Domestic Violence Essays Examples

Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence

CASE young female comes to your office looking frightened and dishelved. She made an appointment with you earlier that day. She keeps looking around and appears to be nervous. She discloses that she was beaten up by her boyfriend who she lives with, and she thinks he is following her. She is frightened because he said he would kill her if she told anyone what happened. She tells you she also has a 3-year-old son with her boyfriend.

The most immediate need associated with domestic violence is safety. Within the first few days, after the attach the most important thing for this individual would be to remove her and her minor child from harms way. The therapist should survey the individual to determine resources and a possible existing social network that would allow her to remove her self from the domestic abuse situation. The lack of financial and social circumstances that would allow this individual from seeking shelter may be a large part of the reason she is seeking counseling.

The individual should be given all the local information on domestic violence shelters and systems. The responsibility of the counselor does not necessarily end here, though. If the…… [Read More]

Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence

Each year, many battered women kill their husbands after years of abuse and violence. Murder, obviously, is against the law, making the actions of these women an offense. The killing abusive husbands forces society to reconcile the desperation of these women with a need to respect and maintain the law. Such reconciliation can involve the use of self-defense as a legal tactic, reduced sentences, and potentially charging women with a crime other than murder.

Over 1.5 million women seek medical intervention in the U.S. As the result of assault by their male partners. There are many others who never seek such treatment. Such abuse, over time, can ultimately drive a small minority of these women to commit murder (Brown).

The legal system largely reacts by sentencing these women to jail, out of adherence to the law's strong prohibition against murder. At the same time, society, in the interest of justice, demands that the history of violence in these situations be considered.

Self-defense is one of the most common defenses used by women who kill their abusive partners (Ludsin). Here, the law provides at least a limited means to reconcile respect for the law with the desperation of victims…… [Read More]

Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence

In our society, there has been an increasing identification of the occurrence of domestic violence for the past two decades. There are many types of domestic violence like physical mistreatment, sexual exploitation, emotional assault, and maltreatment to property and pets. Domestic violence is prevalent and takes place in all socioeconomic groups. A study of about 6000 American families were done, which showed that between 53% and 70% of male assaulters regularly ill-treated their children. Children from homes where domestic violence takes place are bodily or sexually ill treated and/or critically ignored at a rate 15 times the national average. Roughly about 45% to 70% of battered women in protection have stated the occurrence of child abuse in their home. (Effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Adolescents: An Overview)

Causes of Domestic Violence

When one companion senses the requirement to rule and control the other, domestic violence may begin. Batterers may sense this need to dominate their partner because of low self-respect, severe envy, and trouble in controlling anger and other deep feelings, or when they think lower to the other partner in education and socio-economic backdrop. This control then changes into sentimental, bodily and/or sexual abuse. Reports…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence

The Reasons that Women are Violent in Relationships

The evidence demonstrates that women engage in violent activities at a rate approaching the levels engaged in by men. However, the victims of domestic violence are overwhelmingly characterized as female and the perpetrators as male. How can one reconcile the fact that women and men engage in a similar number of aggressive behaviors with the fact that the victims of domestic violence are overwhelmingly female? One hypothesis is that the majority of violence engaged in by women is defensive, where the majority of violence engaged in by men is offensive.

The objective of the proposed research is to determine whether or not men and women engage in domestic violence for different reasons. A determination of the reasons that men and women engage in violent behaviors will aid the researcher in making a determination of whether men and women are battered at the same rates. If men and women report that their violent actions are accompanied by the same type of dominating and controlling behavior that characterizes abusive relationships, then the findings that men and women are the victims of violence at equal rates enable the researcher to make a finding…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence

Why do abused women tend to stay with their abusers? What are the realities for those abused women -- and how do the realities impact the treatment of battered women? This paper delves into those questions and issues.

Choice and Empowerment for Battered Women who Stay

An article in the peer-reviewed journal Social Work points out that while there have been plenty of articles and a great deal of information in recent years -- so that the public is more aware of the problem of battered women than in the past -- that additional knowledge has "proved useful" in dramatizing the problem but in addition it has "created new myths and injustices" (Peled, et al., 2000). One of the realities that result from the additional publicity about battered women is that women who stay in relationships with their batterers are seen as a "deviant group" -- which is unfortunate and does not help the problem (Peled, 9).

Another reality that is well-known by the public -- and contributes to the belief that the battered woman who stays is deviant -- is that some battered women leave and then return to their abuser; and that some battered women actually…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence

The term 'domestic violence' and 'abusive relationships' are usually used interchangeably, while abusive behavior is referred to as 'battering'. Domestic violence can thus be defined as abusive behavior between adults in an intimate, sexual, usually cohabiting relationship. These abusive behaviors may include, but not limited to; emotional or psychological abuse, isolation, economic abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse (Hunter, 2010). It is a known fact that women are the most victims of domestic violence. The question that most people in the society ask is, "why can't abused women walk out of such relationships?"

The immediate reply one would get on asking such a question is that only those who are being abused understand why they are staying. This simply means that there are certain realities that such women face that are not understand by the society. In order to understand these realities, we need to look at patterns of behavior in abusive relationships, what Walker (1979) referred to as 'cycle of abuse'. This cycle of abuse has four phases, Tension building phase, Acting-out phase, Reconciliation/Honeymoon phase, and Calm phase. In the tension building phase the partners communicate poorly, are passively aggressive, fear causing outbursts, and experience a rise…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence

Remaining in an abusive relationship may seem a preposterous proposition to some, but a complex range of psychological and sociological factors impact the stay/leave decision. In particular, there are financial reasons as well as familial pressures to remain in an abusive relationship long after it is healthy to do so. Women in rural areas are especially at risk for suffering "further emotional abuse, physical violence, and sexual assault" after leaving an abusive relationship (Rouse 292). Patriarchal values and entrenched patriarchal social, political, and economic systems are at the root cause of why many women remain trapped (Rouse). Social and cultural pressures to remain in a committed relationship at all costs may deter some women from staying in a relationship after it becomes abusive.

