introduction to domestic violence essay

Essay On Domestic Violence

500 words essay on domestic violence.

Domestic violence refers to the violence and abuse which happens in a domestic setting like cohabitation or marriage. It is important to remember that domestic violence is not just physical but any kind of behaviour that tries to gain power and control over the victim. It can affect people from all walks of life and it basically subjects towards a partner, spouse or intimate family member. Through an essay on domestic violence, we will go through its causes and effects.

Causes of Domestic Violence

Often women and children are the soft targets of domestic violence. Domestic violence is a gruesome crime that also causes a number of deaths. Some of the most common causes of domestic violence are illiteracy and economical dependency on the menfolk.

The male-dominated society plays an important role in this problem. Further, dowry is also one of the leading causes which have the consequence of violence against newly-wed brides. In many parts of the world, physically assaulting women and passing horrendous remarks is common.

Moreover, children also become victims of this inhuman behaviour more than often. It is important to recognize the double standards and hypocrisy of society. A lot of the times, the abuser is either psychotic or requires psychological counselling.

However, in a more general term, domestic violence is the outcome of cumulative irresponsible behaviour which a section of society demonstrates. It is also important to note that solely the abuser is not just responsible but also those who allow this to happen and act as mere mute spectators.

Types of Domestic Violence

Domestic violence has many ill-effects which depend on the kind of domestic violence happening. It ranges from being physical to emotional and sexual to economic. A physical abuser uses physical force which injures the victim or endangers their life.

It includes hitting, punching, choking, slapping, and other kinds of violence. Moreover, the abuser also denies the victim medical care. Further, there is emotional abuse in which the person threatens and intimidates the victim. It also includes undermining their self-worth.

It includes threatening them with harm or public humiliation. Similarly, constant name-calling and criticism also count as emotional abuse. After that, we have sexual abuse in which the perpetrator uses force for unwanted sexual activity.

If your partner does not consent to it, it is forced which makes it sexual abuse. Finally, we have economic abuse where the abuser controls the victim’s money and their economic resources.

They do this to exert control on them and make them dependent solely on them. If your partner has to beg you for money, then it counts as economic abuse. This damages the self-esteem of the victim.

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Conclusion of the Essay on Domestic Violence

To conclude, domestic violence has many forms which include physical aggression like kicking and biting and it can also be sexual or emotional. It is essential to recognize the signs of domestic violence and report the abuser if it is happening around you or to you.

FAQ of Essay on Domestic Violence

Question 1: Why is domestic violence an issue?

Answer 1: Domestic violence has a major impact on the general health and wellbeing of individuals. It is because it causes physical injury, anxiety, depression. Moreover, it also impairs social skills and increases the likelihood that they will participate in practices harmful to their health, like self-harm or substance abuse.

Question 2: How does domestic violence affect a woman?

Answer 2: Domestic violence affects women in terms of ill health. It causes serious consequences on their mental and physical health which includes reproductive and sexual health. It also includes injuries, gynaecological problems, depression, suicide and more.

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Domestic Violence - Essay Examples And Topic Ideas For Free

Domestic violence refers to abusive behaviors in a domestic setting, such as in marriage or cohabitation. Essays on domestic violence could discuss its prevalence, the psychological and societal factors contributing to it, the impact on victims and communities, and the legal and social services aimed at preventing and addressing domestic violence. We’ve gathered an extensive assortment of free essay samples on the topic of Domestic Violence you can find in Papersowl database. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Domestic Violence: the Effect it has on Children

Growing up, children need a safe environment. A home where they can feel secure, and have a sense of stability. Where parents love and protect their children. A home free of violence, and when things go wrong in the outside world, home is a place of comfort and support. But for over 1.5 million children in the United States, this is not the case. Every year, hundreds of millions of children in the United States experience one parent violently assaulting […]

Domestic Violence and the Physicological Affects

Domestic violence is presented throughout all the United States, whether the people of society recognize it, or it is under the radar and not seen. Domestic violence can be distinct in many ways because there are several diverse types of domestic abuse. Domestic violence are behaviors used by one person in a relationship to control the other. Partners may be married or not married, heterosexual, gay or lesbian, living together, separated or dating (Siemieniuk, 2010). Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, […]

Gender Equality and Crime

The court and the Judiciary, in general, are guided by the basic principles of justice to all. Judges usually give rulings based on the rule of law with the intention of protecting the public, deterring crime, rehabilitating law offenders, punishing offenders and offering reparation to the victim. The principles of justice mean fairness, protecting the rights of all regardless of gender, race or religion. However, gender equality has been a significant issue for many years, and there has been a […]

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Domestic Violence Family Therapy Interventions

The traditional therapeutic approach to working with those who commit domestic violence has been the Duluth educational model. However, this model faces a significant amount of criticism in its gender-divided model that does not allow for relevant psychological factors to be considered. In this paper, I will review the points of the Duluth model that have been criticized and provide two alternative approaches that have shown to consider important therapeutic factors and benefits to both families and couples seeking treatment […]

What are the Possible Causes and Signs of Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a destructive issue that is very common and affects many Americans today. Abuse can occur in heterosexual couples and in same-sex partnerships, and occurs within all age ranges, ethnic backgrounds, and economic levels. It is disastrous for the batterer and the battered, and can be fatal. One in four women are abused by their partners, and nearly more than 10 million people are abused every year. Domestic violence is consistent violent or aggressive behavior towards another person […]

The Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Abstract This paper discusses the effects that childhood sexual abuse has on children. It states the basics and statistics of sexual abuse in children in our society. The immediate symptoms and signs of childhood sexual abuse are discussed as well as long term emotional effects, long lasting physical effects and psychological disorders due to sexual abuse. The treatment of childhood sexual abuse is also discussed to show how positive resources can help victims of sexual abuse. Introduction In the United […]

Domestic Violence and Women’s Mental Health

Domestic violence occurs worldwide irrespective of culture, geographical and historical period. There are many factors that cause or lead to domestic violence and they are: Unmet role expectations. Unmet role expectations on the part of the wife or husband could lead to domestic violence in the family. If women fail to fulfil basic domestic responsibilities such as cooking, cleaning, managing household budgets and taking care of child, it often leads to domestic violence. Child care was a source of argument […]

Children and Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence has effected and still continues to effect the lives of many individuals. Statics on domestic violence states Every 9 seconds in the US a woman is assaulted or beaten Domestic violence is not only found amongst adults but even children and teenagers are victims of domestic violence or are the abuser in an abusive violent relationship .To briefly define and understand Domestic violence, it is an abusive relationship between individuals who abuse one another, aggressively, physically and even […]

Child Abuse and Neglect

English Composition Final Proposal Essay: Child Abuse and Neglect There have been countless studies focused around how the mind of a child is warped when transitioning into their adulthood after experiencing neglect and abuse. It's evidently very difficult for a victim of this certain issue to forget their traumatic experiences, ultimately impacting their physiological and physical health. Child abuse and neglect refer to any harmful behavior by caregivers, parents, legal guardians, and other adults that is outside the norms of […]

Domestic Violence in the United States

Abstract Domestic violence, a combination of crimes that have been perpetrated for centuries is a big concern today to the American society. The government acknowledges that the scope of domestic violence is wide as there are different forms of crimes that are termed as domestic. Example of these home abuse includes sexual, verbal, physical, and emotional abuses. According to National statistics on Domestic violence women and children form the majority of the domestic violence. Domestic violence has an adverse impact […]

The Rise of Domestic Violence in our Society and Culture

The definition of the term domestic violence is, violence or abuse of one person against another taking place in a domestic setting, for example: marriage, cohabitation, etc. Therefore the topic of domestic violence is a serious one, because it takes place in homes, in some of the most personal and intimate of settings. The truth is that violence comes closer to many families than we would like to admit. Domestic violence is America's dark little secret - Former Senator Bill […]

National Center on Child Abuse

According to the Staus, over 14 out of every 100 American children, ranging from 3 to 17, are subjected to abusive violence each year. This means that approximately six and a half million are abused each year in the United States out of the 46 million children that are categorized into the age group 3 to 17. These statistics are different from the statistic represented by the U.S. National Center on Child Abuse. According to the U.S. National Center on […]

Domestic Violence in Ethiopia

Many men claim that men and women are equal or they will say I don't abuse women and its common to hear them saying we are treated equally but the truth is very different. Many women around the world are victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence is an abusive behavior usually at home that is mostly involving a spouse and a partner. Domestic violence is a serious issue all over the world especially in a country where gender inequality still […]

Various Type of Domestic Violence

This review will be divided into four-subsection to focus in explain the general factors in Domestic violence against in various type of gender and include animals. Many researchers have different opinion and summarize different factors that causes to abusive violence. Each gender have own different ability and perspectives. I analyses theses literatures in order to fulfill my understanding about Domestic Violence in various gender type and how it relate to the other living things such as animals. Mostly the article […]

The Affect Domestic Violence has on Children

Introduction The proposed research will define domestic violence focusing on children. It will outline affects domestic violence has on children and examine whether or not their physical, mental, and/or social development is delayed with prolonged domestic violence. It will also study whether or not a child's health and education is affected. The research will aim to identify different trends associated with helping those children in the midst of domestic violence within find safe alternatives to cope with the violence. Articles […]

Domestic Violence with Children

Even though domestic violence for adults is harmful enough to lead to suicide children play a tremendou role in this by affecting their development growth and high risk of depression, Exposure to domestic violence impact children in different types of ways because children exposed to domestic violence usually never recover from it and can follow up to affect their future family and this affects children's education, social, emotional, and behavioral growth though it's different with every kid. According to the […]

Family Violence and Child Abuse

Family Violence and Child Abuse Seldomly do people realize how often child are abused by parents, not always through violence, but in other various factors that can traumatize a child. The textbook Heavy Hands written by Denise Kindschi Gosselin has an entire chapter on child abuse and the different types of abuse that are involved against these children. Historical accounts tell us that children have always been abused and neglected by one or both parents; it is not uncommon or […]

The Effects of Domestic Violence: Family & Society

Unspoken, destructive, and hidden from the outside world. Domestic violence. In grade school it is rarely talked about. October is Domestic Violence awareness month, yet no one said a word. In order to prevent this, we must first understand it. What is domestic violence? It is a pattern of controlling and manipulating behavior that is meant to subdue and take all the power in a relationship. Intimate partner violence is a more specific type of domestic violence, it is any […]

How does Domestic Violence Affect Children’s Development in School

Introduction My fieldwork was done at Bolton Refuge House where women can go to seek refuge from an abuser and escape a situation of domestic violence. The mission of Bolton Refuge House is to offer tools that will empower victims and create a safe environment for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Bolton Refuge House has an emergency shelter that is available for victims of domestic violence or sexual assault who do not feel safe in their own homes. […]

Types of Domestic Violence

Why Research Domestic Violence? To raise awareness about this silent killer To gather statistics that show that this can happen to anyone To Put a story and name to the numbers What is Domestic violence? Domestic violence (also called intimate partner violence (IPV), domestic abuse or relationship abuse) is a pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship. Forms of Domestic violence: Physical abuse Sexual Abuse Emotional Abuse Financial […]

