Women abuse because they can, says psychologist

SHAH ALAM - Women who abuse have always been associated with having mental disorder or past experience as a victim of abuse.

But are those the only reasons why women abuse?

Criminologist and Psychologist Dr Geshina Ayu Mat Saat said the answer to why some women abuse, was simply because they can.

She said these women felt that they were able to do so and no one would stop them.

“Normally when people abuse others, it is because they perceive the target as someone weaker, not necessarily physically (weaker) but someone who will not say no and would not put an immediate stop to it.

“In a way, there is also the element of victim facilitation where the target will feel that maybe they deserve it and this somehow enables the abuse to continue,” she said.

Geshina said this in an interview on Sinar Daily’s talkshow Relatable titled ‘Women Who Abuse: Why?’ on Saturday.

She said it was common for people to justify that women abuse others because they have a mental disorder or they used to be a victim of abuse in the past.

It was also possible that women abuse as an act of defence in order to protect someone else, she said.

However, she explained that it was likely for some who accidentally abuse at the beginning to repeat it over and over again.

“For some women, it can be accidental and she will say “I’m sorry I did that” and normally that is a cycle that could be repeated again and again.

“That is why it is not right to say that a woman who easily gets angry has a mental disorder.

“Sometimes they learn that they get what they want through aggression and that is why they abuse others,” she said.

Also present as guests at the talkshow were lawyer and #JusticeForBella movement advocate Fatihah Jamhari and Hishamuddin Naeem Badrulhisham, a survivor of abuse.