Domestic Violence: a Life Threatening Issue That Should Be Taken Seriously or Just an Exaggerated 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.

Domestic violence is a devastating social problem. “Domestic violence is about one person getting and keeping power and control over another person in an intimate relationship. It is a pattern of behavior in which one intimate partner uses physical violence, coercion, threats, intimidation, isolation and emotional, sexual or economic abuse to control and change the behavior of the other partner (Despres,2009). Domestic violence is not just hitting or fighting or an occasional mean argument. It is a chronic abuse of power and a need for control. In every state there are laws that prohibit domestic violence but they vary from state to state. Domestic abuse is widespread and

Domestic violence occurs in epidemic proportions, impacting an estimated 6.2 million American women every year, and causing more

Domestic violence is an ongoing epidemic affecting people around the world. Over the years, the problem of domestic violence has raised an abundance of questions: how serious is the issue, and what actions could be implemented to prevent it? In the article “Domestic Violence Has Been a Problem Throughout U.S. History”, it explains how the issue of domestic violence has been going on for decades; however, did not get address until recent years. The author, Cathy Young, points out there has been programs and shelters implemented, but the issue of domestic violence still remains a serious problem today. “Prevalence of Domestic Violence in the United States”, provides a

Domestic violence is an epidemic in our society with dramatic, negative effects on individuals, families and communities. Domestic violence is a crime that knows no economic, racial, ethnic, religious, age or gender limits. Women who are victims of domestic violence most likely are also victims of sexual assault and, stalking. A domestic violence victim may experience systematic rape in addition to physical and psychological abuse. According to Backman, (p.54) nearly one in every four women are beaten or raped by a partner during adulthood. Three women are killed by a current or former intimate partner each day in America, on average women are at an increased risk of harm shortly after separation from an abusive partner.

While some people believe that domestic violence is stereotyped and over exaggerated, it occurs in many households. In some cases, the abuse associated with domestic violence can be incredibly severe. A force which may be done by the offender includes shaking, slapping, hair pulling, punching, beating, choking or burning, and threatening to attack the victim with a weapon (Roy, Disari, 2015). The problem with domestic violence is that women, who are in an abusive relationship, tend to stay in their relationship. No matter how toxic it may be, they continue to deal with the violence which their partner urges onto them.

“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.

ABSTRACT: Domestic violence essentially affects everyone. It is not merely a personal or private problem within families. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (US Department of Justice), a woman is beaten every 15 seconds somewhere in the United States. Additionally, the Surgeon General 's report also reveals that one in five women victimized by their spouses or ex-spouses say that they had been victimized over and over again by the same person. These selected statistics easily demonstrate that domestic violence in the United States is a serious and grave social concern. This paper explores the many facets of this social ill,

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.

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.

Introduction: “Domestic Violence in America occurs behind the scenes of homes and is often kept a secret. The results of abuse in intimate relationships can be deadly if loved ones do not know the signs, help is not requested, and if the public is not educated.”

Domestic violence is any incident or repeated incidents of coercive, threatening, or controlling abuse, behavior, or violence between intimate or former partners and family members, which can involve emotional, financial, physical, psychological, and sexual abuse (Domestic Violence, 2014). Women are at a higher risk of experiencing violence at home than they are in the street, Most women who die due to homicide are more likely to be killed by their partner or ex-partner and domestic violence is a major cause of death during pregnancy (Lee, 2013, p. 1350). Even in circumstances where the abuse does not become lethal, domestic violence survivors sustain serious injuries physically, neurologically, psychologically, emotionally, and

Upon hearing domestic violence, the image that is immediately thought of is a man physically beating his wife. This image is created by the way domestic abuse is portrayed in the media, movies, and novels; however, there are many types of domestic abuse that are just as damaging, if not more, as physical violence. Physical violence entails but is not limited to hitting, slapping, punching, kicking, burning, strangulation, damaging personal property, refusing medical care and/or controlling medication, coercing a partner into substance abuse, and use of weapons ( “Types of Abuse”, 2018). These are the most common forms associated with domestic abuse as they are the actual physical signs and

The problem of domestic violence is too weighty, both as public health and social issues, to be content with

This paper will outline how domestic violence can lead from a conflict to a major crisis. Domestic violence is the aggressive or violent act of abusing a spouse, or partner within a relationship. Often time’s cases of domestic violence go unreported because the abuser has threatened to hurt or kill them if they report the incident. It’s also important to remember that the rate of domestic violence is likely much higher than we know; 70% of spousal violence is not reported to the police. ("Infographic: Family Violence in Canada," n.d.) A person may also be embarrassed to tell others that he or she is being abused. Domestic abusers are always blaming the other person of being at fault, for their behaviour and or actions. For example, common