Spousal Abuse and Domestic Violence

Domestic violence or violence between intimate partners, results in the deaths of approximately four women every day and accounts for thirty-one percent of female homicides in the United States. (Mills). For a long time, domestic violence was looked at as a private and personal matter that didn't necessarily call for police and prosecution concern. In some cases, the victim would have to pay the prosecutors a fee in order to have their abuser prosecuted (Mills). Now, when it comes to […]

Exploitation and Spiteful Crimes against Women in the United States

For many years the exploitation and spiteful crimes against women in the United States was not seen as a major concern in the nation. Women were and are still being abused by their intimate partner, sexually assaulted, and stalked. Generally, domestic violence is just seen as physical abuse. However, domestic violence is a legal concept that refers to physical, sexual, emotional, or financial abuse. It is rare but domestic violence is not just men being abusive to women but women […]

Witness to Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is commonly known as an unspoken situation among individuals around the world. The behaviors are physically, emotionally, and mentally unstable for many individuals. It can sometimes be linked to many theories; one theory being "The Social Learning Theory. If done coercively, the behavior can be viewed as one partner dominant of the other. This Literature Review is a reflection on views around the world as they pertain domestic violence related to women. Trends From 1993-2000 The article by […]

Mass Shootings and Domestic Violence

I. INTRODUCTION For my research paper, I decided to study the link between domestic violence and the five deadliest mass shootings that have occurred in the United States. Mass shootings seem to be at an all-time high over the past few years, and people are starting to see a pattern develop among the perpetrators: most have a history of domestic violence or violence toward women in general. The cases I studied, in descending order are: the Texas Church shooting on […]

Domestic Violence and Traditional Feminist Philosophy and Beliefs

Throughout the country a majority of domestic violence programs are based off the traditional feminist philosophy and beliefs. The feminist approach is defined as an approach that aims to understand gender inequality(source). The approach examines women’s and men’s social roles, experiences, interests, chores, and politics with a goal to empower the oppressed (source). Although this belief is meant to be a positive movement for all women and fight against domestic violence it is not completely ethical to just use that […]

Relationship between Police and Involvement and Domestic Violence

Literature Review Literature has suggested that domestic violence reporting and victims of domestic violence, are issues that have very little research. On top of this, the research that has been conducted is not as accurate because the definition of domestic violence has been generalized. This means that research of domestic violence could include anything from fighting with friends, to abuse within intimate partner relationships, abuse against women, and family violence. Within the relationships alone, definitions can also differ. For example, […]

The Tough Guy Image in Black Families

Poverty can lead to the black male adherence to the tough guy image in black families. The tough guy image is the leading cause of death amongst black families. The fear of black on blacks is another cause by the tough guy image. According to the book the overwhelming number of offenses committed by African American are directed towards other African Americans. Interpersonal amongst blacks is the leading cause of death for blacks. Black males are known to make up […]

A Proposal for Companion Animal Supports in a Domestic Violence Shelter in Massachusetts

Veterinary social work is an emerging field which incorporates social work practices, values, and ideals into animal care settings. Currently, most veterinary social work is concerned with animal bereavement services, including end of life counseling, pet loss support groups, and one-on-one counseling after the death of a pet. There are, however, more uses of social work in animal care settings, as well as animal care in social work settings. One such example of animal care in a social work setting […]

Faith Harper Domestic Violence Case Study

Violence Question 3~The Return/Supervised Visits1. Investigate the child protection process in your local state and county. The Texas county law demands that anyone who believes that a child is neglected or abused should report to the law enforcement organization, Child Protective Services organization of the Texas Section of Family and Protecting Services. The law gives mandate and power to CPS to investigate any report given to protect all children (Puplampu & Codjoe 2001). According to the Texas law, it defines […]

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In Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie faces obstacles throughout her life and ultimately learns to grow from them. Hurston portrays love, dominance, independence, discrimination, and abuse in her novel. Hurston uses domestic abuse story. During the 20’s women were not treated fairly nor with respect. Janie’s first marriage to Logan Killicks was arranged by Janie’s grandmother who valued financial security and respectability. In Janies marriage, Logan treated her with love and respect for about a year […]

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How To Write an Essay About Domestic Violence

Understanding domestic violence.

Before starting an essay about domestic violence, it's important to understand what constitutes domestic violence and its impact on individuals and society. Domestic violence refers to a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. It can include physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. Begin your essay by defining domestic violence, discussing its various forms, and addressing common misconceptions. It's also crucial to explore the psychological and social factors that contribute to domestic violence, as well as its short and long-term effects on victims, families, and communities.

Developing a Thesis Statement

A strong essay on domestic violence should be anchored by a clear, focused thesis statement. This statement should present a specific viewpoint or argument about domestic violence. For example, you might discuss the societal factors that contribute to domestic violence, the challenges in seeking justice for victims, or the effectiveness of intervention and support programs. Your thesis will guide the direction of your essay and provide a structured approach to your analysis.

Gathering Supporting Evidence

Support your thesis with relevant data, research, and examples. This might include statistics on the prevalence of domestic violence, case studies, or research findings on the effects of domestic violence on individuals and society. Use this evidence to support your thesis and build a persuasive argument. Remember to consider different perspectives and include voices of survivors in your discussion.

Analyzing the Impact of Domestic Violence

Dedicate a section of your essay to analyzing the impact of domestic violence. Discuss various aspects, such as the physical and mental health consequences for victims, the social and economic costs, and the effect on children and families. Explore both the immediate and long-term effects, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the issue.

