Victims Of Domestic Violence

In the most recent data available from 2015, it was disclosed that nearly 92,000 Canadians had report to the police an incident related to domestic violence; of this number, 80% of them were women (Burczycka, 2017). It is then no surprise that intimate partnership violence has been found to be one of the major causes of violence against women in Canada (Ministry of the Status of Women, 2015). Many agencies focus on supporting directly the female victims and providing them with secured shelters and safe spaces to rebuild themselves after leaving their abusive relationship (Shelter Safe, 2017). However, a need to address domestic violence from the roots arose in Ontario1982, when the community identified a gap in the offer of programs

The possibility of receiving blame for being raped can contribute to a rape sufferer’s reluctance to report the crime (Stahl, Eek, & Kazemi, 2010). Furthermore, viewing victims as being responsible for their conditions may increase the likelihood of an observer to stigmatize the group to which that victim may belong (Braman & Lambert, 2001). It is important to understand why observers of crimes and misfortune, even when they are family and friends of the victim, engage in victim-blaming practices. The ‘just world-view’ hypothesis is a possible explanation, but this hypothesis is complex. Various factors may influence a person’s likelihood to feel that their conception of justice in the world has been

Last week, the White House released a short, celebrity packed, 60-second public service announcement (PSA) on the topic of sexual assault. 1 is 2 Many addressed those who are in control of preventing sexual assault as its intended audience was those who can put a stop to sexual violence: the perpetrators or would-be offenders. Although this one minute announcement completed the task of bringing sexual assault to the forefront of discussion, it failed to encompass the central issues concerning the culture of sexual assault: societal misperceptions, the victims, and the justice system. Sexual assault is a phenomenon that has been around for centuries; the culture of sexual assault is rooted in both legal practices and societal perceptions.

Rape is a crime in which one person forces another person with threats, physical force or deception to have sex or sexual contact. In many cases rape is often through penetration, but victims are submitted to rape under different circumstances, such as oral sex, therefore rape has many muddled definitions. The various definitions of rape is a consequence of different cultural backgrounds and stereotypes. Sexual assaults have an effect on everyone either directly or indirectly, especially when victim blaming. Rape is not biased, for it can occur to any person despite their age, gender, religion, education level, sexual orientation or ethnicity. “According to the Department of Justice the average number of rape cases reported annually is approximately 89,000, but many victims are fearful to report their case to the police, for they do not want to be blamed for their assault.” (The Offender 's) Victim blaming in rape cases is a direct correlation to stereotypes. Some stereotypes that affect victim blaming is sexual orientation, promiscuity, gender roles, and race. “These contributing factors are stemmed from the much larger problem of society 's idea of gender and race stereotypes.” (Gill)

Above all, getting domestic violence offenders stricter punishments will help several things. It will lower the rates of domestic violence, and it will create fewer injuries. Domestic violence offenders should acquire stricter punishments. They don't deserve to be discharged for doing such a terrible thing. The most important issue here is how much danger the victim is in if the offender is not arrested.

Rape culture creates myths that victim blame the survivors of sexual violence. For example, a victim of a crime may be asked a question by police that suggests the victim was too drunk or wearing revealing clothing that provoked the perpetrator and resulted in the sexual violence against the victim. Rape culture silences victims who feel that law enforcement and the judicial system do not protect them or hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions. The stigma of sexual violence continues to silence students who choose to not report incidences because they are in fear of stepping forward or believe the judicial system will fail them when they

The one word that best characterizes the experience of domestic violence victims within the criminal justice system is, "complicated." Victims suffer from a two-fold problem when dealing with the criminal justice system. When dealing with law enforcement and courts, many victims might be not taken seriously or their wishes not respected. This poses a significant problem, as if victims feel they cannot trust the system to help them, they will not seek help in the future when they need it. This, in turn, creates the opposite of the deterrent effect the criminal justice system wants, as abusers learn that their victims will not seek help, allowing them full control over them.

