Impacts of violence
Last updated on March 5, 2021
Some of the health and mental health impacts associated with experiences of violence and abuse include:
- Injury/ disability
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Pregnancy complications
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Drinking/ drug use
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Trauma
Economic impacts can include:
- Inability to work and loss of wages (e.g. health concerns, partner control);
- Lengthy and costly court battles;
- Loss of housing and property;
- Counselling and health care costs.
Some of the social impacts include:
- Lack of participation in regular activities;
- Prevented from learning English;
- Not knowing their rights and the services available;
- Trapped in abusive relationships;
- Isolation or alienation
- family and friends;
- cultural and/or religious
Myth
Reality
Some women like the violence, are attracted to abusive men or are addicted to violence
Abusers usually conceal their abusiveness at first and target vulnerable women
Violence against women is caused by drugs and/or alcohol
Sober and intoxicated people use violence - abusers use substances as an excuse for violence
The abuser cannot control the abuse or has an "anger management" issue
Abusers are in control and make choices to use violence and abusive tactics
VictimLinkBC is a toll-free, confidential, multilingual telephone service available across B.C. and Yukon 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-563-0808.
Even if you’re not sure if you have been a victim of crime, you can call VictimLinkBC for assistance.