Domestic violence happens to millions of homes every year. Consequently, the public “saying no” to domestic violence, victims, now less self-conscious to have been victimized, are able to talk about their wrongs, and can summon the help to prosecute their perpetrators, both in criminal and civil stadia.
Domestic Violence has drastically increased over the years. Violence in the home is a concern for most. The most affected victims rather it’s emotionally or physically are women. They fall into different categories: single, married, separated, or divorced. For years, people try to avoid this conversation. Women of all ages, all ethnicity, and all social level are affected by domestic violence in their homes. There are many reasons as to why this problem has been ignored for decades. Domestic Violence is clearly a problem that many agree upon. It is the solution that most are divided. Many agree that a solution to violence against women is to prevent it from occurring through harsher laws against the abusers.
Domestic violence is about intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power. Children who witness domestic violence can mean seeing actual incidents of physical/and or sexual abuse. That can simply mean hearing threats or hear fighting noises from the other room. Children that witness the aftermath like bruises and blood can also be affected in a traumatic way. How can children that witness and experience domestic violence develop socially?
Domestic violence is much more common than one may think. In fact, “a woman is beaten by her husband or partner every fifteen seconds in the United States” (Domestic Violence). This statistic doesn’t take into account how many women are verbally abused or women who are abused worldwide. It’s overwhelming to think how many women experience domestic violence each and everyday. More than likely, you have encountered a woman who is represented by this statistic. By the time physical abuse starts, a woman has already suffered from psychological abuse in a relationship. Women lose their self-esteem and dignity and often times feel alone. The immediate effects of abuse are heart-breaking when put into perspective. “‘I was very frightened of him, I had a great fear of him in my mind, it was like a beast had come, not a husband. I would shake if he came into the room. I would go to one side of the room and stay there and shake”’ (Fawcett, Featherstone, Hearn, and Toft 12). Many times, women are too afraid to report abuse to the police in fear of losing their husbands or making matters worse. Women sometimes are afraid of what...
Domestic violence is more common than I ever thought. Growing up, I had no idea what it even was. I would consider myself sheltered to that topic. But after experiencing it first hand, I soon learned that I was not alone. Statistics show that one in four women will experience it in her lifetime and the age range that is at greatest risk would be 20-24 years old (Safe Horizon, 2012). One thing that always runs through my head is how completely underreported this topic is. It was happening to me for months yet I never said anything. It has happened to childhood friends and high school classmates, but they had never spoken out about it until I did. I think that in order to make a difference, we need to be brave. Stand up and speak out.
Domestic violence can be seen in all forms, whether it be physically ,emotionally, or verbally. In just America 1 out of 4 women see abuse at some point in life and for men its 1 out of 12. This type of violence if often categorized and put under the category of “personal matters”. Domestic violence is something we need to understand and change.
Domestic violence can take many different forms, including assault (kicking, hitting, shoving, biting, slapping, restraining, battery, and throwing objects) or physical aggression, or threats thereof; controlling or domineering; sexual abuse; intimidation; passive/covert abuse; stalking; an economic deprivation. Mental illness and alcohol consumption can be co-morbid with abuse, and present additional challenges in combating domestic violence. Domestic violence is not just limited to obvious physical damage. Domestic violence can also mean criminal coercion, endangerment, kidnapping, trespassing, unlawful imprisonment, stalking, and harassment.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), twenty-four people per minute are affected be intimate partner violence. (2013) It is estimated that twelve million people in the United States alone are affected each year. Intimate partner violence includes anything from physical or sexual abuse to psychological abuse to stalking or threats by a current or former partner. This form of violence can occur among couples that identify with any sexual orientation. The CDC reports that individuals who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual are at an equal or higher risk for intimate partner violence. (2013) Sexual intimacy within the relationship is not a requirement for violence to be considered intimate partner violence. (CDC, 2013)
Violence is everywhere. Whether it is police brutality, war, or gory and bloody entertainment, violence is exceedingly common. People attempt to avoid the negativity, yet members of the community observe violent situations fairly often. Even though averting violence can be fairly uncomplicated, it can fester where people live. A home should be a comfortable sanctuary for those who live within its walls. Unfortunately, victims of domestic violence do not have this luxury. They live in fear and wonder what painful ordeal they will experience. Victims of domestic assault suffer physically and emotionally; the pain can leave bruises and cause mental damage. Domestic violence and abuse are insidious plagues that can destroy families and ruin lives.
Current statistical data on domestic violence estimates about every 9 seconds a woman is the victim of IPV. On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physical abused by an intimate partner in the United States, annually it amounts to more than 10 million victims. Domestic violence accounts for 15 percent of all violent crime. Women between the ages of 18-24 are more likely to be victim of IPV. By gender, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 3 men have been victims of some form of physical violence, this categories is considered minor violence such as throwing an object to inflict harm, pushing/ shoving, grabbing and slapping. 1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of serve physical violence; it includes biting, kicking, hitting with fist, beating or choking, and threating/ using a knife or firearm. The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide by 500 percent. 19 percent of domestic violence involves weapon. Daily there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotline, and only 34 percent of victims who are injured receive medical
“My journey to hell and back begin twelve years ago when I met what I thought would be the man of my dreams. In the beginning it was all good but as time went on he became someone I didn’t know. My children and I were physically abused and I had to find a way out.” Jane experienced what no person should have to endure which is Domestic Violence. Domestic Violence is commonly known as violent or aggressive behavior in the home involving the violent abuse of a spouse or partner. Experiencing domestic violence can cause long term effects on young Americans. Having more programs to help these women get out of these situations and building their self-esteem will help to lessen domestic violence cases.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a tremendously serious social and public health problem. Progression of intimate partner violence can lead to morbidity or mortality and affect various types of relationships. An intimate partner is one that is described by frequent contact, identifying as a couple, emotional bonding, and regular physical and/or sexual contact. A few examples of intimate partners includes dating partners, spouses, girlfriends or boyfriends, and sexual partners. Violence within these intimate relationships can be psychological, physical, or sexual and present in heterosexual relationships, homosexual relationships, and to disabled partners in relationships.
Domestic abuse is a big issue around the world. But sometimes females as well as males think that gender violence is a normal thing in a relationship. However, the UNFPA states that “worldwide, one in three women has been beaten, coerced into unwanted sexual relations, or abused-often by a family member or acquaintance.’(Domestic Violence). Nobody should be treated this way.