Domestic Violence And Violence Against Women

The history of Domestic Violence (DV) and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) recognizes that abuse is not just an individual problem, but a social one. Our culture at one time reinforced the idea that violence within relationships was acceptable, and at the same time, blamed the abused for being victims. The way we think now about violence in the home has changed. Violence is a learned behavior that often is the result of months or years of intimidation and control. Contrary to belief, violence is no longer gender specific. Preventing Domestic Violence is important to me because of the physical and psychological effects it has on victims, the impact on families and communities, and the effectiveness of laws and resources.

Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior used to exhibit control over another person through fear and intimidation by threat, force, or use of violence in intimate relationships. This issue has been an overlooked problem in American society for ages however as it becomes mainstream time and time again and the statics go up, Americans are beginning to see this as a pressing epidemic. With more than 4 million women and 3 million men becoming victims to physical assault in intimate relationships every year, domestic violence has become a societal issue in which it affects people from all walks of life regardless of a person’s gender, race, status, ethnicity, age or religion. Since most cases almost always go unreported and the severity of this problem is often disregarded, domestic violence is ultimately a problem that accrues cost to victims and their families, employers and their business, and society as a whole.

Domestic violence has many facets and in no two relationships will it appear the same. According to the American Psychological Association, violence is defined as “an extreme for of aggression, such as assault, rape, or murder,” (American Psychological Association, 2015). Also called intimate partner violence, domestic violence “occurs across age, ethic, gender, and economic lines, among persons with disabilities, and among both heterosexual and same-sex couples,” (American Psychological Association, 2015). Kamimura et al. state, “ Intimate partner violence is a significant health problem often resulting in acute and chronic physical and mental health problems that can lead to hospitalization, disability, and death,” (Kamimura et al., 2014).

Domestic violence used to be considered a private family matter and was not considered a societal problem until feminists in the 70's started pushing the matter. Beginning in the 1970’s, social policy toward female victims of domestic assaults focused on improving legal response and

The victims are mostly women and children, but there is also a small amount of men who have experienced domestic violence. Females under the age of 30 are at higher risk of experiencing domestic violence than women over the age of 40. Women are more likely to experience interpersonal violence, especially sexual violence.

According to the Bureau of Justice, nearly 3.5 million cases in the United States each year involves acts of violence against family members and intimate partners (2015).Data from the 1985 National Family Violence Survey affirmed that one of eight husbands committed at least one violent act towards his wife, and 1.8 million wives were beaten during the year course of the study (Holtzworth-Munroe & Stuart, 1994). The Bureau of Justice (2015) defines domestic violence as “violence between married spouses, but can include cohabitants, unmarried intimate partners and family members”. Domestic violence is estimated to occur annually in one out of every six households (Lee, Uken, & Sebold, 2007). Between 1998 and 2002, 1% of those cases the victims died as a result of their injuries; children encompassed 23% of the murder victims and females 58% (Bureau of Justice, 2002). Seventy-three percent of the domestic violence victims were female and 84% were committed against a boyfriend or girlfriend. The victims were usually White (74%) and between the ages of 25 and 54 (65.7%). (Bureau of Justice, 2005) The violence is usually committed by using a weapon or a body part as a weapon, whereas firearms are the most lethal.

A terrified five-year-old watches her dad beat her mom in front of her. She doesn’t know what to do, and it’s not the first time it has happened. She tries to stop it but all her mom tells her “it’s okay, go to your room baby.” This is just one case of domestic violence. One-fourth of women worldwide will experience Domestic/Dating Violence in their lifetime. Domestic violence is physical or emotional abuse within a relationship. Domestic Violence exists within all cultures, ethnicity, faith, age groups, education levels, income levels and sexual orientations.

Around the world, one in every three women has been coerced into having intercourse, beaten, or abused during some point in her lifetime (Domestic Violence Statistics, 2015). The topic that will be studied with the paper is intimate partner violence or another term that can be used is domestic violence. Domestic violence or intimate partner violence is the systematic pattern or control or power perpetuated by one partner against another (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, n.d.). Throughout the paper the term domestic violence and intimate violence will be used interchangeably. The misconception is that domestic violence or intimate partner violence is only between two people in a romantic relationship, but this is not so. Domestic violence includes, but is not limited to child abuse, elder and vulnerable adult abuse, spousal or partner abuse, and sibling violence (Can Fam Physician, 1999). This behavior can include but is not limited to sexual assault, intimidation, and physical assault (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, n.d.). Reports from 10 countries have shown that somewhere between 55 and 95 percent of women who experience physical abuse by a partner had never contacted the police, shelters, or other organizations for help (Domestic Violence Statistics, 2015).

