An expert last month advised domestic abuse victims to seek help to avoid any serious damage to their mental and physical health.
There were more than 192,000 domestic violence cases in Taiwan last year, an average of 526 per day, Ministry of Health and Welfare said.
Victims could be men or women, while three main forms of violence they face are physical, psychological and economic, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital doctor Wang Liang-chun (王亮鈞) said.
Photo: Chao Shih-hsun, Taipei Times
ONGOING CYCLE
Females are 2.46 times more likely to be victims of domestic violence than males, the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Department of Protective Services said.
Violence is mostly a cycle in the family, starting with “pressure buildup,” then turning into heated quarrels during the “feuding phase,” which is followed by bodily assault during the “violent abuse phase” and a brief interval known as the “honeymoon phase,” and these phases would happen in cycles, Wang said.
Victims should seek help as soon as possible as they might develop anxiety, which might turn into anger with pressure, he said, adding that these feelings can cause fear, other negative emotions and even depression.
“If a victim has no awareness to seek help, they could then experience a ‘honeymoon phase’ where the abuser promises to make amends,” Wang said. “If the victim is under the pressure of family or environment, they might ignore the physical and mental harm, which results them being trapped in a vicious domestic violence cycle.”
SEEK HELP
When victims feel powerless and cannot endure any longer, they might display signs of anxiety disorders, depression, panic attack and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or become heavy drinkers, he added.
“Victims with PTSD symptoms would not be able to maintain a normal life, as their trauma would affect their social interactions and work,” Wang said. “If those victims cannot deal with the toll on their physical and mental health, it might limit their functioning and prevent them from living a normal life, and they would likely consume alcohol or drugs to cope with the trauma.”
Victims should seek legal help and medical treatment as early as possible, which initially would include prescription medicine, such as serotonin, a chemical that helps stabilize one’s emotional state and improves sleep, he said.
Serotonin, along with other medicine, would help victims overcome their depressed, negative mental state, Wang said.
Victims can report domestic violence and get help at the Center for Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, he said.
People should call the 113 hotline if they see or suspect that children are being subjected to physical, psychological or sexual abuse, the center said, adding that once they receive a report, social workers can rescue children who are victims of domestic violence.
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