Family Violence In Australia Essay

Family violence in Indigenous communities is linked with the Domestic violence policy (Parliament of Australia, 2011). The Current definition used by the Australia government to guide domestic violence policies. Is that domestic violence “refers to acts of violence that occur between people who have, or have had, an intimate relationship” (Chung & Wendt, 2015, p.202). In addition the policy states that violence in a family relationship to be between two people related by blood or marriage. (Department of communities Child Safety and Disability Services, 2012). Thus family violence must have a separate policy to be able to address the accurate impacts of the problem in Indigenous Communities (Larsen & Peterson, 2010).

Believe it or not exposure to violence affects children in many ways. Children are like sponges they absorb everything they see. Children who are exposed to violence in their homes become fearful, anxious, and never feel safe. They are always worried for themselves, their mother, and their siblings. They may even feel worthless and powerless. Many children will keep the abuse a secret and not tell anyone but as time progresses they will think that it’s their fault and that that’s why the violence is occurring. Children exposed to abuse can look normal to the

According to ourwatch.org, 90% of children from violent homes witness their fathers beating their mothers, in that same category, 63% of all boys aged 11-22 commit crimes and kill the man who abuses their mother. Statistics from Australian bureau of statistics show that abused children or children living in violent homes are arrested four times more often than non-abused or less violent families. Child victims of

Domestic Violence is a major issue in Australia right now and many believe that there are not enough resources to help domestic violence victims. 25% of women report being affected by domestic violence in their lifetimes and yet there is still not much being done. One of the main reasons women stays in the home where they are experiencing domestic abuse is because they do not feel safe leaving their home. Domestic violence victims are being turned away from refuges and being sent to motels and caravan parks, the refuges instead take in homeless people.

Firstly, domestic abuse and violence is more frequent within families because several generations of children have grown up without a nurturing family life. As a result, when they become adults, many of them lack adequate parenting skills, and since they had only experienced abuse as a child, they start abusing their own children and family members. Hence, the high rate of violence and abuse among Aboriginal families often causes this vicious cycle to continue over generations. According to the Manitoba Justice Institute, residential schools are the main

Domestic violence has become an increasingly dominant problem within Australian society but is constantly pushed to the side like a burden. Domestic violence is a relationship between intimate partners in which one individual seeks to assert power and control over the other and cause fear or intimidation and doesn’t have to be physical abuse, it can be emotional, psychological, financial, sexual or other types of abuse. It can affect anyone in the community regardless of gender, sexual identity, race, age, culture, ethnicity, religion, disability, economic status or location ("home - Domestic Violence", 2016). Violence isn’t just physical violence it can also be sexual, verbal, psychological, emotional, spiritual, economic or social. Domestic violence is the most frequent form of assault in Australian society nevertheless, it remains a hidden problem because it occurs within the privacy of the home and those involved are usually reluctant to speak out. Women and Children are commonly affected by domestic violence in fact, 33.3% of women had experienced physical violence since the age of 15 (Domestic Violence Statistics, 2016). Although, studies show that men are not the only perpetrators, in fact more than 10,000 men alone have been affected by domestic violence in NSW ("10,000 men are domestic violence victims", 2016).

For children living in violent and unsafe homes, they are learning that hitting and verbally abusing someone is the proper way of communicating love. According to Holt, Buckley & Whelan (2008), “as they learn a generational cycle begins in which children grow up to be victims and abusers as adults.” The effects that domestic violence has on children are heartbreaking. Some of the major effects are; increased risk of poor health, poor education, isolation, learned helplessness and decreased satisfaction in such family environment.

Domestic violence is the presence of violence within a relationship and takes place privately in domestic areas (Aic.gov.au, 2015). Domestic violence includes psychological abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse and emotional abuse (Aic.gov.au, 2015). In the survey conducted among the general public in Australia an anonymous respondent defined domestic violence as “Violent or aggressive behaviour, typically involving the abuse of a partner” (Kuol A. 2015).

In the past, Australian Federal and State governments have introduced several acts in attempt to suppress acts of domestic violence. Formerly, domestic violence was only recognised as physical abuse in a marriage between a man and a woman, as outlined in the Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 1989 (QLD). As such, legislation

Domestic Violence in Australia Before considering the possible solutions to Domestic Violence in Australia, it is imperative to develop an understanding of the scale and scope of the problem. Firstly, there must be acknowledgement of the particularly damaging nature of domestic violence, Minister for Child Protection Helen Morton stating, “The impacts of this experience on the physical and emotional wellbeing, and overall quality of life, for adult and child victims can be devastating, with many experiencing a lifetime of fear, threatened and actual abuse and violence.” (Western Australia.

The following essay will demonstrate the profound trauma and losses experienced by female victims of domestic violence in Australia. This essay will also examine the relevant theories and guiding concepts prominent to domestic violence case work in Australia. Furthermore, this essay will formulate constructive ways of responding to the needs of the victims and survivors at a personal and public health level. Moreover, this essay will analyse the diversity of personal and public responses and perceptions of domestic violence in Australia.

Surprisingly, many Australians are unaware that about 2.56 of women (33 per cent of all women) have experienced physical violence and 1.47 million (19 per cent) have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15. You also probably don’t know that only 7.2 per cent of the abusers have received a prison sentence. Although domestic violence is a widespread and growing problem in Australia, there is something quite radically wrong with applying the criminal law in this field.

Even though there are more services and awareness about domestic violence in Australia, it is still an epidemic with 1 in 3 people affected. Those affected usually do not seek support from outside sources due to being scared of the reactions of the perpetrator, fear of not being believed or even fear of what the police or other services may do to their family. This leaves the victim in a vulnerable situation feeling helpless and subjected to more and more violence overtime, increasing risk of suicidality or worse, murder.

Children who experience domestic violence may be as a result of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse weather this abuse was in forced by parents or other candidates. Parents and other candidates may contribute violence behavior because anger management, drug and/or alcohol addiction, or uncontrollable actions. Because no cause of domestic violence is tolerable, this impact on children may cause depression, anxiety, and increase in aggression, trauma symptoms, and antisocial behavior which will affect one’s life. Committing crimes, aggressive behavior and even suicide thoughts may occur due to ones domestic violence which will affect ones daily life. These children aren't the ones who should be blamed for their consequences of behavior, however those who inflected the violence and as a result these children have major social, behavioral, cognitive, and emotional effects. “An earlier study found that 23 per cent of young people aged 12 to20 years had witnessed violence against their mother or step-mother; 42 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) young people” (Mitchell,

Domestic and family violence make up nearly 25% among those serious and widespread issue in Australia, with enormous impacts on individual and community from 2003 until now.