Concluding the Essay

Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points of your discussion and restating your thesis in light of the evidence provided. Your conclusion should tie together your analysis and emphasize the significance of addressing domestic violence in society. You might also want to highlight areas where further research or policy development is needed, or suggest ways individuals and communities can help combat domestic violence.

Reviewing and Refining Your Essay

After completing your essay, review and edit it for clarity and coherence. Ensure that your arguments are well-structured and supported by evidence. Check for grammatical accuracy and ensure that your essay flows logically from one point to the next. Consider seeking feedback from peers or experts in the field to refine your essay further. A well-written essay on domestic violence will not only demonstrate your understanding of the topic but also your ability to engage with complex social issues.

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Understanding Violence Against Women (1996)

Chapter: 1 introduction, 1 introduction.

Although men are more likely than women to be victims of violent crimes—61 per 1,000 for men, 42.6 per 1,000 for women (Bastian, 1995)—patterns of victimization differ. Women are far more likely than men to be victimized by an intimate partner (Kilpatrick et al., 1992; Bachman, 1994; Bachman and Saltzman, 1995). In fact, about three-quarters of all lone-offender violence against women in 1993 was perpetrated by someone known to the woman, compared with one-half of lone-offender violence against men (Bachman and Saltzman, 1995). It is important to note that attacks by intimates are more dangerous to women than attacks by strangers: 52 percent of the women victimized by an intimate sustain injuries, compared with 20 percent of those victimized by a stranger (Bachman and Saltzman, 1995). Women are also significantly more likely to be killed by an intimate than are men. In 1993, 29 percent of female homicide victims were killed by their husbands, ex-husbands, or boyfriends; only 3 percent of male homicide victims were killed by their wives, ex-wives, or girlfriends (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1993). 1

Women are more likely to be victimized by male offenders than by female offenders; about three-quarters of violent crimes against women are committed by males (Bachman, 1994). In one urban emergency room, violence was the most common cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44 and the second most common cause of injury for all women (Grisso et al., 1991). Finally, women are far more likely than men to be sexually assaulted. The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) found women were 10 times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than were men (Bastian, 1995). The annual rate of rape is estimated to be 7.1 per 1,000 adult women, and 13 percent of all women will experience forcible rape sometime during their lives (Kilpatrick et al., 1994).

The exact dimensions of violence against women are frequently disputed, yet even conservative estimates indicate that millions of American women experience violent victimization. The fear of violence, in particular the fear of rape, affects many more, if not most, women (Gordon and Riger, 1989). A few researchers have even suggested that learning to cope with the threat of violent victimization is a normative developmental task for females in the United States (Gilfus, 1995).

In spite of the attention that has been paid to violence against women in recent years, the research endeavor is relatively young, and much remains unknown. There really is no one field focused on violence against women per se. For example, studies on rape and sexual assault are distinct from those on intimate partner violence, which is distinct from the nascent study of stalking. And all this research is separate from that on violence in general. Many of the studies in this newly emerging field of research on violence against women are at an early stage of scientific rigor. The methodological weaknesses in the research on battering and rape have been discussed at length in other documents (Rosenbaum, 1988; Gelles, 1990; Koss, 1992, 1993; Rosenfeld, 1992; Smith, 1994). Definitions differ from study to study, making comparisons

difficult. Much of the research on both victims and perpetrators is based on clinical samples, samples of convenience, or other nonrandomized samples, so one cannot draw general conclusions. Sample sizes are often quite small. Only recently have sophisticated statistical analyses been used. Yet in spite of all the shortcomings, a lot has been learned about the extent of violence against women, about perpetrators of violence, and about the effects on victims.

What Is Violence Against Women?

The term violence against women has been used to describe a wide range of acts, including murder, rape and sexual assault, physical assault, emotional abuse, battering, stalking, prostitution, genital mutilation, sexual harassment, and pornography. There is little consensus in the still evolving field on exactly how to define violence against women. The major contention concerns whether to strictly define the word ''violence" or to think of the phrase "violence against women" more broadly as aggressive behaviors that adversely and disproportionately affect women.

Researchers in such fields as sociology and criminology tend to prefer definitions that narrowly define violence, definitions that can be operationalized. For example, Gelles and Straus (1979) defined violence as "any act carried out with the intention of, or perceived intention of, causing physical pain or injury to another person." Similarly, the National Research Council (NRC) report Understanding and Preventing Violence (Reiss and Roth, 1993) limited its definition to "behavior by persons against persons that intentionally threatens, attempts, or actually inflicts physical harm." The 1993 NRC study deliberately excluded behavior that inflicts harm unintentionally, while the Gelles and Straus definition includes behaviors that may be unintentional but are perceived by the victim to be intentional. The 1993 NRC study also specifically excluded from its definition of violence such events as verbal abuse, harassment, or humiliation, in which

psychological trauma is the sole harm to the victim. However, in its consideration of family violence and sexual assault, the report did include the psychological consequences of threatened physical injury.

In contrast to those definitions, researchers in such fields as psychology, mental health, and social work frequently consider "violence" to cover a wider range of behaviors. The Committee on Family Violence of the National Institute of Mental Health (1992) included in its definition of violence "acts that are physically and emotionally harmful or that carry the potential to cause physical harm … [and] may also include sexual coercion or assaults, physical intimidation, threats to kill or to harm, restraint of normal activities or freedom, and denial of access to resources." The Task Force on Male Violence Against Women of the American Psychological Association defined violence as ''physical, visual, verbal, or sexual acts that are experienced by a woman or a girl as a threat, invasion, or assault and that have the effect of hurting her or degrading her and/or taking away her ability to control contact (intimate or otherwise) with another individual" (Koss et al., 1994). Those who argue for these broader definitions suggest they more accurately represent the experiences of victims, who often say they find verbal and psychological abuse more harmful than actual physical abuse (Walker, 1979; Follingstad et al., 1990; Herman, 1995).

