North Carolina Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) State Practice Exam

Domestic violence typically shows a pattern of increasing what?

1. Power and negotiation

2. Power and coercive control

3. Love and affection

4. Trust and communication

The correct answer is: Power and coercive control

Domestic violence often reflects a troubling pattern characterized by escalating power and coercive control. This phenomenon occurs as the abuser seeks to establish dominance over the victim, often utilizing intimidation, manipulation, and emotional abuse. Over time, the tactics employed can become increasingly aggressive, leading to a cycle where the victim’s autonomy is systematically undermined. Understanding this pattern is crucial for effectively addressing and intervening in cases of domestic violence. It highlights the importance of recognizing the signs of coercive control, such as isolation from friends and family, financial manipulation, and threats. These tactics serve to reinforce the perpetrator's power and ensure that the victim feels trapped within the relationship, making it significantly harder for them to seek help or escape. The other options do not accurately reflect the dynamics of domestic violence. While power and negotiation might occur in healthy relationships, they do not apply in contexts where abuse is present. Love and affection, as well as trust and communication, are fundamental aspects of a healthy relationship, but they are often absent in situations of domestic violence, which are marked instead by fear, control, and manipulation.