America has a proud history of being a country that has many different ethnicities and cultures living within its borders. But one of the most prevalent cultures is one that transcends race or country of origin, rape culture. The term used by modern day feminist and gender activist defines a culture which normalizes rape and sexual assaults because of the deeply rooted societal attitudes towards gender and sexuality. In a rape culture the instances of rape are accepted as everyday occurrences and even as the prerogative of men, resulting in the stigmatization and blame placing of rape victims. Although the phrase “rape culture” is relatively modern, the

Merril Smith’s Encycolpedia of Rape defines the term “rape culture” as “one in which rape and other sexual violence against women . . . [is] both prevalent and considered the norm” (174). Rape is not a new subject in today’s society, its origins reaching far back into history. What causes rape, though? Is it the primal drive of men to exhibit dominance over all women, or do the women share the blame because of the way they dress, act, or do their makeup? Modern American culture would place the blame on the woman who “provoked” the attack; however, a woman should not have to park closer to the building she is entering, nor should she have to carry protection just in case a sexual predator decides that she is his next victim. Men are just as

Many people consider the victim the cause of their own rape. They are found as the cause often because of the way they were dressed, how they acted, or if they “protected themselves.” These factors should not place the blame on the victim. When victims are deemed the cause of rape, rather than being treated as the victim, it can be psychologically harmful to them. To prevent these women from suffering further, we need to understand why they are not at fault.

One can only imagine how uncomfortable the lives of women who are experiencing or have previously experienced domestic violence is. Can you imagine, living every day in constant fear that today might be your last? That today could be the day that your abuser finally snaps, and life as you know it is over in the blink of an eye as you are trying to dodge that punch to your precious temple. Domestic violence was defined as an assault, threat, or intimidation by a male partner. (Abbott, Johnson, Koziol-McLain, & Lowenstein, 1995) Every year an estimated 2 million to 4 million woman in the United States are reportedly abused by their alleged male partners. Many of these women are ruthlessly physically assaulted, and thousands end up losing their life to the battle. (www.mayoclinic.com). These such statistics are flabbergasting. Many are under the impression that Domestic abuse only appears through physical violence – a fight of some sorts, but it is in fact prevalent in psychological abuse as well. Domestic violence occurs in several various unfortunate ways, such as verbally, mentally, and physically. Domestic violence is a widely spread issue throughout the United States. It is unfortunate that women are still being seen as inferior in comparison to men in today’s society. Women on average make only 77 cents to every dollar earned by men working in the same position. (Glynn, 2013) It is evident that men do also experience Domestic violence, but

Women are commonly known to be the victims of a domestic violence act. In fact, a woman is so likely to be the victim of a domestic violence act that a passage from From Suffrage to the Senate: America's Political Women states "Women are 85 percent of the victims of domestic violence" (O'Dea). This passage includes that 85 percent of women are the victims of domestic violence that means that is more than half of domestic violence cases are women being victims. There have been many cases of women being victims of domestic violence. Cases can be traced back to 1980. In the 1980's women began to file lawsuits on cities, police officers, and husbands. Women would sue for violating their Fourteenth Amendment. The Fourteenth Amendment states "nor

Feminist scholarship has argued that rape ideology encourages and justifies sexual coercion, trivializes sexual violence and demeans and devalues women who have experienced sexual assault. The foundation of this argument is based on women's experiences in patriarchal societies. Due to the fact that

For most individuals, the thought of blaming the victim of a tragic experience for their own pain and suffering, seems preposterous. However, ascribing at least some of the blame to the victim is not uncommon (Niemi & Young, 2014). Victim blaming refers to individuals finding reasons to hold the victim of an incident responsible for the crime that took place (Hayes, Lorenz & Bell, 2013). For victims of sexual assault, who may already be experiencing self-blame and distrust of others, being blamed adds insult to injury (Harber, Podolski, & Williams, 2015). According to Harber et. al, victim blaming can also have long-term effects on victims, such as, increased anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. In an effort to increase support and resources for survivors of sexual assault researchers must determine why individuals are prone to blaming the victims rather than the perpetrator of a crime.

Rape culture is an environment in which social attitudes have the effect of normalizing sexual violence against women and excusing it in the media and other popular cultures. Rape culture attempts to rationalize a continuum of sexual violence that range from sexist remarks to unwanted sexual touching, and rape itself. Rape culture has become so desensitized by society that perpetrators may not be aware of their wrongdoings and victims may not realize they are being victimized. It is a culture in which victims are suppressed when they decide to speak up about their traumatic attack, because they are seen as being dramatic or untruthful while the perpetrator's actions are left unpunished. While the majority of victims are women, rape culture is not solemnly an issue of female oppression, it is a general disconnect between human beings. It is a culture that many of us refuse to accept exist, however there are numerous examples that normalize rape and sexual assault on a daily basis. Rape culture is not a new topic. The term was first used back in the 1970’s by a group of feminist to raise the awareness of the normalization of sexual violence in society. In recent years the topic has become a popular, controversial issue and has come to permeate virtually every aspect of our lives through media, song lyrics, and everyday jargon.