In the field of intimate partner violence or battering, the problem of violence against women is frequently characterized as one of coercive control that is maintained by tactics such as physical violence, psychological abuse, sexual violence, and denial of resources. The concern is with the array of behaviors that are used to dominate women. Physical violence need not be used often to be effective: "In fact, abusers may regret resorting to violence, but may perceive themselves as 'driven to it' when their other methods of enforcing subordination are insufficient" (Herman, 1995:2). In the field of rape, fear is a key element; it is an overriding concern for many women (Warr, 1985; Gordon and Riger, 1989; Klod-

awsky and Lundy, 1994). Even though women are less frequently the victims of violent crime than men, women fear crime more (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1991) and this fear appears to be largely based on their fear of rape (Riger et al., 1981). Many feminist theorists contend that this fear of rape serves to intimidate and control all women (e.g., Griffin, 1971; Brownmiller, 1975; Dworkin, 1991).

Although research would benefit from more unified definitions, the panel understands the difficulty of reaching agreement on definitional issues in light of the many complex behaviors that are involved. The panel held lengthy discussions on defining violence against women, focused on the key issue of whether psychological abuse should be included. The panel concluded that it could not resolve a question that is so open among researchers and that a global definition was not necessary for carrying out the task of reviewing what is known and recommending needed research (see below). Thus, the panel agreed that this study would be primarily a review of the literature on intimate partner violence (battering), rape, and sexual assault. The study does not include violence that occurs in conjunction with other crimes, such as robbery, burglary, or car theft. Nor does it include prostitution, sexual harassment, or issues such as genital mutilation, dowry murders, and trafficking in women that are more relevant internationally than in the United States.

Whether one uses a narrow definition confined to physical and sexual violence or one accepts a broader definition of violence against women, definitional debates also surround each of the individual components. For example, how does one define rape or sexual assault? Should all physical aggression or use of force be considered violent? What constitutes psychological abuse? These questions affect both the research that is done and how much it can be generalized.

Rape and Sexual Assault

Although all definitions of rape, sexual assault, and re-

lated terms include the notion of nonconsensual sexual behavior, the definitions used by researchers have varied along several dimensions. These include the behaviors specified, the criteria for nonconsent, the individuals involved, and who decides whether rape or sexual assault has occurred (Muehlenhard et al., 1992; Koss, 1993).

Many data sources and some researchers rely on legal definitions of rape, but those definitions differ from state to state and change over time. In common law, rape was traditionally defined as "carnal knowledge [penile-vaginal penetration only] of a female forcibly and against her will" (Bienen, 1980:174). The FBI's Uniform Crime Report (1993) still uses this narrow definition of rape even though most states have reformed their rape laws during the past 20 years. There have been three common reforms:

• broadening the definition to include sexual penetration of any type, including vaginal, anal, or oral penetration, whether by penis, fingers, or objects;
• focusing on the offender's behavior rather than the victim's resistance; and
• restricting the use of the victim's prior sexual conduct as evidence.

Many states have also removed the marital exemption from their rape laws. Some states and the U.S. Code (18 U.S.C. § 2241-2245) have replaced the term "rape" with terms such as "sexual assault," "sexual battery," or "sexual abuse'' (Epstein and Langenbahn, 1994). Many laws now have a series of graded offenses defined by the presence or absence of aggravating conditions, making sexual assault laws similar to other assault laws. For example, the U.S. Code uses the categories aggravated sexual abuse when someone "knowingly causes another person to engage in a sexual act by using force against that other person, or by threatening or placing that other person in fear that any person will be subjected to death, serious bodily injury, or kidnapping" or by knowingly causing

another person to become incapable of giving consent by rendering them unconscious or administering intoxicants. Sexual abuse involves lesser threats or engaging in sexual acts with a person who cannot give consent.

The definition of rape or sexual assault used in a research study has an effect on who is counted as a rape victim. The type of screening questions, the use of the word rape versus the use of behavioral descriptions, and other considerations all affect the research results (Koss et al., 1994). Higher rates of rape and sexual assault are found when behavioral descriptions and multiple questions are used than when surveys ask directly about rape or sexual assault. Women may not label experiences that meet the legal definition of rape or sexual assault as such, particularly if the perpetrator was an intimate partner or an acquaintance. The use of behavioral descriptions in studies assures that what is being measured are experiences rather than an individual's conceptions of the words rape or sexual assault.

In this report, rape means forced or coerced penetration—vaginal, anal, or oral; "sexual assault" means other forced or coerced sexual acts not involving penetration; and "sexual violence" includes both rape and sexual assault.

Physical Violence

Although defining physical violence would seem to be more clear-cut, there are disagreements both over definitions and measurement. As noted above, some researchers include only acts that were intended to cause physical harm or injury (Reiss and Roth, 1993); others argue that intentionality may be difficult to ascertain, and therefore physical violence should also include acts that are perceived as having the intention of producing physical harm or injury (Gelles and Straus, 1979). Akin to intentionality is the consideration of the context of the act. For example, should an action taken in self-defense be considered violent? Should an act be considered violent only if an injury occurs, or is the potential for

injury sufficient? Some definitions of physical violence, following legal models of assault, include threats of physical harm; others consider that threats fall under verbal or psychological abuse (Straus, 1990a). There is disagreement about whether behaviors such as slapping a spouse should be equated with more severe acts such as kicking or using a weapon. How violence is defined and measured influences the rate of violence found in a study: all else being equal, the broader the definition, the higher the level of violence reported (Smith, 1994).

