Dysfunctional Couple Communication as Precursor to Gender-Based Violence: From Silent Threat to Overt Aggression

Abstract

Gender-based violence is never a sudden event, but rather the culmination of a gradual relational and psychological process, triggered by complex dynamics that often manifest below the threshold of immediate recognition.
This article analyzes the precursors of gender-based violence—such as implicit or explicit threats, coercive control, social isolation, cognitive distortions, and traumatic bonding—considering them as early warning signs of risk. In clinical settings, recognizing these early indicators is essential to prevent escalation and interrupt the cycle of violence before it evolves into more severe forms.
Through an interdisciplinary perspective that integrates criminological, psychopathological, and sociological literature—supported by institutional sources (EIGE, WHO, FRA)—this contribution aims to identify those “weak” behaviors that precede violent escalation and that, if properly recognized, allow for effective preventive interventions.
The early detection of these elements enables us to interpret violence as a progressive sequence rather than an unexpected episode, thus providing both theoretical and practical tools for risk assessment and targeted intervention. The discussion concludes by emphasizing the need for a coherent system of monitoring and multidisciplinary response, one that translates risk awareness into protective action. Viewing violence as a progressive sequence rather than an isolated incident also allows for the refinement of clinical and operational tools in risk evaluation and targeted clinical intervention.