A female who is physically abused by her husband arrives in the emergency room following a serious battering incident. During this phase of the domestic abuse cycle, the nurse expects the client to:

Question

a. Have experienced the battering episode a few days prior to the incident
b. Be very nurturing and compliant and seeking to please her husband
c. Believe in the permanency of their relationship and believe that it will not happen again
d. Ask the emergency room nurse to call the police immediately to arrest her husband

Answer 1

A
This is typical of the second phase of the cycle of domestic violence following a serious battering incident. The client may also lie about the cause of the incident. During this second phase of the cycle the victim usually asks for the police not to be involved for fear of future battering in retaliation. The client is usually nurturing and compliant in the first phase of the cycle when tension is building. During the honeymoon phase (or third phase), the client believes in the permanency of the relationship.