Analyses of trends reveals that the longer the relationship has lasted, the more likely the woman is to remain in it (Bell and Naugle). However, if the level or intensity of the violence increases, the woman may be more inclined to leave (Bell and Naugle). Other factors that increase likelihood of leaving an abusive relationship include threats to the children and availability of options and especially financial resources. In short, women need to be highly…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence Is a Complex Problem Requiring

Domestic violence is a complex problem requiring a multiagency response. This response should include a range of advocacy, support, engagement with the criminal and civil justice systems and with other voluntary and statutory sector agencies.

Domestic violence and emotional abuse are behaviors utilized by one person in a relationship to control the other person. Partners may be married or not, heterosexual, gay or lesbian, separated or dating.

Abuse encompasses such behaviors as name calling and putdowns, keeping a partner from contacting their family or friends, withholding money, stopping a partner from getting or keeping a job, actual or threatened physical harm, sexual assault, stalking, and intimidation.

Violence can be criminal and includes physical assault, sexual abuse, and stalking. Though emotional, psychological and financial abuses are not criminal behaviors, they can lead to criminal violence.

Domestic Violence has a long history. In early Roman society a woman was considered the property of her husband and was subject to his control. Early Roman law provided that a husband could beat, divorce, or kill his wife for offenses which brought dishonor to his reputation or compromised his property rights. These matters were considered private and were not publicly scrutinized (Swisher & Wekesser, 1994).…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence a Real Issue

The SAFE Act not only protects victims of domestic violence, but also helps them become effective members of the country's economy. Domestic violence also account for about fifteen percent of total crimes committed in the United States. Reports from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institute of Health indicate that each year, 5, 300, 000 non-fatal violent victimization committed by intimated partners against women are recorded.

Female murder victims are likely to occur compared to male murder victims to have been murdered by intimate partners (Congress 528). According to Congress, half of female murder victims and four percent of male murder highlighted in the Disease Control, Prevention, and National Institute of Health reports met their death in the hands of intimate partners. With respect to government statistics, approximately 987, 400 rapes take place in United State where 89% of the rapes are perpetrated against female victims. Since 2001, cases of rapes have augmented by four percent (Congress 528).

Domestic violence more than any other criminal act, entails a wide range of relationships and behaviors. Unfortunately, criminal codes are in general rather blunt instruments, describing violence as individual actions, specifically threat of physical harm or physical assault aimed at…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence and Its Effects on Children

Domestic Violence and Effects on Children

In the western culture, childhood is referred to as the period of special protection and rights. When a child is brought up in a safe and nurturing environment their development is expected to unfold.When a child is born, their brain is about 25% of its adult weight, which later increases to 66% by the end of first year. During the developing stages the brain is most susceptible to the impact of traumatic experiences (Perry, 1997). Latest research implies that exposure to extreme trauma can change the organization of the brain, which can result in problems in dealing with stresses later in life (Brown & Bzostek, 2003). According to the attachment theory, a child's sense of security depends on security of attachment to its first caregiver. In addition, the kind of relationship developed serves as a model of how to relate to people later in life. If the earliest relationships that a child develops are not bonded with safety and trust, the effects are possible to be extensive and long lasting. As per the research conducted on attachment during infancy, the more serious the level of partner violence the higher is the possibility of developing…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence Is Often Overlooked or Simplified

Domestic violence is often overlooked or simplified. People assume children who become exposed to domestic violence only exhibit negative symptoms. Just a couple of decades ago, few had any idea of the impact domestic violence had and continues to have on a child. From growing up and dealing with the pain and/or stigma, to lesser social skills and bad coping mechanisms, the effects of domestic violence on children are clearly visible in some cases while unnoticed in others.

These effects range from severe on one end of the spectrum, to little or no effect on the other. (Due in part to their level of internal or external resiliency) Current research focuses on several areas (1. behavioral and emotional ability, 2. cognitive and coping ability, and 3. long-term issues such as PTSD and depression.) and splits them into categories. (behavioral, emotional, social, cognitive, and mental/physical effects) so as to show the full side of the issue. Whether or not witnessing or being apart of domestic violence increases negative reactions in children may be attributed to level of resiliency.

The bulk of research had internalizing and externalizing behavior as the main focus and found major variations between witnesses and non-witnesses. A broad…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence Around the World

Notwithstanding any sociocultural differences between the study's 24,000 respondents to the contrary, the WHO researchers found that, across the board, there were consistent similarities among the effects of domestic violence on the women who participated in the study. For instance, the press release from WHO includes an observation from a member of the core research team for the study, Dr. Charlotte Watt of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who advised, "The degree to which the health consequences of partner violence in the WHO study are consistent across sites, both within and between countries, is striking. Partner violence appears to have a similar impact on women's health and well-being regardless of where she lives, the prevalence of violence in her setting, or her cultural or economic background" (quoted in Landmark study on domestic violence, 2006, para. 3).

The WHO study's findings also confirmed much of the research to date concerning the adverse effects of domestic violence on female sexual and reproductive health and exacerbation of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. The WHO study found that women who lived in sexually or physically abusive relationships were less likely to have a partner who agreed to use a condom, more…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence Is Domestic Violence a Learned

Domestic Violence

Is Domestic Violence a Learned Behavior?

Unfortunately, domestic violence is a learned behavior. There are many forms of domestic violence and/or abuse: Physical, Sexual, Ritualistic, Verbal, Emotional, Religious, Silent, Elder, Economic, Using Children, Threats, Intimidation, Sibling, Cultural, Isolation, Personal, Institutional, and Witness Abuse, etc.… However, they all have the same common denominator: the perpetrator's desire to gain and maintain POWER and CONTROL in the relationship (Laws 2011). Domestic violence or abuse is a pattern of controlling behaviors that are purposeful, and directed at achieving compliance from and over a victim without regard for his or her rights. These behaviors can be perpetrated by adults or adolescents against their intimate partner or significant other in current or former dating, married or cohabiting relationships. Domestic violence is a combination of physical force or terror designed to cause physical, psychological, social, religious, economic, mental, and emotional harm to victims. Characteristics of domestic violence may include selective behavior, permissible behavior, cyclic behavior, and learned behavior (Laws, 2011). Hence, society attributes domestic violence with learned behavior, which warrants further evaluation.

