CONTENTS

About This Course

Table of Contents

1. Getting The Basics
2. Substance Abuse
3. Violence Against Women
4. Violent Men
5. Alcohol and Violence
6. Alcohol, Drugs and Sexual Assault (Date Rape)
7. Preventing Sexual Assault
8. After a Rape or Sexual Assault
9. Assistance - Women
10. Assistance - Men
11. Legal Options

Supplements
Resources
Glossary
Fact Sheets

It Won't Happen to Me:
Substance Abuse-Related Violence Against Women for Anyone Concerned About The Issues

Module Content Introduction Risk Factors Characteristics of Batterers -- Do You Have a Problem With Abuse? Role of Substance Abuse Why Women Stay in Abusive Relationships Promoting Healthy Relationships What Men Can Do To End Male Violence Against Women Summary References

Risk Factors

Male violence against a partner has two main purposes:

1. Keeping or making use of power, and
2. Keeping or making use of control.

Many things can increase the chance of violence in a family. A family that has many risk factors has more of a chance of becoming violent than a family with one or two risk factors. Risk factors do not cause violence, and they are not excuses for violence.

Some risk factors are:

• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Stress outside the home (e.g., work, financial)
• Poverty or problems with money
• Loss (e.g., loss of a job, death, relationship)
• Family trouble
• The idea that all men have to act a certain way or believing that all women should stay home and not work
• History of abusive relationships
• Mental or physical problems in the family
• Isolation from others
• Past victim or witness of family abuse^1,2