Twenty Five Years of Declining Domestic Violence Today in America, there seems to be an overwhelming amount of violent crime that takes place. Watching the nightly news, one could take a tally of the numerous attacks and deaths that are reported. Violence is not a new phenomenon, however. From Cain murdering Abel, to massacres at villages being raided, to the atrocities of the Holocaust, and the attacks of September 11, 2001, violence is ever present. The focus of this paper is a subset of violence, domestic violence. The societal question being posed in this paper is: Has domestic violence increased over the past twenty five years or is it just being reported better? While it may seem like a simple question, the answer is quite perplexing. Though there has been a statistical reduction in domestic violence, domestic violence continues to be an epidemic (Montaldo, Vagianos). Domestic violence is rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, or simple assault committed by an offender who is the victim’s current or former spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, parent, child, sibling, or other relative (Truman 14). In 1990, there were 1,500 shelters for battered women; 2300 less than shelters for animals (“Fast”). That same year, battering was not included as a prenatal risk factor meritorious of surveillance and prevention (Stoto 138). Between 40% and 60% of emergency calls to police were, and still are, domestic violence disputes in 1990 (“Fast”). Three to four million women were beaten in their homes each year by their spouses, ex-spouse, or male lovers in the United States, according to the statistical analysis in 1990 (“Fast”). In 1991, one woman was beaten by her spouse every fifteen seconds in the United States (“Fast”). By 1... ... middle of paper ... ...ure of abusers, it is still dangerous for the victim to leave the relationship safely (Montaldo, Vagianos). While there have been supportive programs that have been implemented since 1990, many of the programs, while helpful and played a role in domestic violence decline, may have a negative impact on the escaping abused individual. There may be fewer claims of domestic violence, but that does not mean that this country can stop its vigilance against domestic violence because it will continue. In American, 74% of people now someone or is a victim of domestic violence (“Fast”). This is an epidemic that will take the entire nation to recognize and be proactive with its approach with dealing with the situation. Whether it is a woman, man, child, or elderly person, we as humans should feel protected or have recourse for protection even if it is from those closest to us.
In this paper I will be telling you many different forms of domestic violence. I will include the physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, spiritual abuse, economic abuse, social abuse, and emotional abuse. I will also describe the "cycle of violence", teen dating violence, and why women stay with an abusive partner.
In the study involving 2,143 married couples living together completed in 1975 and the study involving 6,002 couples completed in 1985 these studies showed that females had a slightly higher rate of assaulting their spouse than men did (Straus & Gelles, 1986, 1990). The overall rates in the 1985 National Family Violence Survey was 124 per 1,000 women assaulted their male partners compared to 122 per 1000 men who assaulted their female partners (Dutton, 1988; Stets & Straus, 1990). These studies show that women have the same if not hig...
Domestic abuse is a significant and threatening issue in the United States. Sadly, the rates of this shameful violence are increasing. This violence is not limited to the privacy of relationships and homes, it occurs everywhere and in all relationships. Football player, Ray Rice portrayed an act of domestic violence when he punched his wife and knocked her unconscious on February 15 of 2014. Women are heavily affected by this abuse and it’s the leading cause of injuries on women. According to crime reports (qtd. in “Domestic Violence”), one woman is beaten by her husband or partner every 15 seconds in the United States. Also, according to a report (qtd. in “Domestic Violence”), domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the United States, more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined. Domestic abuse is not simple, it has a historical context to it, it creates abusive cycles in relationships, and it links to economic statuses.
Domestic violence and abuse takes place within family-type intimate relationships and forms a pattern of intimidating and controlling behaviors, which overtime escalates (Dennis, T. 2014, p 1). It can also cause physical psychological or sexual harm to these relations as well (Gul & Faiz, 2013). Domestic Violence according to Fairtlough (2006) is “the misuse of power and the exercise of control by one individual over another, generally by men over women, with whom they have been in an intimate relationship. It assumes a wide range of abusive physical, sexual, and psychological behaviors.” Dennis argued that domestic violence has become a serious societal and public health issue and is a major risk factor for psychiatric disorders
The main themes of this argument are the political and social attitudes of the subject and how the trends of Domestic Violence and Abuse persuade communities and individuals to feel about the matter; also how different locations and situations have an impact on how and why Domestic Violence and Abuse occurs. Why men feel they cannot report their cases of Domestic Violence and abuse to the police, how this crime type is measured and the historical and cultural relativity to Domestic Violence and abuse. Other themes will include the economy and the views of the Criminal Justice System.
Each year approximately 4.8 million acts of physical or sexual aggression are perpetrated against women while 2.9 million physically aggressive acts are perpetrated against men within the United States (Edleson, Ellerton, Seagren, Kirchberg, Schmidt & Ambrose, 2007). Many of these incidents take place in the presences of children, which make these figures even more disturbing (Evans, Davies & DiLillo, 2008). Research indicates that 40.2% of United States battered women responding in national surveys state that their children have witnessed one or more abusive events (Edleson et al., 2007). Overall 66% of research samples regarding childhood exposure to domestic violence reported to having direct exposure to the abuse (Barnett, Miller-Perrin & Perrin, 2011).
