Domestic Violence : A Serious Problem

Domestic violence is an epidemic and the number one health concern in our country. There are more abusers and their victims compared to past years. As a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship, domestic violence is used by one person to gain or maintain power and control over another one. It can be physical, sexual, emotional, and economic abuse and not look the same in every relationship because every relationship is different. This kind of abuse affects people of all ages and sexes, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, education and employment levels. Abuse towards children and the elderly can be violent or aggressive behavior. Thus, there are many types of abuse that one can suffer; awareness of the signs of domestic violence is especially important before getting into any kind of intimate relationship.

Although women can be perpetrators, they are more often the victims of abuse than men. According to Blair, McFarlane, Nava, Gilroy, and Maddoux (2015), 92 percent of domestic violence offenders are male (p. 23).

Domestic violence (DV) has and continues to affect millions of, women, men, children and the elderly every day. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, defines Domestic violence as, “hurtful, repeated and intentional behavior that one person uses to maintain power and control over another in an intimate relationship.” (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, n.d.) Abuse impacts many individuals from various backgrounds. Abuse comes in many forms, verbal, emotional, physical, sexual and, covers a wide range of tactics to establish and maintain power and control. A predominant form of DV is Intimate Partner Violence is also known as (IPV,) which affects millions of people every year, primarily women

Domestic violence, alternatively referred to as Intimate Partner Violence, is defined by the Department of Justice 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.” While domestic violence is commonly thought of as only physical or sexual abuse, domestic violence can also be emotional, economic, or psychological. Domestic violence has remained constant in society throughout history, even though over time society’s response to the issue has changed. While domestic violence affects everyone regardless of race, gender, age, etc. it is estimated that approximately 90% of all victims are women. For the purpose of this paper, I will be focusing on

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.

According to “The United States Department of Justice” Domestic violence is defined 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. Domestic violence has different forms sexual, physical, emotional and psychological actions or threats. These forms of treatment can influence another person. There are

And the answer to this would be; anyone can become a victim of domestic violence. Although most would assume that only women could be affected by this heinous crime, this is not the case. Granted, in a 2001 U.S. study, “85 percent of the victims were female with a male batterer” (U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics), but the other 15% did not fit into this category. This 15% represents the males with female batterers, as well as those victims in lesbian and gay relationships. It is not as common, but uncommon is not synonymous with nonexistent. Again, it can happen to anyone.

“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 (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.

According to statistics found by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Every nine seconds a woman is abused by her husband or intimate partner. At least 1 in every 4 women and 1 in every 9 men have been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in their lifetime. Most often the abuser is one of their own family. Domestic violence is a problem that somehow affects every one of us in this room at some time and is actually the leading cause of injury to women -- more than car accidents, muggings and rapes combined.

Domestic violence has become a very serious global issue. Domestic violence can be described as “any incident of threatening behaviour, violence, or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been an intimate partner or family member, regardless of sexuality” (Home Office, 2008 as cited in Howard et al., 2010). When hearing the term domestic violence it is often pictured as a male physically, sexually, verbally, or emotionally abusing a female that they were or are intimate with. This paints a vivid picture in the heads of individuals because female partner abuse is rooted in history. For a long time women were considered possessions of men and property of the husband, who had the “obligation to control and discipline them” (txtbook). A man was allowed to beat his wife, as long as the stick was no thicker than his thumb (this is where the phrase “rule of thumb” comes from); this law was removed in 1820 (txtbook). In 2011, statistics for the overall rate of intimate partner violence was “542 per 100 000 women, almost four times higher than the rate of men” (txtbook). Additional research “demonstrates that women initiate physical aggression as often, or more often than men” (judicial citation). One of the problems with these studies is that they do not always indicate whether women use violence mainly as a source of self- defence (textbook). Although all genders can be exposed to domestic violence, it is more common for the

“Every year in the United States there are over 3 million incidents of domestic violence. That means that every nine seconds a women is beaten by her domestic partner” (Findeley). There are many women that stay silent when being abuse by their partners. The consequences of staying quiet when obtaining abuse can be dangerous and can also lead to death. Many women do not recognize the importance of the fact that there is in speaking out if they are being abuse by their partner. No woman should take domestic abuse by their partners. Every woman deserves a healthy relationship; A healthy relationship involves trust, respect, and consideration for the other person. Domestic abuse has gotten worse during the past years and is still rising up. One can see that domestic abuse can occur everywhere. Domestic abuse is considered a crime and woman should not keep silent when being abuse.

But has it ever cross your mind that a man can be a victim of domestic violence as well. In the article “More Men than Woman Victims of Partner Abuse” demonstrates a study that was made by the CDC in 2010. According to this national survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Department of Justice it demonstrated that in the past 12 months 40% of severe physical violence where directed at men. Also a survey made by the CDC brought out shocking statistics there was an estimate of 18,000 telephone-survey in the United States and that brought out that approximately 5,365,000 men had been victims of intimate partner physical violence in the previous year as well as psychological aggression and control over sexual or generative health the survey was perform again in 2011 and shockingly demonstrated the same numbers that where publishes in 2014. Estimates based on more than 1 in 7 men from the age 18 and older will suffer from severe physical violence in the US in their lifetime, as well that 1 in 10 men have experience rape, physical violence, and stalking from an intimate partner. A man suffers from intimate partner violence every 37.8 seconds that makes an average of three million men that suffer from domestic violence each year.

The term domestic violence against women is defined as any act of violence that ends in “physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life” (Martinez, 2012, p.48). Violence against women that happens in the privacy of your own home and leads to a female being a victim and being scared for her life is an act of domestic violence. Violence comes in several forms such as verbal, emotional, psychological, physical, sexual, financial, and neglect (Momirov & Duffy, 1997). Unfortunately, the authorities, media and society on perceived that there is only one type of domestic violence as there needs to evidence of the matter to report or a witness to testify (Martz, 1994).

Domestic violence refers to abusive behavior in any relationship that is inflicted on a partner to gain or maintain power and control over another partner. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, or psychological. Domestic violence includes behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone. Domestic violence can happen to anyone, regardless of their race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender; and it also occurs in both opposite-sex and same-sex relationships; domestic violence also affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels (Justice, The United States Department of, 2017). This topic has attracted a lot of discussion and research because of its dominance and complexity. This essay, therefore seeks to look at the causes and effects of domestic violence.