Definition Of Violence Against Women Essay

Discussing the nature of the issue, violence against women includes females of all ages, race, and socioeconomic status, who are being violated through acts of physical and sexual violence, as well as psychological abuse. It is not just

Domestic violence: a taboo issue in our society, where the discussion is shut down by fear of instability or vulnerability. A crime, hidden from plain view, behind closed doors, that harms up to half a million innocent individuals every year. Someone is experiencing some form of domestic violence as we speak as for every 15 seconds there is a woman beaten around the world, and for every hour as many as 115 children are abused. Domestic violence, or intimate partner violence, is a violation of human rights. It involves violent, abusive or intimidating behaviour carried out by an adult against a partner or former partner to control and dominate that person.  Violence of any form should not be accepted in our modern society it nurtures fear and hatred, and it should not be locked away as an allowable social norm. We should be better than that.

Definitions of domestic violence are socially constructed and have developed over time; these definitions reflect existing understandings and interests, and power distributions (Muehlenhard & Kimes, 1999). Domestic violence is understood as a pattern of behavior which includes violence or abuse by one individual against another in a domestic environment, such as a cohabitation or marriage. Domestic abuse can occur in heterosexual and homosexual relationships and can also occur between two individuals who live together that are not romantically engaged. Intimate partner violence, a form of domestic violence, is domestic violence that occurs between two individuals who are romantically involved. Domestic violence can include many different abusive behaviors including, but not limited to, physical violence, emotional, verbal, sexual, and economical abuse, isolation, intimidation, and stalking. On a global level, females are the most commonly reported victims of domestic violence; however, males have been reported as the victims of domestic violence as well (Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2014). In some cases, both individuals may engage in violent behavior, or the victim may retaliate or behave violently in

This began to change in the 1980s, as women’s groups were organized locally and internationally to demand attention to the physical, psychological, and economic abuse of women (p.369-370). Domestic violence is a serious social issue that happens to many women in our world today. This type of abuse is not declining but continually rising on a daily basis. There have been issues in the past with the way these cases were being handled. Today, there has been some improvement concerning the laws that have been enforced in order to protect women from this type of abuse. There has been extensive research done on this issue in the past concerning domestic violence. Over the last ten years there have been a number of surveys on domestic violence that have been published from around the world.

I am a 38-year-old white American female. Some would argue that there is no better time to a woman in America – we have far more rights and privileges than either our colonial ancestors or women in many third world nations. Yet, even in my lifetime women have achieved milestones like the Violence Against Women Act, originally passed in 1994 but reauthorized and updated in 2013. Females in this country fight battles on many fronts that males, as a group, do not have to deal with on the same level. Women are sexually harassed, assaulted and raped far more than men. I myself have dealt with all three scenarios so far in my 38 years. Sexual harassment, sexual battery, and rape are all social problems that millions of American women face daily.

Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior or coercive control in any relationship that is used by one person to gain or maintain power and control over another. (Violence). Most of society’s think domestic violence is when one of the spouses is abusing the other spouse. Domestic violence can occur between anyone who has lived together at one point of time; couples who have never lived together, but have a child together and family member who has live together in the same household. Domestic violence can happen to anyone, regardless of their class, religion, ethnic background, education, age, gender, disability status, sexual orientation, gender presentation, or immigration status. The domestic violence can place in different categories, such as; emotional abuse, physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse and financial abuse. Researcher had discovered tactics that the abusers use to control their victims such as; dominance, humiliation, isolation, threats, intimidation, denial and shifting blame. (Helpguide.org).

Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive relationships over a course of time, used to excerpt power (Break). “Domestic violence affects millions of children and adults in a very impacting way. “Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure or wound someone” (What). Sonya Owens is one example that lives to tell how domestic violence effected not only her but her family as well in many life changing ways.

When you look at domestic violence as a whole anyone can be affected by it. Men, women, and children. Those of different cultural groups, socioeconomic classes, and religious backgrounds. Everyone. In 2016 it was estimated that there were approximately “960,000” incidents of domestic violence in the United States (“Domestic Violence”). Of these cases “85%” of the victims were female, and “15%” of the cases involved males. (“Domestic Violence”). From these cases we see a wide variety of situations that these statistics encompass, which include: “physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse,

“Domestic violence is a type of abuse by one or both partners in marriage, friends, family, dating or cohabitation” (Aziz & Mahmoud, 2010). There are many forms of abuse from verbal and emotional to physical that often escalates over time in intensity for the victim. Data from the criminal justice system, hospital patient medical records and mental health records, police reports, surveys and social services reports of thousands of women revealed that many are injured and killed as a result of violence from someone close to them. “The US Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) defines domestic violence as a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender” (Robertson & Murachver, 2009). Researchers and the criminal justice system have not been able to agree on a clear definition to domestic violence which can range from physical injury, stalking, verbal abuse and humiliation, denial of shelter and access to money, and intimidation through aggressive behaviors. The definition of domestic violence may vary but the results from physical injury, mental and emotional trauma, and sometimes even death can last a life time.

Domestic violence is defined as acts of violence or threats of violence that usually occur in the family home. It is commonly assumed that the main perpetrator of domestic violence are men against women and hence the slogan “Stop Violence against women”.

Many think of domestic violence as a physical act made by man towards a woman. BUT Domestic Violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological of MEN and WOMEN.

Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner through physical and emotional abuse. Women are much more likely to be victims of intimate partner violence with 85 percent of domestic abuse victims being women and 15 percent being men. (http://www.americanbar.org/groups/domestic_violence/resources/statistics.html) Too many women have been held captive by domestic violence -whether through physical, financial, emotional abuse or a combination of all three- it is a serious epidemic in our society that needs attending

Domestic Violence (DV) is a critical social issue that negatively impacts not only our own culture in America but as well as all other cultures around the world. Domestic Violence is a global issue reaching across national boundaries as well as socio-economic, cultural, racial and class distinctions (Kaur & Garg 2008). Domestic Violence is a serious problem that can be seen around every society from families of both developed and underdeveloped countries and of different backgrounds. Although there are various cases of domestic violence against men, children and the elderly; women account for the majority percentage of victims of Domestic Violence. This violence can take the form of physical assault, psychological abuse, financial abuse or sexual assault (Kaur & Garg 2008). Domestic Violence is a trend that is on the rise and will continue to plague our society if nothing is done on time to address this social issue.

Dianne Feinstein once stated, “Domestic violence causes far more pain than the visible marks of bruises and scars. It is devastating to be abused by someone that you love and think loves you in return. It is estimated that approximately 3 million incidents of domestic violence are reported each year in the United States.” Domestic violence is the aggressive or violent abuse of a partner in a relationship. Compared to today, domestic abuse is very different from the Victorian Era. Today, we have laws and organizations to stop domestic violence and help those have have been violated. One similarity domestic abuse today has with the Victorian Era is that women are most commonly mistreated, not men.

In addition, because violence is a learned behavior, growing up in a violent home can contribute to someone potentially becoming abusive. Of all batterers, two-thirds witnessed domestic violence while growing up. ( Government and academic studies consistently demonstrate that the majority of victims of domestic violence are females and that batterers are overwhelmingly male.) However, many males who witnessed violence in their childhood homes have gone on to have healthy family relationships. The same is true for girls who have grown up in a violent home. Although some do become victims of abuse, others develop healthy interpersonal relationships. It is still unclear why some people are able to develop healthy relationships while others continue to repeat the cycle of violence.