Statistical evidence can be used to stress the seriousness of domestic violence and the importance of having women’s shelters dispersed throughout the nation. According to recent surveys, one in every three women will experience domestic violence at some time during her lifetime. Domestic violence is also the leading cause of injury to women, with the abuser usually being a member of her own family. Finally, up to ten million American children witness some type of domestic violence every year (Fantuzzo and Fusco, “Children’s Direct Exposure to Types of Domestic Violence Crime: A Population-based Investigation”). These statistics show that domestic violence is a reality and that the efforts of women’s shelters are not in vain.
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is historically referred to as domestic violence. It describes a pattern of coercive and assaultive behavior that may include psychological abuse, progressive isolation, sexual assault, physical injury, stalking, intimidation, deprivation, and reproductive coercion among partners (The Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF), 1999). IPV leads to lifelong consequences such as lasting physical impairment, emotional trauma, chronic health problems, and even death. It is an issue effecting individuals in every community, regardless of age, economic status, race, religion, nationality or educational background. Eighty-five percent of domestic violence victims are women (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2003). More than one in three women in the United States have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime (The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2012). Thirty to sixty percent of perpetrators tend to also abuse children in the household (Edelson, 1999). Witnessing violence between parents or caretakers is considered the strongest risk factor of transmitting violent behavior from one generation to the next (Break the Cycle, 2006).
Historically, domestic violence was viewed as only involving physical abuse. However, the more contemporary view of domestic violence has come to include not only physical types of abuse; but as well as emotional, sexual, physiological, and economic violence that may be committed
Domestic violence is not just fighting, hitting or an occasional argument. It’s a chronic abuse of power. The abuser of domestic violence, controls and tortures the victim of threats, intimidation, and physical violence. Domestic violence is one of the leading causes of violence in America. The abusers are not only men, women can be abusers as well. Women make up the vast majority of domestic violence. According to the American Bar Association (ABA), 90-95% of domestic violence victims are females and 70% of intimidating homicides are females. Domestic violence is a serious crime and everyone needs to be aware of its effects. This essay presents and explains the evidence supporting the major risk factors for intimate partner homicides.
... policies have to be able to effectively deal with the crime. The results of this study can be used to formulate policy in the state and in other states. The study plays an important role in understanding the nature of domestic violence, and how enforcement of stricter laws against it will affect its prevalence in the community.
Domestic violence is a devastating social problem that impacts every sector of our population. Domestic violence is 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(USDOJ,2012). Domestic violence can be physical, economic, emotional, sexual, or psychological. Physical domestic violence is an attempt to impose physical injury such as grabbing, slapping, hitting, biting, etc. Physical violence can also be withholding necessary resources to sustain health such as medication, food, sleep, or forcing alcohol or other drug use. Economic abuse is an attempt to make the victim financially dependent. Such as sustaining control over financial resources including the victims earned income, forbidding employment, on the job harassment, or withholding information about family expenses. Emotional abuse can be the attempt to undermine the victims self worth. This could be belittling the victim, name calling, insults, criticism, manipulating, etc. Sexual abuse is any sexual contact without consent. For example, marital rape, attacks on sexual parts of the body, forced sex, forced prostitution. Sexual abuse can also be an attempt to undermine the victims sexuality by treating them in a derogatory manner, criticizing sexual performance, or withholding sex. Psychological abuse is the attempt to implant fear. This could involve intimidation, threats of physical harm, harassment, mind games, and stalking. Psychological abuse can also be an attempt to isolate victim from friends and family member. Abusers can go so far as withholding access to a telephone, transportation, constant check ups, forced imprisonment, and undermining personal relationships. Dome...
“One woman is beaten by her husband or partner every 15 seconds in the United States” (Stewart & Croudep, 1998-2012). Domestic violence can interfere with the husband-wife relationship because one spouse is always in constant fear of the other. This violence could vary from physical abuse to ps...
Domestic violence is skyrocketing in our society. In the U.S., as many as 1.5 million women and 850,000 men were physically assaulted by their intimate partner last year, and numerous children abused by their parents. These sad criminal acts will continue to grow in our society, unless our community takes action to stop these crimes.
According to Farmer and Tiefethaler, “violence against women by intimate partners fell by 21 percent between 1993 and 1998 from 1.1 million violent incidents to 876,340 incidents” (2). This is, in large part, due to the women’s movement, where domestic violence victimization was a major concern for women. “Economic theory predicts that the incidence of abuse declines as women gain economic independence and therefore gain power in their relationships” (4). Also a large effect of the women’s movement, as women’s alternatives and freedoms within their relationships improve, women are more able to exit, or threaten to exit their relationships and experience less violence. In order to avoid losing their partner, men must lessen their use of violence. With this we should expect a couple of situations in which a women’s situation would help their victimization. For one, we should expect that women who have greater earnings or earning potential are more likely to leave abusive relationships (5). These women are more likely to leave because they are able to support themselves on their own. We should also expect the gender equality of their community to provide them with better opportunity and alternatives to leaving an abusive relationship. According to Farmer and Tiefenthaler, “For example, a woman’s threat to leave her abuser is much more credible if she lives in an area where a large percentage of women are employed and women’s wages are high”