Physical violence is most commonly measured by the Conflict Tactic Scales (Straus, 1979, 1990b) or some modification of it. Such scales ask about the occurrence of various representative behaviors. For example, the Conflict Tactic Scales list nine physical violence items:

• threw something at you;
• pushed, grabbed, or shoved you;
• slapped you;
• kicked, bit, or hit you with a fist;
• hit or tried to hit you with something;
• beat you up;
• choked you;
• threatened you with a knife or gun; and
• used a knife or fired a gun.

The last six behaviors in this list are considered to be "severe" physical violence.

In this report, "physical violence" refers to behaviors that threaten, attempt, or actually inflict physical harm. The behaviors listed in the Conflict Tactic Scales, while not all inclusive, typify the type of behaviors meant by physical violence. In this report, "severe" violence refers to the type of behaviors typified by the severe violence items on the scales.

Psychological Abuse

Psychological abuse (also refered to as psychological maltreatment or emotional abuse) has received less research attention than physical or sexual violence, and hence there have been fewer attempts to define it. At a minimum, psychological abuse refers to psychological acts that cause psychological harm (McGee and Wolfe, 1991). It has been argued that separating physical and psychological conditions "overly simplifies the topic and denies reality" (Hart and Brassard, 1991:63): physically violent acts can have psychological consequences and psychological acts can have physical consequences. The difficulty of separating physical violence and psychological abuse is exemplified by the treatment of threats of physical violence, with researchers split over whether to classify such threats as physical violence or psychological abuse. As with physical violence, there is debate about intentionality, that is, must the offender intend harm for an act to be considered abuse? Deciphering the intention of a psychological act may be even more difficult than for a physical act, and so intention is generally not included in defining psychological abuse.

On the basis of descriptions of psychological abuse as reported by battered women, Follingstad et al. (1990) described the following categories of behavior as psychological abuse:

• verbal attacks such as ridicule, verbal harassment, and name calling, designed to make the woman believe she is not worthwhile in order to keep her under the control of the abuser;
• isolation that separates a woman from her social support networks or denies her access to finances and other resources, thus limiting her independence;
• extreme jealousy or possessiveness, such as excessive monitoring of her behavior, repeated accusations of infidelity, and controlling with whom she has contact;
• verbal threats of abuse, harm, or torture directed at the woman herself or at her family, children, or friends;
• repeated threats of abandonment, divorce, or of initiating an affair if the woman does not comply with the abuser's wishes; and
• damage or destruction of the woman's personal property.

Similar to measurements of physical violence, inventories or scales of representative behaviors are used to measure psychological abuse. The Conflict Tactics Scales subscale on verbal aggression (Straus and Gelles, 1990) measures some aspects of psychological abuse: items include "insulted or swore at you," "did or said something to spite you," "threatened to hit or throw something at you," and ''threw or smashed or hit or kicked something." Other measures that have undergone validity testing are the Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory, which consists of 58 behavioral items (Tolman, 1988) and the Abusive Behavior Inventory, which includes items on both physical and psychological acts (Shepard and Campbell, 1992).

Interviews with battered women have detailed clear-cut examples of extreme psychological abuse occurring between and in conjunction with physically violent episodes. Psychological abuse frequently occurs with physical violence (Walker, 1979; Browne, 1987; Follingstad et al., 1990; Hart and Brassard, 1991), and research has repeatedly shown a strong association between psychological abuse and physical and sexual violence (e.g., O'Leary and Curley, 1986; Margolin et al., 1988; Sabourin et al., 1993). Some battered women describe psychological abuse—particularly ridicule—as constituting the most paintful abuse they experienced (Martin, 1976; Walker, 1979, 1984; Follingstad et al., 1990). It has been suggested that ridicule may undermine a woman's self-worth, making her less able to cope with both physical violence and psychological abuse (Follingstad et al., 1990). Studies of child abuse have similarly shown that psychological maltreatment is present in most cases of physical abuse, and it predicts detrimental outcomes for children while severity of physical

abuse does not (Claussen and Crittenden, 1991; Hart and Brassard, 1991).

In this report, "psychological abuse" refers to the types of behaviors described by Follingstad et al. (1990) and listed above, with the exception of threats of physical violence, which this report considers under physical violence. There is no separate section of the report devoted to psychological abuse because it has received very little study in and of itself. Rather, it is considered to be part of the pattern of behavior of serious physical violence, psychological abuse, and sometimes sexual violence, between intimate partners that has been well described (e.g., Martin, 1976; Dobash and Dobash, 1979; Walker, 1979; Browne, 1987). This pattern of behavior has been referred to in many terms, including domestic violence, spouse abuse, battering, and wife beating. "Wife beating" and "spouse abuse" imply married couples, although all intimate relationships—cohabiting, dating, and lesbian and gay couples—are frequently meant to be included under these terms. "Domestic violence," although usually referring to violence between intimate partners, is sometimes used to mean all forms of family violence, including child abuse, spouse abuse, sibling abuse, and elder abuse. These conflicting and overlapping terms and their uses are confusing in the study of violence against women.

In this report, "intimate partner violence" and "battering" are used synonymously to refer to the pattern of violent and abusive behaviors by intimate partners, that is, spouses, ex-spouses, boyfriends and girlfriends, and ex-boyfriends and ex-girlfriend. 2 The term batterer is used to mean the perpetrator of intimate partner violence, and battered woman, the victim.