Rationale for Abuse

Many women are abused by intimate partners, millions of children witness such acts, and many of these children are physically…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence Applied Research Project Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence

Applied research project

Domestic violence is one of the most pervasive and little-understood crimes perpetuated today. The reasons that so many women remain in such abusive relationships and also why some women are finally capable of leaving violent households are little-understood, even though there is considerable statistical evidence that women suffering from domestic violence are under great risk of losing their lives to their abusive partners. This paper offers a qualitative research design approach for a proposed study to explore motivational factors for why women leave or stay in such relationships. It is phenomenological in nature in the sense that it attempts to describe why women act as they do, and to categorize the various personal factors that impact their actions, rather than impose paradigmatic designs or theories upon the women's responses.

Stage One: Conceptualization of a research focus

Domestic violence is one of the most common, yet underreported crimes today. According to the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics, "almost 6 times as many women victimized by intimates (18%) as those victimized by strangers (3%) did not report their violent victimization to police because they feared reprisal from the offender" (Domestic violence statistics, 2011, ARDVARC).…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence it Has Long Been Recognized

Domestic Violence

It has long been recognized that clients must have the mindset and goals set forth for themselves if they are to succeed in a therapeutic changing process. Whether the goal is to change behavioral or emotional problems, the client must be motivated by their own desires to change. Lee, Uken & Sebold (2007) state that oftentimes in the therapy process, a client will know that he or she needs to change, however, they do not have any indication of when the problem has been successfully dealt with -- or when they are successfully changing their behavior. Because there are no indicators for them (without goals), long-term therapy is often what occurs -- sometimes with successful results and sometimes not. Goal setting becomes a vital part of successful treatment "because it gauges clients' progress toward beneficial solutions to their problems" (Maple, 1998; Lee et al., 2007).

There may be reason to believe that because court-ordered batterers may feel resentment, anger, and blame for their sentence, they may not have the ability to recognize that they must change their behavior; therefore, they will not set up goals for themselves as they will not want to actively engage in the therapeutic…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence Has Been Around

The law enforcement community must present a united front with state agencies against domestic violence if it is ever to be stopped. Until abusers can be brought to justice there will always be frightened victims living their lives, blaming themselves for the bruises.

When domestic violence occurs, many people suffer. The victim is in pain, obviously, but often the person who was violent feels bad about it afterwards. They say they will not do it again, but many do. Quite a few victims stay with abusive partners. Some stay because they have nowhere else to go and feel that no one else would want them. Others stay because they really believe the 'I'll never do it again' line every time it is said. When victims decide to leave, however, it's important for them to know that they have somewhere to go and that the law will be there to protect them. The Evidence Codes are very important because they tell the court what is and is not allowed to be discussed during the trial. Evidence code 1109 is especially important to domestic violence victims.

In section 1109 of the Evidence Code, the law states that "evidence of the defendant's commission…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence & Its Effects

Asian-American women must learn that abuse is not acceptable, and they do not have to submit to it to be "good" and "dutiful" wives.

The community norms of the entire American community indicated that domestic abuse is extremely widespread, and it is common in the Asian-American community. Abuse has negative affects on the entire community, because it creates an aura of shame and degradation over the community, and it creates discord between families, friends, and acquaintances. Finally, it places the entire community in jeopardy, because Asian communities are extremely close-knit. There are leaders in the Asian communities who want to make sure the Asian culture exists and thrives in America. Because of this, they often counsel women to stay in abusive relationships because it supports the culture and belief systems of the group in general. One writer notes, "community gatekeepers are interested in maintaining the status quo in order to preserve the culture. Church leaders, for example, preach the acceptance of private suffering for the sake of peace" (Rimonte 331). Thus, the community can keep women bound into abusive relationships rather than supporting them to leave relationship and make it on their own.

Majorities of women do not report the…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence Is Considered Nowadays

Impact of the problem

The possible consequences of the continuation of domestic violence are visible both at the level of the society in terms of human suffering, as well as at the level o the financial perspectives affecting the state and local budget.

In the first case, domestic violence, as stated before represents a means through which constant violence, abuse and physiological stress can be perpetuated. At the same time, children become excluded from the society through the nature they come to develop. Thus, not only the present state of the society is affected, but also its future.

In the second case, there are considerable costs implied by the treatment of domestic abuse victims. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control "the costs of intimate partner rape, physical assault, and stalking exceed $5.8 billion each year, nearly $4.1 billion of which is for direct medical and mental health care services." (2003). Therefore, from the point-of-view of the low productivity rate and the medical expenses it can be said that the issue is affecting not only the social environment but also the economic situation of the nation and of a particular region.

In this situation, a program that…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence How Does the

And if the wrongfully arrested victim has children, the courts may deny this person custody of the children, and place the children in the care of the abuser, the abuser's sympathetic family, or into a foster care situation. Losing his or her children can cause even more grief to the victim than the victim is experiencing at home.

A wrongful arrest means that the financial and psychological energies of the victim are diverted to dealing with the need to defend him or herself against legal charges, rather than to find the best way to escape the situation. Many domestic violence victims often require the services of an overburdened public defender, particularly women who do not have financial resources independent of their partners. Victim's rights advocacy groups may feel wary of appearing to help the accused through the court system, even the wrongfully accused. This is especially true of the gay or lesbian persons who do not fit the conventional demographic profile of a domestic violence victim.

A defense attorney, who has many cases and is not well-educated in domestic violence law, may urge the victim to plead guilty in the hopes of gaining a lenient sentence, even though any sentence…… [Read More]

Domestic Violence the Research Design

The first is that of face validity, which was what, appeared from when looking directly at the design of the study. This appeared superb concept at first, but this was what made the experiment weak. He or she did not rely on this form when the investigation was conducted. However, the content validity worked well with this exploration on domestic violence because many of the participants were empowered to find ways in which to break the cycle in their own lives. A step-by-step analysis was used in order to ensure that each client was making progress when doing follow up each week for that one full year. The same was true with criterion-validity. One has to note that this was quite helpful for all the participants and researchers because individuals were able to predict behavior and to use concurrent validity. Each of these concepts made the study more valid for the entire researchers who did contribute to it through the analysis and contributions by helping domestic violence survivors. For the last two areas, they were discriminant and convergent validity. Convergent validity was helpful, while discriminant were not because of the irrelevance to this particular topic and research design.

