How to Spot a Dangerous Man Book Review

How to Spot a Dangerous Man Book Review Relationships Violence and Abuse Print How to Spot a Dangerous Man Before You Get Involved Book Review By Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD is a psychologist, professor, and Director of the Centre for Health Leadership and Research at Royal Roads University, Canada. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Updated on May 30, 2019 georgeclerk / Getty Images More in Relationships Violence and Abuse Spouses & Partners LGBTQ How to Spot a Dangerous Man Before You Get Involved by Sandra L. Brown describes eight types of dangerous men, explores why some women are attracted to dangerous men, gives red flags and red alerts for each, and includes stories of successes and failures. This book is intended for all women who have a history of bad relationships and want to regain control of their lives. A Clash of Biases Something just didnt feel right about the way this useful information was presented. Sandra Browns bias is that so-called dangerous men are so fundamentally flawed that there is no point in getting involved with these men, or staying with them if you are already in a relationship, because they will never, ever stop being dangerous, or stop using you to meet their own needs. You might find that your bias is the oppositeâ€"that you believe everyone is capable of change and that relationships take work and commitment. However, if a man has been physically or sexually violent to you or your children, you should get as far away from him as possible, immediately. As a reader, you will have to make up your own mind about whether you believe the man you are potentially interested in is dangerous and worth the risks that are laid out in this book. The Eight Types of Dangerous Man Dangerous men, defined as pathological and personality disordered, are presented as eight different types, some of which may overlap in the same man. In particular, the addict overlaps with all of the other types. Brown identifies the eight types of dangerous men as: The Permanent Clingerâ€"Needy, self-identified victims whose chief danger is sucking the life out of you.The Parental Seekerâ€"Immature men who want you to look after them.The Emotionally Unavailable Manâ€"Men who are already committed to another partner and wont commit to you.The Man With the Hidden Lifeâ€"Men who are hiding secrets that should be disclosed to a partner, such as children, disease, a criminal past, or an addiction.The Mentally Ill Manâ€"A man at any level of functioning who has a mental illness.The Addictâ€"This catch-all category includes any man who has any kind of addiction, including alcohol and drugs, sex, gambling, food, and a number of other behaviors, including work.The Abusive or Violent Manâ€"Men who are abusive in any way, including emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.The Emotional Predatorâ€"Men who seek out and torment vulnerable women, including psychopaths. Why These Categories Can Be Misleading This stereotyping of men is stigmatizing and thus harmful. Many people go through difficulties which could be identified in these categories, but that doesnt put them on a par with criminals and psychopaths. Many people with addictions and mental health problems have loving relationships with their partners and families, and many people with and without addictions go through these struggles in their lives without being dangerous. Dangerous Men Defined too Broadly There are certainly many dangerous men out there, especially in the world of addictions. This book is focused on spotting potentially dangerous romantic partners, but drug dealers and pimps can also be particularly exploitative of women who are involved in the world of illicit drugs and sex work, and it makes sense if you are involved in this world to stay informed and prevent yourself from getting hurt. But most of the men discussed in this book are not as obviously dangerous as drug dealers and pimps. And this is where it all gets a bit tricky. The premise of the book is to spot a dangerous man before getting involved, which makes the whole idea of people being innocent until proven guilty impossible. Certainly, once a man has behaved in a way that shows a lack of respect, you have something to evaluate, but much of Browns advice focuses on following your innate intuition, which basically seems to mean any sense of discomfort. Weaknesses in the Arguments Browns perspective is based on many years of working with abused women, so she has seen some of the worst situations that have arisen from women getting close to dangerous men. But to warn women about staying away from potential rapists or murderers is excessively alarmist, and as she points out, these men make a lot of effort to be charming and appear normal, so were not convinced that many women could sense whether the man she has met is one of these small minority of men. Incidentally, there have also been some well-documented cases of women, child,  and teen psychopaths, so dangerous people arent all men. What Women Need to Focus On Brown does identify some important red flags that may indicate that the man you are with is potentially harmful to you, and the relationship may not be a positive force in your life, such as: You wish he would go away, you want to cry, or you want to run.You dread his phone call.You feel bad about yourself when youre around him. However, some of the items on the same list are feelings that can occur in regular relationships, and may not indicate that your partner or potential partner is pathological, such as: You feel uncomfortable about something he has said or done, and the feeling remains.Your past and his are very different, and the two of you have conflicts over it.You think hes too charming or a little too good to be true. And still more seem to be indications that the woman actually has a problem she needs to take responsibility for, which may be nothing to do with the man, such as: You tell friends youre unsure about the relationship.You feel isolated from other relationships with friends and family.You think youre the only one who can help/love/understand him. Overall Thoughts Overall, there is some really useful information in this book for women who are involved with abusive men, people of both genders who are involved in the drug or sex industries, or who are interested in meeting a potential partner. But having a fulfilling relationship isnt just about meeting the right non-dangerous manâ€"?it also requires you to reflect on your own weaknesses and to overcome your own issues. And you wont find guidance on how to do that in How to Spot a Dangerous Man.? Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher.