends to be a learned behavior.(BTSADV Sunny Lim1)One cause of domestic abuse is the perpetuation of intergenerational cycles of violence. In the cycle of intergenerational violence, people who have been abused by their relatives or witnessed domestic violence in their household are more likely to continue the abuse they’ve suffered and observed. Because they might have seen one parent abuse the other parent, it normalizes abusive behavior by showing children this is an acceptable way to act toward your partner in a romantic relationship. Another example of intergenerational violence is when a grandparent physically abused their son, and the son goes on to do the same to his own children. Another consequence of the intergenerational curse is children might enter into relationships with abusive partners because these relationships mimic what these children saw at home.(Sunny Lim1Children who grow up witnessing abuse within their homes are more likely to become either victims or perpetrators themselves.Domestic violence can be varied and individual, and there is no one cause of domestic violence.It’s important to remember that domestic violence is a choice, not an uncontrolled impulse. A survivor’s actions cannot cause abusive behavior.If you are experiencing domestic violence, you are never to blame. You can’t “make” someone abuse you, no matter what an abuser may say.Societal attitudes and perceptions play a crucial role in fostering an environment that either combats or perpetuates domestic abuse. Negative stereotypes and societal acceptance of violence can contribute to the normalization of abusive behavior, obscuring the line between right and wrong. Victim-blaming and minimizing the seriousness of abuse further perpetuate the continuation of violence in homes. Changing societal attitudes, promoting gender equality, and educating communities about the real consequences of domestic abuse are vital steps towards breaking this cycle.(kristi2)