Reliability

Four…… [Read More]

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is an insidious problem that affects communities large and small within the entire nation. It is a problem that affects young and old, affluent and underprivileged alike. There are many ways to view domestic violence. Though domestic violence may be defined in many ways, for purposes of this evaluation will be defined as violence that occurs between two individuals living together (Davis, 1998). Typically these individuals will be partners but this is not always the case. Domestic violence may include any type of violence whether verbal or physical, including hitting, verbal abuse, neglect, or any other type of violent act that leads to harm or injury in the battered victim.

Though several legislative measures have been enacted to curb domestic violence, there is still little uniformity of practice among community policing agencies and other support services. At present legislators and community members are considering working together to determine whether a combination of punitive and non-punitive punishment might best reduce the number of domestic violence cases reported each year. These ideas and more are discussed below.

Analysis of Violence

There have been several studies conducted of domestic violence, some that have examined the frequency with which domestic violence occurs…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence

Domestic violence and domestic abuse is a world-wide epidemic. The prevalence of the occurrences of domestic violence is attributable to several variables: cultural differences between partners, alcohol and drug abuse, poverty, and mental issues of aggression, impulse, and character. Psychologists and sociologists have attempted to prove which of these components has the most important impact on whether or not a man will become abusive to his spouse. I say male not to dismiss the occurrences of female physical abuse of males, but because the studies analyzed in the following all consider male abuse of female. Each analyst makes a solid point about how their research indicates that the factor they are examining is the preeminent source of eventual violence. The only logical conclusion that can be drawn is that each of the four factors can contribute to a scenario where a partnership has the potential to escalate into physically violent altercations.

Cultural Conflict:

In the article "No Way Out: Divorce-Related Domestic Violence in Israel," Madeline Adelman (2000) states that in many situations, a woman who tries to leave a violent relationship can actually initiative further acts of violence from her partner. In her study, Adelman interviewed 49 battered women, as…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence Is a Negative

21).

Source 3

Sternberg et al. (1993) is a secondary research source that described the effects of domestic violence on children's behavior. This source of information on the topic of domestic abuse is more expansive than the previous two sources discussed. Here the impacts of domestic violence are realized through the children of domestic violence victims. As this article also expands the idea of domestic violence, it also ignores those victims of domestic abuse with no children. The article and all of its data suggest that the research that can be done on domestic violence may be infinite and can be viewed through multiple lenses all giving new characteristics to the term and creating new and challenging relationships that researchers must figure out.

The article itself reaches interesting conclusions about its effectiveness. The authors proclaimed "the results of this study have several important implications for the design of research on domestic violence. First of all, extensive efforts must be made to document the severity and nature of domestic violence to define children's experiences accurately " (p.51). The main point of this research appears to be that subjectivity is very important in determining what violence and abuse really consists of. There…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence Is a Serious

"

The author further explains that even though there are similarities between heterosexual and homosexual relationships as it pertains to reaction and the victim remaining in the relationship. Again the author explains "homophobia does not allow mainstream service providers to have an adequate conceptualization nor the development of preventive and remedial strategies for the people involved (Toro-Alfonso and Rodriguez-Madera, 2004)."

Therapy for those effected by domestic violence

Both perpetrators, victims and children exposed to domestic violence may require some type of therapy. In many cases anger management is often required and used to assist perpetrators in dealing with anger issues. In addition to anger management some professionals also utilize Art therapy to assist hose effected by domestic violence. Art therapy involves the use of the arts (music, panting writing) to assist people in eliminating violence from the household. According to Panzer et al. (2000) places such as shelters for battered partners should have some type of art therapy to assist victims in confronting their feelings and expressing what has occurred.

According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is defined as a mental health profession that uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical,…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence A Bleak Reality

By doing so right now, we are not only making a societal and human investment in today's citizens and today's crime rate, but we are improving the quality of life of entire families as well as working toward the reduction of future perpetrators of violence against women since the sons will see appropriate models of behavior and wil not be apt to become violent in the future.

References

A programme for action. (2008). Retrieved May 5, 2010, from Care Against Domestic Violence, http://www.cadv.org.uk/points.html.

Coy, M., Kelly, L., & Foord, J. (2009). Map of gaps: The postcode lottery of Violence Against Women support services in Britain (United Kingdom, End Violence Against Women and Equality and Human Rights, London, England). London: End VIolence Against Women.

Giles-Sims, J. (1985) a Longitudinal Study of Battered Children of Battered Wives. Family Relations, 34 (2), 205- 210.

Great Britain., Home Office., Crime in England and Wales 2008/2009. (2009). The Home Office departmental report 2009. London: TSO.

Hotaling, G., & Sugarman, D. (1986). An analysis of risk markers in husband to wife violence: The current state of knowledge. Violence and Victims, 1, 101-124.

Jaffe, P., Wolfe, D., and Wilson, S.K. (1990), Children of Battered Women, Sage Publications,…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence Legislation Federal and State Governments

Domestic Violence Legislation

Federal and State Governments Fight Domestic Violence

Although numerous federal and state laws sanctioning domestic violence exist in the United States, the incidences of domestic violence remain substantial. The federal government has undoubtedly taken significant steps over the years to protect the victims of domestic violence through legislation. One such Act is the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The Act, at the time of its enactment in 1994, focused on providing funding to victims, services to victims, and training to judges and law enforcement officers. Still, as the number of domestic violence cases remained constant, the Act was re-enacted in 2000 and once again in 2006. The latest re-enactment extends services to domestic violence victims by addressing the issue of domestic violence related homelessness. The 2006 re-enactment guarantees that victims will not be evicted from government funded housing. Still, the VAWA has drawn criticism due to its gender specific title; although the federal government has assured that all victims of domestic violence are eligible for and will receive benefits under the Act. Keeping with the spirit of federal legislation such as the VAWA, most states enacted state specific legislation. For example, California has enacted stringent criminal penalties…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence and Alcoholism Any

(Potter-Efron, 2007). Both alcoholics and domestic violence offenders seem to be out of control at times, especially to their victims. (Potter-Efron, 2007). Finally, both family violence and alcoholism create tension in families, which can lead to an increase in assaultive behavior or alcoholic binges, making both problems very self-perpetuating. (Potter-Efron, 2007).

