Family violence, violent relationship Abuser, violent person She is a battered women. He is an abuser. Language, or word choice, has a tremendous impact on what we think of ourselves and each other. Think back to a time in your childhood when someone called you a name, or said something derogatory about you. You can probably remember the exact words they used to humiliate or degrade you.
Words are powerful.
Victims of domestic and sexual violence experience the impact of negative words every time someone questions their actions or doubts their experiences. People often underestimate the importance of choosing appropriate language to discuss the issues of domestic violence. To read the printed words, one might assume that the woman made a decision to abandon her children. In reality, this woman was a victim of domestic violence who was murdered by her husband. It's not uncommon to read an entire article about domestic violence without encountering any gender- specific terms.