cycle of violence
Harm begets harm
A cycle of violence is a pattern where abuse or harm perpetuates itself across time or generations.
In domestic abuse, tension builds to an explosive incident, followed by reconciliation and calm before the cycle repeats.
The term also describes how children exposed to violence often become perpetrators or victims themselves: Breaking the cycle of violence requires intervention at multiple levels.
- traumaLasting psychological wound
- peace buildingEfforts preventing future conflict
- aggressionHostile or attacking behavior
- victimizationBeing made to suffer
- systemic oppressionInstitutionalized disadvantage of groups
poverty · socialization · intergenerational trauma · generational curse · emotional dysregulation · inequality · historical conflict · healing journey · learned helplessness · marginalization · coping mechanisms · education programs · counseling services · domestic abuse · abuse survivor · policy reform · media influence · retaliation
- cyclescircle of life, period, rhythms, oscillations, full circle
- victim servicesvictim support, victim advocate, victim assistance, crisis intervention, safe house
- domestic abusebattering, batterer, spousal abuse, wife beating, battered spouse
cycle of violencevirtuous cycle
Self-perpetuating beneficial pattern
restorative justice · healing process · trauma recovery · forgiveness · rehabilitation
cycle of violencereconciliation
Restoration of friendly relations
forgiveness · peacemaking · conflict resolution · truth and reconciliation · peace accord
cycle, violence, cycles, cycled, cycling, cyclist, cyclists, cyclical, cyclically