Affluent Spousal Abuse ~ When the Rich Are Entangled in Abusive Relationships

By Dr. Jeanne King, Ph.D.

Common thinking is that domestic violence is a misfortune that befalls the lower class. We hear about them more, we see more of them, we have public services to care for their needs…but that doesn’t make them in the majority when it comes to domestic abuse.

I would venture to say that we are looking at a relative representation of the population; not a socio-economic indicator of domestic abuse.

Would you know a battered queen if you saw one? Moreover, would you recognize yourself as one if that were indeed the case?

Who Are the Battered Queens?

Battered queens come in all shapes and sizes. They can be doctors, lawyers, movie stars, financial experts…. They may be stay at home moms who drive a Mercedes, manage multiple household employees and spend as much on an outfit as most people spend on a season’s wardrobe.

Spending the family money is often their punishment to their abuser for physical battery, assault and spousal emotional abuse. It’s one of their contributions to the cycle of abuse. They love it and they hate it, at the same time.

They are usually in the largest and most tightly sealed closet, and they represent the biggest…