Every nine seconds a woman is assaulted or beaten in the United States (Domestic Violence Statistics, 2013). Women between the ages of 20-24 are at a greater risk for abuse than any other age group.” (CITE). Domestic violence is a social problem that happens every day nationwide. For example, an estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault each year (Domestic Violence Facts, 2007). This estimated number is just the instances of abuse that are reported by women to police each year. Many women do not report domestic violence to the police out of fear for many different reasons such as fear of being killed, increased violence, losing their children, not being financially stable, or not aware that there are resources available to them. Violence affects everyone regardless of race, socioeconomic status, background, and education level. There are many different ways that domestic violence can occur such as through partners/spouses male or female, teen dating, and same sex violence. “Nearly 1 in 5 teenage girls who have been in a relationship said a boyfriend threatened violence or self-harm if presented with a break up.” Domestic violence among men are underreported, men can also fall victim to domestic abuse by the hands of their female abuser. However, in relationships, where the partners are of the same sex domestic violence is often overlooked. “The legal system often fails to recognize or respond to same gender cases (Seelau & Seelau, 2005).” No

One can only imagine how uncomfortable the lives of women who are experiencing or have previously experienced domestic violence is. Can you imagine, living every day in constant fear that today might be your last? That today could be the day that your abuser finally snaps, and life as you know it is over in the blink of an eye as you are trying to dodge that punch to your precious temple. Domestic violence was defined as an assault, threat, or intimidation by a male partner. (Abbott, Johnson, Koziol-McLain, & Lowenstein, 1995) Every year an estimated 2 million to 4 million woman in the United States are reportedly abused by their alleged male partners. Many of these women are ruthlessly physically assaulted, and thousands end up losing their life to the battle. (www.mayoclinic.com). These such statistics are flabbergasting. Many are under the impression that Domestic abuse only appears through physical violence – a fight of some sorts, but it is in fact prevalent in psychological abuse as well. Domestic violence occurs in several various unfortunate ways, such as verbally, mentally, and physically. Domestic violence is a widely spread issue throughout the United States. It is unfortunate that women are still being seen as inferior in comparison to men in today’s society. Women on average make only 77 cents to every dollar earned by men working in the same position. (Glynn, 2013) It is evident that men do also experience Domestic violence, but

Famous Writer Jeffrey Fry once said “ love is about giving freedom and power, not about gaining control or possession”. This quote relates to domestic violence.” Research affirm that in 2014, one in three women have been slapped, pushed or shoved by an intimate partner in their lifetime. For men, almost 14 percent experience severe intimate partner violence in their lifetime.(“Data Mine”). Although it is prominent in women, domestic violence impacts males and families as well. Therefore, it is important to learn about the signs of abuse and resources available in order to eliminate domestic violence in society.

Domestic violence(DV) is a serious and grave concern, not only in the United States but also around the world. It occurs when an intimate partner expends control and sovereignty through physical, mental, sexual and emotional abuse thereby resulting in physical and psychological trauma of the victim. There has been an alarming increase in the occurrence of DV in social media and literary work being produced today and this has resulted in it getting a lot of attention. According to population surveys carried out by Morier-Genoud C, Bodenmann P and Favrat B, they found that 10 to 69% of women had reported being physically assaulted by an intimate male partner at some point in their lives (2). Also, data from the United States Bureau of

This article provides an overview on domestic and intimate violence against women. Concisely, it outlines the different cycles of domestic abuse that women experience, whether if it is emotionally, physically, and sexually, and how the cycle rehashes itself if the victim finally seeks assistance. However, many women believe that, although their partner mistreats them, they still have this love connection between the two, and expects them to become better individuals at some point after. In numerous relationships, the abuse begins emotionally, and later becomes physical, according to how quickly they grasp the warning signs. In a recent study, more than five million women are victimized each year within the United States. The article also

“To those who abuse: the sin yours, the crime is yours, and the shame is yours. To those who protect the perpetrators: blaming the victims only masks the evil within, making you as guilty as those who abuse. Stand up for the innocent or go down with the rest…” These are the words of an individual who sees too clearly the injustice which comes with domestic violence toward women. The United States government estimates one in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. Domestic abuse remains a significant social problem in many towns, cities and neighborhoods and though the victims involved may often remain silent, its emotional, psychological and physical effects still linger on.

Studies and research have shown a decline in intimate partner violence since the late 1980s and early 1990s (Morgaine 2007). In spite of this, a decline does not mean that the damage to these women in society has not already been done. These battered women are often left broken or as shadows of their former selves. Many suffer from the aforementioned