The Truth About Domestic Abuse

There is no real way to tell if a child exposed to intimate partner violence will one day grow up to abuse his or her significant other but there are indicators which will be presented later on in this paper. As well as the short-term and long-term effects that witnessing intimate partner violence can have on children. First off we’ll delve into what intimate partner violence is and some of the national statistics.

Domestic violence is a hidden problem in today 's society. I will why domestic violence is important to be educated on. A lot of us do not know about domestic violence, and it is important that we educate ourselves on it. I think it is very important because no should endure any type of violence. I think if you know more about domestic violence, then you might be more likely to prevent yourself from getting in that situation. The statistics of domestic abuse against women has been estimated as high as one in four. I will layout the results of my research in the form of charts, graphs, and brief descriptions. I will give recent statistics in the U.S. and in the state of Tennessee. Also, I will either prove my hypothesis right or wrong with the research, I will provide through my survey.

The effects of violence on a victim's health are far-reaching and devastating. World Health Organization estimates that around 40% of all female murder victims are killed by an intimate partner. Victims of domestic violence are more likely to commit suicide. Domestic violence also contributes to other forms of violence against women. Families or individuals who have experienced domestic violence are in the process of healing both physically and emotionally from multiple traumas. These traumas can have various effects on the mind, body and spirit.

Experiencing a traumatic event such as domestic violence as a child can cause many problems like developing mental disorders. The perpetrators often abuse others because it is what they learned growing up. Data shows that boys who were raised in an abusive household are more likely to become abusive when they become adults (“Domestic Violence”).

Domestic violence has led to poor health among the victims. They experience physical pain and several injuries. (Harne, 2008, p.39).

research conducted by Edleson shows the findings that children that are expose to domestic violence have negative psychological impact, those children are at high risk for depression, anxiety, and attachment disorder. To add, they also demonstrated aggression, not being able to follow rules, and delinquency. Overall, this research revels in depth the psychological effects that happen after a child being expose to domestic violence in comparison with children that have not been exposed to domestic violence.

The children and loved one that are apart of these domestic violence events are also greatly affected by the raft of the violence. In many situations the children in the household who witness the domestic abuse are also physically abused themselves. Children who live in homes where there is domestic violence also suffer abuse or neglect at high rates (30% to 60%) (Domestic Violence). Children, in most cases, who are surrounded by abuse or are physically abused, are more likely to use violence or outrages in situations. When children belong to a household where

Domestic violence stories are stories that are shared way too often by women all over, but when a child is exposed to these acts, their social, emotional, and behavioral growth can be greatly impacted.

Domestic violence is seen as physical abuse between two partners; whether that be boyfriend, husband, girlfriend, wife, or even a recent ex. When women used to be seen as their husbands property and the children their parents many things happened behind closed doors that were not talked about. Which could be why many women see it as acceptable and do nothing about it. Resulting in the kids that are stuck in between this stressful household with no help. No one really sees how being shown to this violence can affect a child later in life. Early exposure to domestic violence can have long term effects on a child 's mental and physical state.

It then leads to more problems and causes further problems for the child which drag into adulthood. According to the sources at the Domestic Violence Roundtable, (2008), “Psychological effects hinder and prevent healthy development of the child’s physical health and the child becomes more likely to become an abuser” (para 7). Children can develop stress-related illnesses such as headaches and stomachaches which can lead to more serious illnesses if treatment or therapy is not implemented in time. This is due mostly because of the trauma that children experience; trauma is the cause of psychological effects and usually cannot be avoided in cases of domestic violence. The physical and mental aspect of psychological effects comes from trauma, as it tends to have a very heavy affect on children. Trauma is a form of a mental sickness, and due to the child’s inability to cope with the trauma, they experience these physical symptoms. Often these symptoms turn into lifelong illnesses that cannot ever be completely cured (“American Family Physician,” 2009, para.

Domestic violence is not only one spouse hitting the other spouse; it also includes controlling ones actions and behaviors. This is important for an abused spouse to understand. Some spouses may think abuse does not exist in their relationship because they are not physically abused.

a) Heather Pollett writes in The Connection Between Violence, “a history of childhood physical abuse has significantly higher rates of anxiety disorders, alcohol dependence, and antisocial behavior and are more likely to have one or more disorders than were those without such a history”

Every minute, nearly 20 people are physically abused by an intimate partner, family member, or someone they know in the United States. This is a major problem not just in society, not just in the United states, but all over the world. People are ignoring the inevitable that abuse is a real thing and it could happen to anyone at anytime. Although people often think domestic abuse is a problem of the poor and underprivileged, it can affect all genders, race, and stature.

This type of abuse causes physical harms that affect an individual by leaving them with injuries, and having to deal with health problems. Physical abuse is the most common factor to domestic violence. It causes the victims to deal with major injuries, and with long lasting health problems. Choking, slapping, biting and being held against their will are just some of the examples of physical abuse. Many people, who are abusers to their own families, were most likely abused when they were young. Women are more likely to be the main victims of physical abuse by their spouse or significant other, followed by abuse to the elderly with a short percentage of men as the role of the victim (UNICEF ). Generally out of fear, women tend to stay with their abusers for many reasons; such as economic reasons, fear and isolation. (Doak).Often when women are abused in the household, their child is abused as well. “As many as 275 million children worldwide are exposed to violence in the home” (UNICEF). Once the abuser has grown tired of abusing the adult, the abuser may start mistreating the one person or persons in the home who they can further manipulate and would be afraid to fight back, the children. Witnessing physical abuse at a young age can a have a major impact on a child’s life, and when they reach adulthood. These children often have problems in school, and go through behavioral changes. Chronic ailments; such as

“Every year in the United States there are over 3 million incidents of domestic violence. That means that every nine seconds a women is beaten by her domestic partner” (Findeley). There are many women that stay silent when being abuse by their partners. The consequences of staying quiet when obtaining abuse can be dangerous and can also lead to death. Many women do not recognize the importance of the fact that there is in speaking out if they are being abuse by their partner. No woman should take domestic abuse by their partners. Every woman deserves a healthy relationship; A healthy relationship involves trust, respect, and consideration for the other person. Domestic abuse has gotten worse during the past years and is still rising up. One can see that domestic abuse can occur everywhere. Domestic abuse is considered a crime and woman should not keep silent when being abuse.