In research studies, dating couples are sometimes considered as intimate partners and sometimes as acquaintances. "Acquaintance" generally refers to someone known to the victim but neither related nor an intimate. Particularly in crime data, it is not always clear what acquaintance means; it may include dating couples. Hence, date rape and dating

violence are sometimes included in crime data as violence by nonintimate acquaintances.

Battered women who have left their batterers have described being stalked by the batterer (e.g., Walker, 1979). This behavior includes following and threatening the woman, repeated harassing phone calls, threatening her family, and breaking into her living quarters. Anecdotal evidence suggests that some batterers go to extraordinary lengths to track down their victims and that women who are stalked by expartners may be at high risk of being killed. Although descriptive information about stalking is available, few data exist.

The acknowledgment of stalking as a crime is a fairly recent phenomenon. California passed the first antistalking law in 1990 (Sohn, 1994); today, 48 states and the District of Columbia have passed antistalking statutes (Boychuk, 1994). Most state statutes define stalking as willful, malicious, and repeated following and harassing of another person. Many statutes include in the definition the intent to place the victim in reasonable fear of sexual battery, bodily injury, or death.

The Panel's Charge And Scope

In the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (Title IV of P.L. 103-322, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994), Congress directed the National Research Council to develop a research agenda on violence against women (Chapter 9, § 40291):

The Attorney General shall request the National Academy of Sciences, through its National Research Council, to enter into a contract to develop a research agenda to increase the understanding and control of violence against women, including rape and domestic violence. In furtherance of the

contract, the National Academy shall convene a panel of nationally recognized experts on violence against women, in the fields of law, medicine, criminal justice, and direct services to victims and experts on domestic violence in diverse, ethnic, social, and language minority communities and the social sciences. In setting the agenda, the Academy shall focus primarily on preventive, educative, social, and legal strategies, including addressing the needs of underserved populations.

In convening the Panel on Research on Violence Against Women, the National Research Council specifically charged the panel with the following tasks:

• synthesize the relevant research literature and develop a framework for clarifying what is known about the nature and scope of violence against women, including rape and domestic violence;
• supplement the research review with lessons learned by field professionals and service providers, including providers of services to ethnic, social, and language minorities; and
• identify promising areas of research to improve knowledge of the scope of the problem, and implementation and evaluation of preventive, educative, social, and legal interventions for dealing with violence against women.

In carrying out its charge, the panel limited its consideration to violence against women aged 12 and older. Child abuse and neglect and child sexual abuse were outside the purview of this panel and are covered by the report Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect (National Research Council, 1993), with a thorough research agenda.

The age of 12 was selected for several reasons. First, the types of violence to which teenage females are exposed are often more similar to violence directed at adult women than that directed at children. Second, sex offenders who prey on children seem to be quite different from those who target adolescent and adult women (Quinsey, 1984; Prentky, 1990).

Third, surveys on violence, such as The National Crime Victims Survey (NCVS), often include victims beginning at age 12. In addition, the highest rates of rape and sexual assault are found among women aged 12 to 24 years (Bachman and Saltzman, 1995): females in their teens and 20s are those most likely to be dating, and, therefore, subject to dating violence.

The panel's main task was to lay out a research agenda to improve understanding of violence and controlling that violence in the context of women's lives. This entailed reviewing the literature on intimate partner violence, rape, sexual assault, and stalking. The panel concentrated on studies published in peer-reviewed journals within the past 10 years, although very well-known or unique studies that were published earlier are also reviewed. The panel relied both on computerized literature searches, the expertise of various panel members, and monitoring a number of journals devoted to issues of violence. More than 300 journal articles and dozens of books were reviewed, many of which are cited in this report. The panel supplemented its literature review by holding a workshop of researchers and practitioners (see Appendix B ).

The panel's review and analysis is divided into three topics: nature and scope, causes and consequences, and preventive and treatment interventions. Chapter 2 describes what the research shows about the nature and scope of violence against women. Chapter 3 discusses possible causes of violence against women and the consequences of violence to women and society. Chapter 4 examines preventive and treatment intervention efforts. Lastly, Chapter 5 discusses issues of research infrastructure and science policy on violence against women. Recommendations for research are discussed at the end of each chapter.

Violence against women is one factor in the growing wave of alarm about violence in American society. High-profile cases such as the O.J. Simpson trial call attention to the thousands of lesser-known but no less tragic situations in which women's lives are shattered by beatings or sexual assault.

The search for solutions has highlighted not only what we know about violence against women but also what we do not know. How can we achieve the best understanding of this problem and its complex ramifications? What research efforts will yield the greatest benefit? What are the questions that must be answered?

Understanding Violence Against Women presents a comprehensive overview of current knowledge and identifies four areas with the greatest potential return from a research investment by increasing the understanding of and responding to domestic violence and rape:

• What interventions are designed to do, whom they are reaching, and how to reach the many victims who do not seek help.
• Factors that put people at risk of violence and that precipitate violence, including characteristics of offenders.
• The scope of domestic violence and sexual assault in America and its conequences to individuals, families, and society, including costs.
• How to structure the study of violence against women to yield more useful knowledge.

Despite the news coverage and talk shows, the real fundamental nature of violence against women remains unexplored and often misunderstood. Understanding Violence Against Women provides direction for increasing knowledge that can help ameliorate this national problem.