In addition, the drinking behavior can be a catalyst for family assaults. This is rarely due to the fact that non-violent people become violent when drunk. However, alcohol use lowers inhibitions, making it more likely that an abusive person will resort to violence. Furthermore, many abusers may actively seek to become intoxicated prior to abusing, knowing that their victims, and the rest of society, are less likely to hold them accountable for their abusive behavior when they are intoxicated. Therefore, it is quite likely that drinking patterns will establish abuse patterns in a household. For example, children may "keep a lookout for Dad on Friday nights because that's when he goes to the tavern, gets drunk, and comes home to beat up them and their mom." (Potter-Efron, 2007). Drinking patterns can help establish abuse patterns in a different way, as well. The non-alcoholic partner may grow increasingly frustrated with…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence in Pregnancy and

In light of the evidence in this literature review then it is of great import that monitoring of the health of pregnant women is vital in reference to LBW infants not only in the sense of present terms but as well to lifelong health considerations for the LBW infant which is probably why stated further is: "Given the relative neglect that mothers and newborns have suffered, their centrality to the Millennium Development Goals, and the cost-effectiveness of maternal and newborn health interventions, a greater emphasis on safe motherhood and newborn health is clearly needed within many health sectors." (JHPIEGO, 2003)

Literature Review

Stated in the publication "Shaping Policy for Maternal and Newborn Health: A Compendium of Case Studies (2003) is that: "The health of a newborn is inextricably linked to the health of the mother; the majority of newborn deaths are caused by the poor health of the mother during pregnancy, or by the poor care she and her newborn receive during and immediately after childbirth." (JHPIEGO, 2003) Bohn, et al. (2004) reports the conduction of a study that makes an examination of the influence of socioeconomic factors such as "status, education, ethnicity, and age" in the area of spousal…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence Does Not Depend

Matters appear to be even worse for those who are in need for protection and shelter as a consequence of psychological or physical abuse at home since statistics also indicate that the percentages of those who are denied shelter are slightly increasing every year in Texas. If there were 16% of those who asked for shelter who were denied in 2001 in Texas "due to lack of space"(Texas HHSC, 2008), according to the same report, 22.63 were denied due to the same reason in 2008.

The BATP in Webster Texas does not only offer temporary shelter for women and children, but it also involves their residents in educational programs that help them rebuild their self-esteem and learn the basic principles necessary for them to change their lives and start all over again. The organization also offers "a weekly confidential self-help support group for victims / survivors of Domestic Violence and/or Sexual Abuse" (Bay Are Turning Point, Inc., ) as well as non-residential services to those in need and post-shelter follow up monitoring.

BATP claims to have achieved saving a number of man, women and children who sought shelter at their facilities to break free from their abusers and start a…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence Is Common in

Ferguson wrongly assumes that the one who initiates violence must also be worthy of it. This is a way of saying that domestic violence can be justified as long as the partner who initiated has enough reasons to do so. In my opinion, domestic violence is always wrong and can never be justified. If one partner has transgressed or if one of them fails to earn or usually squanders money, then alternatives to violence must be sought. In our times, many alternatives are available including marriage counseling, couple therapy, intervention of family and friends and then of course divorce which should be seen as the last resort. To use violence in order to maintain authority is a sign of weakness and also indicates a weak, lopsided marriage. Marriage or any relationship for that matter must be based on two people's willingness to stay with each other. If one partner is abusive or the other is consistently altering his or her behavior to please a partner when there was nothing wrong with the behavior, then this indicates problems in the relationship. Such a relationship breeds violence. A relationship must be based on mutual love and respect. If two people are unable…… [Read More]

Domestic Violence -- How it

From a national fiscal point-of-view, after the Clinton's Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity reconciliation Act gave welfare control back to the states, there was a 60 per cent overall drop in welfare recipients, but critics point out that much of this was part of a reclassification from welfare to workfare during an unusually strong economic time (the late 1990s) (DeParle, 2009). Into the 21st century, the $16.5 billion that the states received as welfare rolls dropped were spent on block grants or other types of assistance, rather than saving for economic downturns or recessionary times (Goldstein, 2008).

Scholars point out that the perceptions of welfare also contribute to the cycle of underfunding. In America, one Political Science professor noted, "while Americans with the most exaggerated misunderstandings of the racial composition of the poor are the most likely to oppose welfare," which, in turn, perpetuates racial stereotypes and could increase Americans' opposition and racialization of future welfare policies (Giles, 1996).

Additional research shows that there is a clear correlation between battered women and the ability to secure adequate assistance and funding. Anywhere from 20-32 per cent of women who apply for welfare assistance have been subjected to violence within the past…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence & Alcohol Role of Domestic

Domestic Violence & Alcohol

Role of Domestic Violence and alcohol in marriage

The Role of Domestic Violence and Alcohol

Evidence of Effective Treatment

The purpose of this work is to examine the relation of alcohol, specifically alcoholism in relation to domestic abuse perpetrated against one spouse by the other in marriage where alcohol plays a leading role in attributing to the abuse.

Most individuals are able to have a drink or two with their evening meal and simply relax with no event ensuing. However, there are individuals that cannot take even the first drink and it has been observed that there are those so sensitive to the effects of alcohol that merely opening a bottle and inhaling the fumes changes their personality immediately. Alcoholism is a volatile and dangerous mix in any marriage but within the marriage where issues already exist alcohol may progress toward the end of the spectrum that is considered to be fatal to the partner who suffers the abuse, or if enough fear has been aroused then it could very well be fatal to the abuser in terms of self-defense on the part of the one being abused.

