Domestic Violence Awareness

Domestic violence, as defined by U.S. law, involves a pattern of behavior used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship. The Action-Means-Purpose (AMP) Model can be applied to understand this issue. According to this model, domestic violence occurs when an abuser takes an Action (such as physical abuse, emotional manipulation, or psychological intimidation) and uses Means (such as threats, coercion, or control) for the Purpose of asserting dominance and maintaining control over the victim. To identify a potential case of domestic violence, at least one element from each of these categories (Action, Means, and Purpose) must be present.