How many phases are described in the Cycle of Violence?

• A. Four phases: tension building, incident of violence, reconciliation, and calm
• B. Three phases
• C. Five phases
• D. Two phases

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is recognizing the repeating pattern in abusive relationships. The Cycle of Violence is described as four phases: tension-building, the incident of violence, reconciliation, and a period of calm or honeymoon. The tension-building phase sets up stress and anger that escalate toward an abusive event. The incident of violence is the actual abuse. Afterward comes reconciliation, where the abuser apologizes, promises change, or minimizes what happened, which can confuse and lure the victim into staying. Then the relationship settles into a calm period, when things seem to be peaceful again, and the cycle begins anew as tension starts to rise once more. This four-phase framework explains why abuse often persists—the calm can feel hopeful, but the underlying tension and threat eventually return, leading to another incident. A model with three phases would omit a distinct stage (either the calm or the incident), two phases is too simplistic, and five adds an extra stage not typically described in the standard cycle.