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Intimate Partner Violence

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Intimate partner violence includes the physical, sexual, or psychological harm brought unto someone by a current or former partner. While both males and females can be targets of abusive relationships; women are more likely to report cases of intimate partner violence to the police. Based on reports, the rate of women targeted is significantly higher than the percentage of men. Intimate partner violence may occur in all countries, cultures, religions, and socioeconomic groups throughout the world. Underreporting is a huge issue in our society, which stems from aspects such as cultural views, the presence of children, a lack financial support/help, myths associated with intimate partner violence, patriarchy, and strain theory.
Cultural views …show more content…

Intimate partner violence can be perpetrated when a series of stressful events cause someone, in this case the man to break down and use violence to release their emotions and aggression. This added stress in a man’s life can in some situations lead him to be abusive towards his intimate partner. Men can become violent towards intimate partners when they lose their job, leading them to be unable to provide for their family. Unemployment can cause an individual to abuse alcohol or drugs and therefore cause them to lash out against loved ones. Being under the influence can alter ones perceptions and make their actions seem legitimate (Ronet and Alvarez, 2008). Alcohol can also be used as an excuse to use violence and not feel responsible for your actions (Ronet and Alvarez, 2008). Another variable that can lead to intimate partner violence is if a couple is expecting a child or if the pregnancy was unplanned. Women who are expecting a child tend to focus their attention mostly on the pregnancy, which can cause her partner to feel neglected. This drastic shift in attention can cause him to potentially lash out. On the other hand if the pregnancy was unplanned, the household yearly income may not be able to handle all the extra expenses. Knowing that you have a child on the way and not …show more content…

While it affects so many people worldwide, there are still cultures to this day that follow old male authoritarian traditions. Women often choose to remain in abusive relationships because of their cultural views, their children, a lack of financial support/ help, myths surrounding intimate partner violence, patriarchy present in the relationship, and strain. The problem of underreporting not only prevents us from knowing how many become victims of such abuse, but it also pushes the problem under the rug. We need to raise awareness and show people that there are resources out there that can help a person transition into a safe living environment, far from

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