Historically women have been undermined substantially in almost all sectors of life. In some cultures, women were not even counted during census implying they were not part of the population. So far, a lot has changed in the past few centuries as humans have learned and evolved substantially through civilization. Nonetheless, even today in the 21st-century women suffer a great deal, and their gender is partly to blame for their troubles. One of the key issues facing women today is domestic violence in both marital and other romantic relationships. Although, it has been deduced that men also suffer from this vile offense women bear the brunt. This paper, therefore, aims to look into the causes, effects, and solutions if any of domestic violence in the household.
Grovert (2008) estimates that around 1.5-3.6 million females are either physically assaulted or raped by their partners each year. Since assaults occur on multiple occasions, the exact number is approximated to be thrice that. This paper will look into physical assault only rape is another crime altogether. Furthermore, only heterosexual relationships will be evaluated as there is little data regarding domestic violence in same sex relationships. With that said it is important to clarify what domestic violence entails. Domestic violence is regarded as any form of physical or psychological harm that is inflicted on an individual by their intimate partners. People’s views regarding domestic violence are based on the gender-based theories suggesting that men are dominant in a patriarchal society and will do whatever it takes to keep it that way (Robertson & Murachver, 2007). Women abuse has detrimental effects on the physical and mental state of not only the individual battered but the whole family. These effects are both long and short term. This paper explores this controversial topic through evaluating statistical data and documented cases.
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Historical Background
Many cultures, religions and consequently societies viewed domestic violence as a form of discipline. It was similar to when a child is reprimanded when found in the wrong. Islam, one of the main religions at the moment, articulates that there is no fault when a man hits his wife provided she does not do as he asks. Thereby, the beating was never given much thought unless it was severe. Even then the man would get off with a light punishment or none at all. It was not until the 20th century that women had had enough, and significant strides were made in quelling the malevolence. It is documented that by 1920, all the States of America had declared domestic violence unlawful, but no serious actions were taken on perpetrators until the latter stages of the 1970s (FindLaw).
The excessive and active civil rights movements in the 1950s challenged the abuse of women and consequently lay the foundations of feminism. Following important strides by then feminists’ groups, domestic violence became a public issue in the 1970s. Before the decade, such cases were dealt with through mediation; however, cases such as the death of Ruth Bunnell implied the method was not working (FindLaw). The case was important as Bunnell died as a result of police non-intervention when clearly she was severely assaulted by her abusive husband. As a result, many women’s shelters to rescue sufferers were built (the first was Women’s Advocates shelter which was started in 1973 in St Paul, Minnesota.
In 1984 a crucial bill, the Family Violence Prevention Services Act, was passed by Congress that meant the government was entitled to develop facilities and programs to prevent abuse in households (Samaritan House). Major landmark cases that helped changed the way police dealt with women’s assault cases. The past 30 years have seen remarkable feats being achieved by anti-violence movements that have contributed to solving the plight of mistreated women.
Causes of Domestic Violence
Even though there are numerous cases where the hostility was utterly by surprise, there are patterns and reasons that suggest why men assault their partners. The first factor that leads to this is early parenthood. Women who had conceived children before they had turned 21 were twice as a risk to be victimized as females who not mothers by that age. On the other hand, men who had fathered kids by 21 were three times more likely to assault their significant others than males who were not fathers by that age (Payne & Wermeling, 2009). Most young parents lack the mentality and perseverance to raise children. Thus the stress that arises from hardships is often released in wicked ways on women.
Secondly, alcohol and drug abuse are other causes of wife battering. The majority of male perpetrators are linked with either alcohol and drug problems or both. A study by Sharps et al. (2003) suggested that more than two-thirds of individuals convicted of assaulting their partners had a tendency of using alcohol or drugs during such incidents. Moreover, severe addiction increases the risk of occurrence of malice in relationships.
Lastly, Poverty and associated stressors greatly contribute to the continual of physical assaults. Abuse is comparably high in households with low income compared to their affluent counterparts. In the case where the man is the sole provider, he has complete authority thereby he can do as he wishes to his wife/girlfriend. Therefore, no consequences arise from the man’s actions. Furthermore, poverty hugely motivates women who are in abusive relationships; they cannot leave since they will not be able to support themselves and their children.
Payne and Wermeling (2009) articulate that other mental factors come into play when explaining why individuals remain in a relationship despite being constantly mistreated. Most women are fearful of how their intimate partners might react should they speak out. In most cases, relevant authorities will not act early enough, and the women in this scenario will suffer considerably. What’s more, although a lot has changed females still think it is shameful to state how they are violated. This occurs mostly in arranged marriages where the relationship’s status should be upheld no matter the consequence.
Impacts of Domestic Violence
Domestic violence has a lot of effects than what is usually perceived. The act may have future health implications on the affected individual; moreover, in a family with young ones, children suffer a lot also. Physical injuries are observant therefore the most common impacts of abuse include “cuts, bruises, bite marks, concussions, broken bones, miscarriages, joint damage, loss of hearing and migraines” (Alejo, 2014). Mental problems are often associated with the vice, and they include anxiety, depression, addiction, social dysfunctions in some instances the abusers commit suicide. Nonetheless, the victims are the only ones who sustain injuries; the perpetrators are harmed due to self-inflicted injuries and during self-defense. In a heterosexual relationship the severity of injuries if women cannot be compared to that of the abusers this is because they bear the brunt of child abuse. Looking into the total number of women victimized it is more likely that women suffer from long-term health impacts of domestic violence.
