Family Violence During Military Families Essay

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.

Throughout the world, deviant acts and social controls are committed everyday. An incredibly significant one that is often unreported is sexual assault within the military. Sexual assault is already determined as an extremely deviant act throughout the world. All acts of rape and other abusive acts should never be dismissed or ignored, but rape within the military is often not reported or recognized. If it is brought to light, the victims are generally in fear of losing their positions, rankings, homes, relationships with their spouses and families, etc…. This is not to state that men are not also victims of sexual assault, but women are much more prone and vulnerable to being attacked and harassed. I will be focusing on the female victims of military assault in this paper.

Domestic abuse in the United States is a large-scale and complex social and health problem. The home is the most violent setting in America today (Lay, 1994). Sadly enough, the majority of people who are murdered are not likely killed by a stranger during a hold-up or similar crime but are killed by someone they know. Not surprisingly, the Center for Disease Control and prevention has identified interpersonal violence as a major public health problem (Velson-Friedrich, 1994). Current estimates suggest that three to four million women are the victims of physical abuse by their intimate partners (Harris & Cook, 1994). According to the FBI, some form of domestic violence occurs in half of the homes in the United States at least once a

Presently women are sacrificing their lives serving this country in all branches of the military in the United States. Women are more involved in combat situations since the war began in Afghanistan and Iraq. With the increase of women in the military came the increase of sexual violence. In the beginning, very few reports of sexual violence were reported; over time the number of reported cases became a huge issue that brought awareness to those that work with the President of the United States. At that moment, processes were being looked at; changes needed to be made to find ways to give confidence to victims, to feel safe enough to report the crime of sexual violence. The Department of Defense is currently working on measures to alleviate the problem. Sex crimes on women in the military can have intense effects on their mental, physical and emotional well-being. Sexual harassment and sexual assault also extends to include

The term "intimate partner violence" describes physical violence, sexual violence, stalking and psychological aggression (including coercive acts) by a current or former intimate partner ("Intimate Partner Violence: Definitions," n.d.). Veterans who experience intimate partner violence are deprived of their autonomy, liberty, and security, and face tremendous threats to their health and safety. Awareness and identification of IPV among Veterans has been increasing over the past decade. Veterans are at greater risk for using and/or experiencing violence than their civilian counterparts, given the unique stressors posed by military life. In particular, those who have served in the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan may be at even higher

The wars’ violence has rippled through the nation, affecting families and the communities where they live. A 2010 report found that child abuse in Army families was been three times higher in homes from which a parent was deployed. From 2001 through 2011, alcohol use associated with physical domestic violence in Army families increased significantly. This phenomenon could be attributed to increased alcohol consumption among military veterans suffering from combat-related wounds, injuries and illnesses.

Furthermore, child abuse has been linked to a variety of changes in the structure and certain functions of the brain, as well as, the stress–responsive systems (Anda et al., 2006). Zaidi and Foy (1994) state, “One pre-military factor with potential important ramifications for development of combat related PTSD is child abuse.” In research by Cabrera, Hoge, Bliese, Castro, and Messer (2007), “Childhood adversity [among veterans] was measured using a modified scale testing for exposure to six adverse experience: (1) exposure to mentally ill person in the home, (2) exposure to an alcoholic adult in the home, (3) sexual abuse, (4) physical abuse, (5) psychological abuse, and (6) violence directed against the respondent’s mother.” Servicemen and women who reported two or more traumatic childhood experiences were at increased risk of meeting the criteria for depression and PTSD (Cabrera at al., 2007). The prevalence of childhood abuse places people at a higher risk of mental illness (e.g. depression and post-traumatic stress disorder), participating in harmful/high risk activities, and having difficulties in relationships (Gahm, Lucenko, Retzlaff, & Fukuda, 2007). Which is clearly demonstrated among our veteran population. The veteran divorce rate in 2011 was 3.7% compared to the civilian divorce rate of 3.2% (Forsling, 2016). Additionally, veterans are the largest population to commit suicide, which is roughly 22 veterans a day take their own life. Thus, each of these prevalence of child abuse are highly correlated to one another, and increases the likelihood of health

They connect victims with resources and services, assist with the reporting process, and address concerns of retaliation and physical safety (U.S Commission on Civil Rights, 2013). The Battered Woman’s Justice Project has a military and veterans advocacy program that provides training and technical assistance on military-related intimate partner violence and military sexual assault. The program’s funded by a grant from the Department of Justice, Office of Violence against Women. The program aims to improve the partnership between military and civilian systems that respond to these particular crimes. They want to promote a meaningful partnership among government agencies and organizations that develop or administer public policy on issues that affect victims of military-related domestic and sexual violence. Lastly, the program works to enhance the capacity of civilian and military advocates to provide appropriate support, interventions, and advocacy to military-related victims of intimate partner violence and sexual assault (Military and Veterans Advocacy Program). The Department of Defense works with civilian medical facilities to provide reimbursable healthcare (U.S Commission on Civil Rights, 2013). The VA should establish collaborative relationships with state and community-level mental health and substance abuse agencies to provide access to needed care for women

Domestic violence or partner violence is a serious public health problem in the military veterans with PTSD. For veterans, PTSD is strong factor that largely accounts for the relationship between

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is defined as sexual, physical or psychological abuse by a current or past spouse or partner and is one of the largest public issues the Unites States faces today. It is estimated that roughly 15.5 million children live in a household effected by IPV in the United States (Gustafsson, Coffman, Cox 2014). Children who are effected by IPV are more likely to have behavioral issues along with their development being negatively impacted (O'Campo, Caughy, Nettles 2010). It is important to research IPV to see how it can be minimized as much as possible along with seeing how people are effected by IPV.

The harmful effects of being exposed to combat is one of the reasons why Veterans start to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and are unable to get back to their everyday lives. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is known to be very usual amongst veterans in combat. Aggressive or violent behavior in individuals with PTSD is the beginning of many marital problems and the effects of PTSD on relationship functioning include emotional detachment, decreased expressiveness, increased aggressive behavior, or violence. Further research is needed to detect features that set apart violent veterans with PTSD against violent veterans that do not have PTSD so that we can better grasp the possible distinctive approaches and signs for

More than a decade after rape or physical assault during military service, women reported severely decreased health-related quality of life, with limitations of physical and emotional health, educational and financial attainment, and severe, recurrent problems with work and social activities.” (Para 4.) The article talks about the frequency of women getting raped or sexually assaulted, and the injuries that these women face physically and emotionally, even years after the incident occurs. In this particular study, a “Cohort of women veterans who served in the Vietnam, post-Vietnam, or Persian Gulf War era was selected.” (Para 9.) Around six hundred women participated in this study, and “Almost half the participants (48%) reported some type of physical or sexual victimization during their military service. Physical assault was reported by 35%, and most (58%) had been assaulted at least twice. Rape was reported by 30%, in 11% it was attempted and in 19% completed.” The seriousness of these situations recurring should not go

“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.

Domestic violence is a prevalent issue that has enormous consequences for both the victimized individuals and their families. There are many injuries, deaths, rapes, and separation of families, and other fatalities which can all be interconnected to domestic violence. Which raises the question who are the perpetrators? why are they violent? Were they also abused? The answers to these questions may shed some insight on what goes on inside the mind of an abusive and violent individual.