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Crime And Crime : The Crime Of Domestic Violence

Decent Essays

Crime
The crime of domestic violence is as ancient as marriage and is a demonstration of an abusive pattern of behavior perpetrator by one domestic partner to another. The objective of the offending party is to gain and sustain over and control over the other person physically, sexually, emotionally and economically. Domestic violence is expressed in a manner that terrorizes, humiliates, hurts or frightens another person.
Ancient Government response
During the 18th century, domestic violence was very pervasive in England and was widely sanctioned by law. The common law legalized domestic violence and men could beat their wives to gain obedience and other offenses. Pursuant to the statute called the Laws of Women and named the ‘Judge Thumb', a man could sue a stick to inflict punishment on his wife as long as certain requirements are met. The stick could be longer than the man's forearm and thicker than his middle finger. There was a severe epidemic of domestic violence and there was only outrage unprecedented savagery or threat to life.
To try to stem the contagion of the Aggravated Assaults Act was passed in the House of Commons in 1853. This legislation increased the fine for assaults on women by their intimate partners. This legislation was the first step toward governmental protection of women because as the law stood, animals and trees were offered greater protection than women. Corporal punishment would be meted out to an offender who cut a shrub and

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