Domestic Violence and its Health Implications
Domestic violence not only leads to physical harm but affects the spiritual, emotional and psychological state of an individual. Majorly, people tend to ignore the long-term effects that battering has on both the partners. Physical and mental abuse have been linked to disorders such as cervical cancer, gynecological problems, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and both temporary and permanent disability.
Coker et al. (2009) performed a research to establish the linkage between cervical cancer and victims of domestic violence. The expectations were that women who were previously abused would have at higher risk of contracting the disease. Females in such affiliations are more likely to be smokers; thus victims of abuse who were smokers were anticipated to have a higher risk of getting cervical cancer. With help from the Kentucky Women’s Health Registry, an organization that collects data about women, Coker, et al. (2009) was able to interview a significant specimen of the women living in Kentucky.
The women were asked questions regarding physical abuse, the length of exposure and forms of abuse they had encountered. It was found out that of the women interviewed 35.9% had been victimized at one point in their life. Of the women who had been abused 3.5% affirmed to have had cervical cancer at a stage in their life. Only 1.3% participants who had not experienced domestic violence reported having had cervical cancer. Therefore, Coker et al. (2009) concluded that women who were physically abused stood a greater chance of smoking, using illegal drugs and contracting human papillomavirus all of which contribute to cervical cancer. Even though the study was self-reported that may result in inaccuracy, the participants’ population was momentous enough to portray the whole population.
Physical injuries are certainly detrimental to women; however, research has shown that emotional injury is more harmful health-wise in the long run. Women who are abused experience psychological disorders that make them more vulnerable to victimization which ultimately leads to physical harm as well as suicidal thought, social dysfunction and sleeping disorders. McCaw et al. suggest that women who have been battered in the 12 months before the time period are impaired greatly when it comes to social functioning (2007). Moreover, women with psychological problems tend to put themselves at risk and further repeat violence when they remain in hostile environments. A vicious cycle is formed as domestic violence leads to poorer mental health, and poor mental health makes women prone to domestic violence (Alejo, 2014)
Impact of Domestic Violence on Children
Children are often involved when it comes to domestic violence. Many at times they are forced to witness the acts and even in some instances they are physically assaulted. The hostile atmosphere more often than not leads to behavioral, academic, emotional and developmental problems. Children or teen who grow up in violent households are more likely to be violent, commit suicide, use drugs, commit a crime and consequently be abusers themselves later in life (Kaur and Garg, 2008). The risks of affected children and teens developing the mentioned traits increase with the length of exposure. Since separation is primarily the answer to avoid further assault children also suffer the mental consequences that are associated with divorce. Moreover, in some severe cases where homicide is perpetrated children may be emotionally scarred for long periods due to the trauma involved.
Solutions to Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is a widespread activity thus it was difficult to stop it all at once. Moreover, it is impossible to prevent such as it was difficult to articulate who has the potential to commit such an offense. However, many steps can be taken to quell domestic violence. The methods range from educating women on their rights and when to leave and to the police’s reaction regarding such cases. In the past decade, a variety of support for domestic violence victims has expanded nonetheless there is still more to be done.
The main issue that prevents women from evading hostile partners is the uncertainty of undergoing the transition safely. It is believed that abuse does not stop after the offender is reported if the victim is not firmly secured then the retaliations may be more intense leading to more acute battering. Many women suffer from the post-separation violence that is to imply that even after separation they and their children are still at risk. This is primarily due to poor law enforcement, lenient prosecution, and ineffectiveness of civil protection orders. As such both law enforcement and activists groups needs to facilitate the protection of women during and after the trial. This may be done through implementing strict regulations against those who violate protection orders and getting the victims as far away as possible and keeping their identity a secret.
Furthermore, more work should be placed on the police officers. Their duty should not only be to reprimand those suspected of domestic violence but to ensure the well-being of the victims. Ensuring the welfare should include taking them to a medical facility to ascertain their health state is not fatal. Secondly, they should take it upon themselves to get shelters that may house the victims and their children in cases where the women have nowhere to go. In addition, police officers should be prompt to react to violation calls: which has not been the case in the past. This on some occasions has led to the continual of suffering for women when the officers could have clearly intervened.
Additionally, financial assistance and other types of social welfare should be made available to cater for victims of abuse who successfully go through with the prosecution. There should be shelter homes that not only house the victims as well as their children but those that will safeguard the transition from a two parent household into a one parent one (Payne and Wermeling, 2009). As much as enormous efforts are out into rehabilitating, counseling and caring for abused women and children, resources should be set aside to ensure their recovery to a normal livelihood. The process would require an enormous financial input. Thereby the state governments, as well as the civil rights movements and activists, should use their resources and networks to make the successful transition a possibility.
Conclusion
It is shocking that this Neanderthal problem still exists in the society today. The worst part of it is that thousand if not millions of women continue to suffer from it annually. Historically, women abuse was a normal occurrence nonetheless times have changed, and people should change as well. Regardless of the cause of such offenses, domestic violence cannot be justified and as such, it should be dealt with effectively. The effects of domestic violence have been articulated throughout this paper from the brutal physical injuries to the subtle psychological impacts. Clearly, the vice is detrimental to the society as it breeds separation of families and troubled children. Stopping violence is neither the job of the police or the courts or the abuser but an all-round contribution of everyone. Therefore, we should all take the path that will ensure domestic violence is a thing of the past.
References
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Coker, A. L., Hopenhayn, C., DeSimone, C. P., Bush, H. M., & Crofford, L. (2009). Violence Against Women Raises Risk of Cervical Cancer. Journal of Women’s Health , 18(8), 1179- 1185.
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