Research:

Evidence discovered by those researching the subject…… [Read More]

References:

Domestic Violence Abusers the Purpose of the

Domestic Violence Abusers

The purpose of the study by Etter and Birzer was to characterize defendants in case of protection from abuse (PFA) orders in one Kansas county. The results of the study were published in a peer-reviewed journal. Both researchers are affiliated with universities and cited extensively from academic literature on this topic. As they pointed out, domestic violence is a widespread problem in the U.S., occurring every eighteen seconds (Paisner, 1989, cited in Etter and Birzer, 2007, p. 113) and across all socioeconomic classes and racial groups (Gilbert, 2001, cited in Etter and Birzer). A PFA order, unfortunately, does not necessarily stop the abuse.

The researchers reviewed data collected from PFA court filings for a period of approximately one year from Sedgwick County, Kansas, a metroplex with a population of over half a million and the largest urban area in the state. The study was descriptive in nature; the researchers wanted to examine general demographic characteristics of accused domestic violent offenders, review their arrest records, and determine whether there was a difference in the records of female vs. male abusers.

According to the study, accused abusers were overwhelmingly (80.8%) male. Most were white (72.7%) with a man age…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence Among Hispanics

Domestic Violence Among Hispanics

Sociology/Psychology

Annotated Bibliography

Molina, C.S., Gomez, J.R., & Pastrana, M.C.V. (2009). Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Language Child Depression Inventory with Hispanic Children who are Secondary Victims of Domestic Violence. Adolescence. 44(173). The paper is about symptoms which a child develops when he or she is exposed to domestic violence. This is a psychological survey, seeing the effects of children when they witness their mothers being beaten. It measures the dimesions of depression and anxiety which a child may develop. This study focuses on the Hispanic community and dysfunctional families within that community. The first author, Molina, is a hold a Ph.D. In psychology and psychotherapy, this deems her credible for the study. Additionally, she is herself of a Hispanic background, therefore she is aware of most of the culture's traditions and dimensions.

Murdaugh, C., Hunt, S., Sowell, R. & Santana, I. (2004). Domestic Violence in Hispanics in the Southeastern United States: A Survey and Needs Analysis. Journal of Family Violence. 19(2). This paper discusses the issues of domestic violence among Hispanic families in the Southeastern areas of the United States. It indicates that domestic violence is a rampant problem among Hispanic women, and there is…… [Read More]

Bibliography:

Domestic Violence Across Generations

Domestic Violence

Parental influence on domestic violence: An analysis of "Domestic violence across generations: findings from Northern India" by Sandra Martin et. al.

Martin et. al.'s (2001) report on the study of domestic violence in India provided insightful facts about the nature of the issue when applied in the context of collective societies such as India wherein cultural and social norms play a vital role in determining the behavior and attitude of individuals. Of particular interest of the study are the attitude and behavior of Indian males, in order to ascertain the role that parental influence play in perpetuating violent behavior against women, especially to their wives, whether this violent behavior be physical, sexual, or both.

The researchers offer the thesis, in the article, that apart from Indian culture, males have the greater propensity to abuse their wives if they have been exposed to previous episodes of domestic violence from their parents. Association between propensity to become violent and abusive towards women is perpetuated by males who have had experienced or witness violent acts and behavior from their father against their mother. This important finding in the study illustrates how, more than society, the family, as the most immediate contact…… [Read More]

Domestic Violence and Poverty Appear

Each 911 call reporting an assault by a family member or member of the household will be considered a domestic violence incident. Income will be determined by looking at the tax records for the individuals listed as the tenant or owner of the location identified in the 911-telephone call. The phone calls will be tracked, and the researcher will determine how many of those phone calls end up in a conviction. Because domestic violence offenders can frequently plead-down, any conviction stemming from the alleged family violence incident will be considered a domestic violence conviction for the purposes of the study.

After collecting six months worth of initial phone calls, and tracking the resolution of those calls through the legal system, the researcher will correlate the number of calls attributable to each member of a socioeconomic group with income to determine whether domestic violence varies with income. After making that determination, the researcher will then correlate the number of calls with the conviction rate to determine whether conviction rates vary inversely…… [Read More]

Domestic Violence Ann bib All Articles Retrieved

Although many women seeking Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

report domestic violence, few receive mandated services through the Family Violence Option (FVO). A study was made of interview transcripts to determine whether the breakdown in the system occurred because of lack of social worker engagement or because details of reports were vague or unsubstantiated. Review of interviews at eleven different sites and by dozens of welfare workers revealed that workers' interpersonal communication skills were lacking. Workers were noted to have preconceived notions of what constituted abuse. The study recommends that welfare workers receive additional training to respond more appropriately to victims of domestic violence.

McLeod, a., Hayes, D.G., & Chang, C.Y. (2010). Female intimate partner violence survivors experiences with accessing resources. Journal of Counseling and Development 88 (3),

303-310.

Five survivors of domestic violence, three African-American and two Caucasian women, reported on survival strategies and exiting the abusive relationships. Researchers have identified personal resources, such as spirituality, a sense of humor, and a sense of hope, as well as community resources that provide support when women leave. The study's findings urge counselors to identify the resources an abuse victim has as part of diagnostic and treatment plans. Counselors should…… [Read More]

Sources:

Domestic Violence No Place Like

What appears to explain their shared high rates of violent behavior is their increased interpersonal dependency. They are socially withdrawn and entertain a negative view of themselves. These difficulties with trust are common in the two disorders. They are thus more personally dependent on their partners. Furthermore, veterans with a major physical health problem are likelier to commit domestic violence than the other veterans surveyed. The physical problem tends to increase their irritability and dependence on their partners. Other studies found this characteristic high partner-specific dependency among physically abusive men who exhibit personal inadequacy, low social self-confidence and increased reliance on those nearest them. Many of these physically abusive men greatly fear abandonment and are anxiously attached. They are thus hypersensitive to rejection and often show anger in their intimate relationships. Veterans often display excessive coercion to which the partners respond by distancing themselves. The veterans' fear and dependencies can also be increased when their partners display autonomy. The veterans' frequent response is more intense and potentially violent and coercive behavior aimed at regaining control and connection.

