Profile of the gender-based violence abuser, in 12 features

Aggressors who attack victims because of their gender meet several basic characteristics.

Despite the relatively progressive progress in the search for equal rights for all members of society, gender violence is still a frequent problem in our society today.

Psychology has tried to work both on the victim and on the social environment and even on the aggressor. In the latter case, attempts have been made to to establish a typical pattern or profile of the abuser.. Although there are many types of abuse and abuser, it is possible to find some typical characteristics of this type of aggressor.

Gender violence

Gender-based violence is understood to be any conduct, communication or lack thereof carried out by a subject with the purpose of causing physical, psychological or sexual harm to another due to or for reasons derived from their belonging to a specific sex or gender.

The person who performs the harmful act, the abuser, commits such acts voluntarily and intentionally knowing that such acts involve a violation of the rights of the aggrieved party. Violence can be exercised in a direct or indirect waythrough physical aggression, harassment, threats or coercion. Sometimes the violence is not perpetrated against the partner, but against the partner's environment or children in order to cause their suffering.

Statistics show that the vast majority of abuse is perpetrated by men against women.The onset of abusive attitudes and behaviors generally occurs during adolescence or early youth.

There are also cases of late onset, as well as cases in which the abuse is exercised by the woman towards the man (although it is not generally recognized as gender violence).

There are a large number of variables that can end up causing an individual to abuse, so it is not easy to establish a general profile of the abuser in gender-based violence. In spite of this, below we will see a dozen common traits in most cases.

The profile of the abuser

Although there is no single type of abuser and all have characteristics that make them different all of them have characteristics that make them different from each other.There are a series of elements that tend to be common in almost all cases. The following are a series of twelve traits that tend to be shared by most abusers.

1. They usually have a good public image

It is not infrequent that when cases of maltreatment become known, voices of surprise arise among people who know the abuser. This is because outside the home, the abuser tends to act with perfect normality, not having, in general, in his or her home, a good public image.There are generally no visible signs of hostility towards his or her partner in his or her behavior, and he or she treats her and others with cordiality and affection. It is at home, in private life, where the individual in question manifests and discharges his aggressiveness.

2. Feelings of inferiority and low self-esteem

A common denominator in most abusers is the presence of low self-esteem and feelings of inferiority. low self-esteem and feelings of inferiority with respect to their peers. Such feelings of inferiority provoke a deep frustration that can easily turn into violence.

On the other hand, the frustration produced by seeing things from the perspective of someone with low self-esteem, in certain cases, leads to the expression of anger through violence against those who are physically weaker or who are in a vulnerable situation due to context-related causes. In addition, a safe place is sought in which to exercise this violence, and the domestic sphere is usually a safe place for the aggressor, since it offers intimacy, away from the gaze of those who are feared.

Motivation by power

As a general rule, the abuser tends to have a high need for power. These subjects tend to need to impose their own opinions or have things done their way, at least in small social circles, those in which they may try to gain respect through violence (instead of achieving this, they sometimes cause fear, which is quite different from respect).

Largely due to the aforementioned feelings of inferiority or the absence of control in various vital domains important to the aggressor, the individual in question may result in the need to to exert control and dominance over the partner, whom they tend to consider inferior.who they tend to consider inferior.

4. They internalize gender stereotypes

Gender violence is so named because the cause of the exercise of violence is linked to the sex of the person who is the object of aggression. Consequently, the majority of abusers use gender roles as a pretext for the aggression.The woman is to be submissive, affectionate and dependent, while the man is to be strong, dominant and stoic.

Thus, the woman is to be submissive, loving and dependent while the man is to be strong, dominant and stoic. If one of the two does not fulfill these roles frustration and aggressiveness appear.

5. Low level of assertiveness

Another relevant aspect in a large number of abusers is the absence of an ability to respond assertively. lack of an ability to respond assertively to the different problems that may occur on a daily basis. that may occur to them on a daily basis. Thus, problems and changes frustrate them and they tend to react aversively to them. They aggressively defend their rights without taking into account the wishes of others and putting their own needs first.

6. Dependent relationships

Although it is not true in all cases, it is common that in the personality structure of the abuser there tends to be a certain dependence on the environment. This dependence provokes fear and a certain fixation on the idea of being abandoned, which in the case of the abuser translates into increased control over the partner, a high level of jealousy towards other possible "competitors", the attempt to isolate her and to make her dependent on him.The attempt to isolate the partner and make him/her dependent on the aggressor, and even physical aggression.

7. Emotional instability and impulsivity

As a general rule, the abuser tends to have a high level of neuroticism. This means that he/she has a labile emotionality that can quickly go from joy to sadness, or from affection to contempt. This lack of stability facilitates frustration and inner tension, which together with high impulsivity and poor impulse control can trigger aggression.

8. Egocentrism

A relevant aspect shared by most abusers is the tendency to focus on their own needs. tendency to focus on their own needs and concerns.ignoring those of others or the consequences of one's own behavior on others.

9. Jealousy and possessiveness

The individual who mistreats tends to fear that the partner will abandon him/her or put him/her in evidence, so he/she tries to avoid being influenced or attracted by external subjects that can take him/her away from her, reacting in a violent way to supposed interactions with people outside the partner considering that they can take him/her away from him/her.

The abused person is considered an element of their property who must remain faithful and comply with his or her designs. Controlling behaviors are established and the perception is biased in search of the confirmation of their fears.

10. Low levels of empathy

One of the most clearly visible aspects in the abusers is the low level of empathy they show. the low level of empathy that they manifest with their victims.. They usually do not put themselves in the place of the victim or choose to voluntarily ignore his or her point of view, not taking into account the psychological and/or emotional effects that the abuse has on the victim beyond the control of his or her behavior.

11. Minimizing the violence or blaming others.

Another frequent factor, even though it does not occur in all cases, is the fact that the abuser tends to consider the violence as justified, to diminish the importance of its effects or to blame others.The abuser tends to minimize the violence, diminish the importance of its effects or place the blame on the partner's actions or on other factors such as alcohol or drugs.

12. Ability to manipulate

Although not in all cases, in spite of having a very reduced capacity for empathy, many recidivist abusers possess a high capacity for manipulation and suggestion. However, it also depends on the situation and the it also depends on the situation and the personality of the victim.In some cases, they have shown the ability to convince them that the aggressive behaviors have been carried out for their own good, that they are normal or even that the aggression was deserved.

They can also predispose the victim to distrust her environment and distance herself from it, putting her on bad terms with her loved ones, isolating her and making her depend exclusively on the aggressor.