Power and Jodi Arias

The famous Power and Control Model of Abuse was initially framed to fit the pattern of male abusers who abuse female partners; and as a result, the model tends to be gender skewed. In real life examples, such as the case of Jodi Arias, some of the components have been shifted, but the same power and control dynamic is still obvious. Jodi Arias is addicted to power and control; whether through force or emotional manipulation, the motive remains unchanged. Abusers of both genders must feel like they are in control adn Jodi Arias is no different.

Jodi felt she was able to control Travis via sex and catering his ego; but when she realized he had actually left her, she engaged a killing rage and slaughtered him.

The 'Leaving' stage of a potentially violent relationship is always the most dangerous stage. It is not the first trip of the average of 7 times that an abuse victim 'leaves' that gets the abuser really mad, and if he or she is a killer-ignites the killing rage-it is the last time they leave. The most dangerous time is when the abuser knows for sure that it is absolutely, and finally over for good-that there is nothing he or she can do to stop the abandonment by their former lover--it is that time that is the most dangerous and sometimes, the time that turns deadly.

The actual act of physically leaving, it not the most important dynamic in the pattern of violent abusers, but it is the ‘leaving’ the relationship via whatever form that ‘leaving’ takes, that is the trigger to violence. In the case of Jodi Arias, she 'left' as a warning when she moved away; reflective of Travis’s emotionally threatening to leave her. This was her way of saying, you are about to leave me, see how it feels-I will act as though I am gone and you will panic and want me back. I will make sure I stay connected via sex on the phone- I will drive you crazy with desire...and you will want me back. 

The power was still in Jodi's hands, as long as she called the plays.

At least, so she thought. The realization that her power of Travis Alexander was moot, came when Jodi made the final determining trip to Travis Alexander’s home, only to discover that even after sex and photos; nothing had changed. Travis had left her, abandoned her, leaving her hopes of having control of him forever crushed. The words Travis Alexander spoke to Jodi Arias, before his murder, may never be known, but the weight of his words to Jodi, carried the burden of his death sentence.

The killing rage of Jodi Arias took over, and she annihilated him. In Jodi's mind-the power was still hers. When the jury said they in effect did not believe her lies and the world waited to see if she would receive the death penalty under Arizona law, Jodi once again, was in danger of feeling robbed of her power....unless...unless she called the plays and chose the death penalty for herself.

Last bid for power:

"I want to die" she said within minutes of the verdict; leading a rational person to think that she chose her responses in advance-to stay one step ahead of the world. 

To Jodi Arias, power is more important than justice, or even her own life. The behavior of Jodi Arias fits the distorted illusion of an individual who feels the only way they want to live in the world is if they can control it.