The attempts of the partners of depressed and PTSD-afflicted veterans are often viewed by the latter as insulting and irritating. Partners may attempt…… [Read More]

References:

Domestic Violence Is a Problem

At the same time that movement activists were pushing for the enactment of new legal measures, they were also working to develop a grass-roots community-based approach to providing direct services to victims of domestic violence. In 1979, the first domestic violence shelter in the United States was opened in an apartment in St. Paul, Minnesota, staffed entirely by volunteers. Today more than 2,000 shelters and crisis centers dot the North American landscape. Some are funded through private donations and staffed by volunteers but most are sustained by a combination of public and private monies and are run by a mix of professional and nonprofessional, paid and unpaid staffs. Thus we see that contemporary efforts to address domestic violence are characterized by a pattern of service provision and problem definition that from the outset has involved a reliance on state and community measures.

The dual focus on the development of both state-based and community-based responses to domestic violence has grown stronger as movement activists have become increasingly aware of the limits of legal interventions and of the need to work harder at changing cultural attitudes about the acceptability of this type of violence. Although the criminalization of domestic violence and legislation…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence in United States

Moreover, most of the police officers believed that criminalization was not an appropriate or effective method to deal with batterers because it "leads to the break-up of the family" (Ganapathy).

According to a 2004 study of 1,200 women in Bangladesh, some 67% reported having experience domestic violence, and 35% during the past year (Islam). Domestic violence was higher among women with a dowry agreement, and was also higher among women with a registered marriage and women who cover at least some of their expenses (Islam). Khairul Islam reports, "The proportion experiencing domestic violence was non-significantly lower among women with more than five years of education than among less educated or non-educated women" (Islam).

However, in the United States, much progress has occurred during the past thirty years regarding the recognition of domestic violence as a major problem, resulting in the development of numerous services by different professional disciplines to address the legal, social service, and mental and physical health needs of the survivors, perpetrators and child witnesses (Forgey).

Domestic violence is now being recognized in many countries as a major health issue, resulting in the availability of medical, social and legal services for battered women.

Works Cited

Forgey, Mary Ann.…… [Read More]

Bibliography:

Domestic Violence Intimate Partner Violence

Women tend not to disclose their partner's violent behavior out of fear of retaliation, embarrassment or economic dependence on the abusing partner. Pregnant women, in particular, require comprehensive healthcare and special services. Postpartum violence is a serious issue as it not only affects the mother but also poses serious danger for the life of the child. Policy makers should focus not only on providing funds for prenatal and post natal medical care but also ensure that domestic violence services and other support services are integrated with the healthcare services. A collaborative approach involving a collocation of interdisciplinary services is critical for providing optimal care for victims of intimate partner abuse. Nurses, as primary caregivers in the emergency department are ideally placed not only to provide medical care but also to co ordinate and to lead multidisciplinary interventions that are in place to address domestic violence against women.

Bibliography

1) The Clark County, ' Fast Facts on Domestic Violence', retrieved Apr 13th 2010, from, http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/domviol/facts.htm

2) Brian J. Biroscak. MA, MS, BS, Patricia K. Smith MS, BS & Helen Rosnowski MSN, BSN RN et.al (2006), 'Intimate Partner Violence against Women: Findings from one State's ED Surveillance System', Journal of Emergency Nursing,…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence Related to Alternating Shifts in Policing

Domestic violence is a multifaceted idea but can roughly be referred to as exhibition of abusive behaviors towards a mate in an intimate relationship such as family setting, dating instances, marriage, cohabitation and even friendship. These abuses are usually used to control the other partner in a relationship (Domesticviolence.org, 2009). This paper therefore sets out to look at the possibility of the work schedule being a contributing factor to the ever rising domestic violence among the policing families. It also seeks to expand on the responses that have been made to mitigate the effects of the shift working system on the violence in homes.

Depending on the context and region of use, domestic violence can be called domestic abuse, intimate partner violence, spousal abuse or even family violence. However, all these manifest themselves in various forms including but not limited to: Physical violence/attack (like shoving, kicking, slapping, hitting, restraining etc.), passive/covert abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, stalking, intimidation, economic deprivation and controlling or domineering.

It is estimated that a third of the abuses are the ones that are reported in the U.S.A. And UK. Among these reported, the majority are women. This begs the understanding of what women really go…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence Has Been Around for as

Domestic violence has been around for as long as many cultures can remember, however, that's not an excuse for its continuance. Although some see women and children as mere property, their rights and safety should be protected. Whether they suffer from physical, sexual or emotional abuse, thankfully there are an increasing number of programs for these victims to turn to. These programs work hard to take the steps necessary for America to become a domestic violence-free society.

Stopping Domestic Violence in America

Although domestic violence is often thought of in terms of physical violence or even sexual violence, it goes beyond that, beyond the cuts, the bruises, the scrapes, the broken bones; it's a control issue. "Domestic violence is a pattern of coercive control that one person exercises over another in order to dominate and get their way." ("Voices Set Free," n.d.) In addition to physical and sexual abuse, it can, and often does, include emotional abuse. It's an epidemic that, although has been brought to the attention of the public in recent decades, has been occurring throughout the ages.

Due to the nature of domestic violence, and the secrecy that surrounds it in many cases, concrete statistics are sometimes…… [Read More]

Domestic Violence Child Abuse and Neglect

Domestic Violence, Child Abuse and Neglect

Child abuse is normally characterized in physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. Physical abuse is the non-accidental injury of a child. Sexual abuse entails any act of sex upon or with a child for the perpetrator's sexual gratification (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, 2011). Emotional abuse entails engaging in chronic acts that interfere with a child's psycho-social health.

A classroom teacher can easily identify a child who has been abused or neglected because signs of abuse are observable in a classroom setting. Teachers also easily identify these children because of the significant time they spend with them (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, 2011). The teachers can be sensitive to the chronic occurrence of the signals or sudden changes in a child's behavior which would point to a shift in this child's family environment. The frequency of repetition of these signs is reason enough for an educator to act.

