Why Are Men So Abusive to Their Women?
By Serrita Douglas
Howard Area Alternative High School Graduate
I feel like sometimes men just have anger they can’t control. But then women are afraid to leave their husbands or boyfriends because they either love them too much or are scared they’re going to kill them. It’s very scary if a woman has kids, and they have to see their abusive daddy beating on their mother. They’re going to think it’s okay to beat up women in the future. Men just don’t see that you can kill your woman that way, even though women brought you into the world. Women are the ones who go through all the pain and pressure in life, and if men can’t control their anger they should get locked up for doing things like choking women, pushing them down a flight of stairs, forcing them to have sex or beating them. Women need to know they have the strength to leave their men.
I interviewed Karina Simons at the Chicago Abused Women’s Coalition. I asked why women don’t leave abusive men.
“It’s about safety or fear,” she said. “Or she loves her partner and doesn’t want to leave. Or they say they’ll change. Also women don’t want to be alone.”
I asked why men beat women.
“Because they learned to act that way or that’s their way of expressing their feelings,” she said.
I asked how women can leave abusive partners.
“There are women who have gotten out by going to a shelter, or they feel safe leaving when they’re partner’s in jail,” she said. “They leave and don’t look back. Women can do that.”
I asked what abuse means.
“Being controlling or emotionally abusive, or sexually abusive. Some men are abused and many are abusive because they learned to be that way from watching other men.”
I asked where women can go for help “There are different kinds of domestic violence services and shelters, including support groups and legal options. The Coalition’s hotline is 877-863-6338.”