The publication of photographs of Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kao Chia-yu’s (高嘉瑜) badly bruised face after she was allegedly abused by her then-boyfriend Raphael Lin (林秉樞) has caused an uproar in Taiwan, making the subject of abusive partners once again a hot topic.
How can people avoid domestic violence? How can they protect themselves from getting trapped in such a predicament?
Abusive partners might be recognized by their behavior:
First, passive-aggressive traits. On the surface, such people are cooperative and attentive, but inside, they are aggressive. When things do not go as expected, they start behaving aggressively.
Second, antisocial traits. Such people can appear to be calm and courteous, but they act impulsively, do not care about other people’s feelings, and have no sense of morality or guilt, as well as no respect for the law.
Third, histrionic or narcissistic traits. Such people seem to be emotional, but in fact want to be the center of attention.
When people with these characteristics — especially those with antisocial personality traits and poor impulse control — are “triggered,” they might be unable to control their emotions and behavior. They might suddenly fly into a rage and attack their cohabitant or spouse.
The most serious situation is when they also have low frustration tolerance. Once people marry such a person or start living with them, they might be repeatedly and severely attacked and abused. The closer the relationship, the more likely they are to become a target of attack.
It makes it hard for a victim to escape from the clutches of an abusive relationship when their partner first attacks, abuses and threatens, but later apologizes with sweet words and begs that the victim stay.
If people discover that the person they are dating is not good at controlling their emotions, acts impulsively, has low frustration tolerance, and acts angrily and aggressively, they should quickly and quietly cut off the relationship.
There is no room for compromise, and people should never be softhearted and give their abusive partner a chance to turn over a new leaf. If need be, people should ask friends and relatives to help protect them from harassment. If more action is required, they should call the police.
Wang Sou-jane is founding president of the Association of Taiwan Clinical Psychology.
Translated by Julian Clegg
In their recent op-ed “Trump Should Rein In Taiwan” in Foreign Policy magazine, Christopher Chivvis and Stephen Wertheim argued that the US should pressure President William Lai (賴清德) to “tone it down” to de-escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait — as if Taiwan’s words are more of a threat to peace than Beijing’s actions. It is an old argument dressed up in new concern: that Washington must rein in Taipei to avoid war. However, this narrative gets it backward. Taiwan is not the problem; China is. Calls for a so-called “grand bargain” with Beijing — where the US pressures Taiwan into concessions
The term “assassin’s mace” originates from Chinese folklore, describing a concealed weapon used by a weaker hero to defeat a stronger adversary with an unexpected strike. In more general military parlance, the concept refers to an asymmetric capability that targets a critical vulnerability of an adversary. China has found its modern equivalent of the assassin’s mace with its high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) weapons, which are nuclear warheads detonated at a high altitude, emitting intense electromagnetic radiation capable of disabling and destroying electronics. An assassin’s mace weapon possesses two essential characteristics: strategic surprise and the ability to neutralize a core dependency.
Chinese President and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Chairman Xi Jinping (習近平) said in a politburo speech late last month that his party must protect the “bottom line” to prevent systemic threats. The tone of his address was grave, revealing deep anxieties about China’s current state of affairs. Essentially, what he worries most about is systemic threats to China’s normal development as a country. The US-China trade war has turned white hot: China’s export orders have plummeted, Chinese firms and enterprises are shutting up shop, and local debt risks are mounting daily, causing China’s economy to flag externally and hemorrhage internally. China’s
During the “426 rally” organized by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party under the slogan “fight green communism, resist dictatorship,” leaders from the two opposition parties framed it as a battle against an allegedly authoritarian administration led by President William Lai (賴清德). While criticism of the government can be a healthy expression of a vibrant, pluralistic society, and protests are quite common in Taiwan, the discourse of the 426 rally nonetheless betrayed troubling signs of collective amnesia. Specifically, the KMT, which imposed 38 years of martial law in Taiwan from 1949 to 1987, has never fully faced its
RSS