Child's appearance, his behavior, and behavior of the parent could be a sign that a child is being abused physically, mentally, or emotionally.

The child may have bruises, welts or marks on his body. These may be seen after some protracted…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence and the Victimization of Men

Domestic Violence Against Men

Domestic violence, domestic abuse, dating abuse, intimate partner violence (IPV) or battering refers to a behavioral pattern in which one partner abuses another in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, cohabitation or within a family setup. Domestic violence takes different forms, the most common being physical assault i.e. hitting, shoving, kicking, biting, slapping, shoving objects and general physical violence. It can also take the form of threats including sexual and emotional abuse, intimidation, controlling or domineering, stalking, covert abuses as well as economic deprivation (Siemineiuk et al. 2010). It can be inflicted on or by both men and women (Adebayo, 2014).

Male domestic violence targets men inflicted by their partners. Though rare and hardly vocalized like its counterpart, violence against women, domestic violence against men is real. It occurs in every society though at varied degrees. The challenges faced when trying to collect statistics is that most families remain silent because of the shame and stigma associated with domestic violence as well as the ramifications on the relationships after disclosure.

This explains why domestic violence against men remains hidden and unreported. In addition, gender differences explain further the mixed results (Chan, 2011). A survey conducted…… [Read More]

Domestic Violence as a Human Right Issue

Domestic violence is popular as domestic abuse, intimate partner violence, spousal abuse, or family violence. The behavior involves brutality or another abuse by one person in a domestic behavioral context where people rise against others in marriages or similar unions. The intimate partner causes violence to their spouses making it domestic violence. Spouses and partners within intimate relationships are expected to live in harmony without elements of discomfort. Domestic violence takes place where heterosexual and same-sex relationships are involved (Edelson, 2011). The issue of domestic violence takes various forms such as physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, and economic abuse ranging from subtle to coercive forms of marital rape and violent physical abuse resulting in death or disfigurement (Tolman, 2010).

Domestic violence occurs where abusers believe that their actions are justified and acceptable. The implication is that there is production of intergenerational abuse cycles of condoning violence. Perception, awareness, documentation, and definition of domestic violence are widely different from one country to another (Breines & Gorden, 2013). There are abuse cycles in which tensions arise while actions of violence are committed together with periods of calm and reconciliation. The victims are trapped in violent situations because on isolation, control, and power, fear,…… [Read More]

Domestic Violence Is a Silent

Communities are silent as well; people are still reluctant to intervene in domestic violence situations, assuming that adult victims have the ability to leave abusive scenarios and that parents should have the right to parent their children without intervention. In addition, neighbors and other potential interveners oftentimes fear the possible consequences of intervening in a violent situation. Finally, American society refuses to publicly condemn domestic violence; Michael Vick received more negative press for dog fighting than did Warren Moon, an even more famous football player, for his domestic violence behavior. With this permissive atmosphere, it is no wonder that women and children still suffer from domestic violence in fear and silence.

Question One: What individual changes can you make to create a society that is more condemning of domestic violence?

Question Two: Can you think of four reasons that a domestic violence victim would be reluctant to leave his or her abuser?… [Read More]

Domestic Violence

domestic violence laws. The writer defines domestic violence on a federal level as well as a Michigan state level. The author also provides insight to the Michigan state laws and programs when it comes to domestic violence issues. It wraps up with suggestions about how to change and improve the current domestic violence laws so that they offer even more protection. There were eight sources used to complete this paper.

Domestic violence is a topic that draws heated debates in many circles. Before one can understand all of the ramifications of domestic violence one needs to have a general knowledge of what it entails. The most violent type of domestic violence ends in the death of the victim. This is called femicide. Femicide is the murder of a woman at the hands of her current or former lover. Femicide as well as other aspects of domestic violence have become a global problem (BC Femicide Report - 2002 Penny Bain and Kelly Watt (http://www.bcifv.org/resources/newsletter/2003/fall/femicide.html).

In 2001, 69 wives were killed by their husbands in Canada, 17 more than in 2000. (Statistics Canada, 2001) Research indicates that femicide is the single most common form of murder perpetrated against women, accounting for between…… [Read More]

Domestic Violence

theories listed, the relative deprivation theory and the general strain theory best explain domestic violence, as well as the high rate of recidivism, despite punishment. However, we should mention in the very beginning that each theory listed best explains a certain category of people, generally divided by income and level of education. The two I have selected are a match for the highest percentage of women batterers.

The relative deprivation theory believes that domestic violence occurs when there is a significant difference in the achievements of each of the members of the couple. In general, in my opinion, these tend to be professional achievements and the theory is best exemplified by those couples where the husband is unemployed or having a job that is not satisfying, while the wife is earning much more than him and is the one contributing most to the family budget.

The relative deprivation theory was actually discussed when referring to the differences between the poor and rich classes and was created as an explanation for rising crime rates in different urban areas. When apply to such a level, the theory includes not only income differences, but also issues such as racial discrimination, inequality of chances,…… [Read More]

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Domestic Violence

Daughter directed by Brian Gilbert. Specifically it will discuss all aspects of domestic violence in the film. This film illustrates many aspects of domestic violence, indicating that violence and abuse take many different forms, and can exist in even the "happiest" of homes. Domestic violence is a threat facing many families, and this film shows that violence is not the only form of abuse; there are many different types of emotional and mental abuse that still can leave lasting scars on the victims.

The film opens in 1984 with the seemingly happy family of Moody, Betty and Mahtob Mahmoody, a family living in Michigan. Moody is an Iranian doctor, and Betty is his wife. Mahtob is their young daughter. They seem extremely happy and well-adjusted -- not the kind of family that would endure any kind of domestic violence or abuse, but that begins to unravel as the film continues. Moody convinces Betty to travel to Iran for a two-week vacation. She is very nervous about the trip to the Middle East, but Moody swears on the Qu'ran that everything will be fine, and she agrees to the trip. As the deadline for their return approaches, Moody informs Betty that…… [Read More]