POLICE: DOMESTIC ABUSERS DISPLAY COMMON TRAITS

In a frank social media post on domestic violence, the Rifle Police Department says: "There is no one typical, detectable personality of an abuser. However, the do often display common characteristics." These are: • An abuser often denies the existence or minimizes the seriousness of the violence and its effect on the victim and other family members.

•An abuser objectifies the victim and often sees them as their property or sexual objects.

•An abuser has low self-esteem and feels powerless and ineffective in the world. He or she may appear successful, but internally, they feel inadequate.

•An abuser externalizes the causes of their behavior. They blame their violence on circumstances such as stress, their partner's behavior, a "bad day," on alcohol, drugs, or other factors.

•An abuser may be pleasant and charming between periods of violence and is often seen as a "nice person" to others outside the relationship.

For anonymous, confidential help available 24/7, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.