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THE ACADEMY IS CELEBRATING ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY

Domestic Violence: An Overview

C. J. Newton, MA

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Introduction

Domestic Violence isn't just hitting, or fighting, or an occasional mean argument. It's a chronic abuse of power. The abuser tortures and controls the victim by calculated threats, intimidation, and physical violence. Actual physical violence is often the end result of months or years of intimidation and control.

In their diagnostic and treatment guidelines for physicians, The American Medical Association defines intimate partner abuse as "the physical, sexual, and/or psychological abuse to an individual perpetrated by a current or former intimate partner. While this term is gender-neutral, women are more likely to experience physical injuries and incur psychological consequences of intimate partner abuse."

In a study, published in the Archives of Family Medicine, designed to measure physician's attitudes and practices toward victims of domestic violence, Snugg, et al, defined domestic violence as "past or present physical and/or sexual violence between former or current intimate partners, adult household members, or adult children and a parent. Abused persons and perpetrators could be of either sex, and couples could be heterosexual or homosexual."

Defining the problem: Domestic violence is violence between adult intimate partners.

Though the definition above seems simple enough (it is widely accepted in the law enforcement community as the definition), the application of the definition varies quite significantly from organization to organization, state to state, and country to country. The term "intimate partners" in some cases refers only to people who are cohabitating or have cohabited (lived together) whereas at other times "intimate partners" refers to people who are dating or who have dated at some time in the past.

Perhaps a better definition of domestic violence is emotional abuse, physical abuse, or sexual abuse between people who have at some time had an intimate or family relationship.

To understand how the meaning of "domestic violence" has and is changing, think about how the term "family" has changed in the past 50 years. They are both ever-changing, and a bit controversial.

Many view the above definition of domestic violence as overly restrictive. They argue that domestic violence can occur between adult family members who are not "intimate" in the traditional sense, such as adult brothers and sisters, cousins, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, mothers- and fathers-in-law. For example, many consider elder abuse to be a form of domestic violence.

Though the definition above clearly states "adult...", there is a recent trend for states to adopt legal definitions of domestic violence that include violence toward children (more than half of states now mention children in their domestic violence laws). This could broaden the definition to be violence between any of the following: husbands, wives, ex-husbands, ex-wives, partners, ex-partners, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children, people who have lived together (which could include cousins, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and caregivers), and people who are or have dated in the past.

What is Emotional Abuse?

Emotional abuse is when an intimate partner has...

• continually criticized you, called you names or shouted at you
• insulted or driven away your friends or family
• humiliated you in private or public
• kept you from working, controlled your money or made all the decisions
• refused to work or to share money
• taken car keys or money from you
• regularly threatened to leave or told you to leave
• threatened to kidnap the children when the abuser was angry with you
• abused pets to hurt you
• manipulated you with lies and contradictions

What is Physical Abuse?

Physical abuse is when an intimate partner has...

• pushed or shoved you
• held you to keep you from leaving
• slapped or bitten you
• kicked or choked you
• hit or punched you
• thrown objects at you
• locked you out of the house
• abandoned you in dangerous places
• refused to help you when you were sick, injured or pregnant
• forced you off the road or driven recklessly
• threatened to hurt you with a weapon

What is Sexual Abuse?

Sexual abuse is when an intimate partner has...

• minimized the importance of your feelings about sex
• criticized you sexually
• insisted on unwanted or uncomfortable touching
• withheld sex and affection
• forced sex after physical abuse or when you were sick
• been jealously angry, assuming you would have sex with anyone
• insisted that you dress in a more sexual way than you wanted

Domestic Violence Statistics: Prevalence and Trends

"Around the world at least one woman in every three has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Most often the abuser is a member of her own family."

"Physical violence is estimated to occur in 4 to 6 million intimate relationships each year in the United States."

"Nearly one in every three adult women experiences at least one physical assault by a partner during adulthood. Approximately four million American women experience a serious assault by an intimate partner during a 12-month period."

"It is estimated that 2 million to 4 million US women are assaulted by a domestic partner every year. Twelve million women (25% of the female population) will be abused in their lifetime. Up to 35% of women and 22% of men presenting to the emergency department have experienced domestic violence."

The precise incidence of domestic violence in America is difficult to determine for several reasons: it often goes unreported, even on surveys; there is no nationwide organization that gathers information from local police departments about the number of substantiated reports and calls; and there is disagreement about what should be included in the definition of domestic violence. "One study estimated that more than 3% (approximately 1.8 million) of women were severely assaulted by male partners or cohabitants over the course of a year, while other studies indicate the percentage of women experiencing dating violence, including sexual assault, physical violence, or verbal and emotional abuse, ranges as high as 65%."

However, the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics published a report in May, 2000 which sheds some light on part of domestic violence. Their report is based on their own surveys (National Crime Victimization Survey), and on data from the FBI (homicide data). In their report they define domestic violence as violent crimes by current or former spouses, boyfriends, and girlfriends. Violent crimes include lethal (homicide) and nonlethal (rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault) offenses. From their data, we can say that in 1998, women experienced at least 900,000 violent offences at the hands of an intimate, and men were victims of at least 160,000 violent crimes by an intimate partner. Their report did not mention emotional abuse, harassment or stalking. So, more than 1 million violent crimes were committed against persons by their current or former spouses, boyfriends, or girlfriends. To view the report, go to Intimate Partner Violence.

Fred C. Pampel and Kirk R. Williams warn, however, that "researchers using this database must address the problem of missing data, which typically is the result of the failure to file, inconsistent filing of reports to the FBI by local police agencies, or incomplete records about the characteristics of specific incidents of homicide (particularly, missing information about perpetrators), even when reports are filed."

Even though we don't know how frequently domestic violence occurs (and some estimates suggest that it is as much as 10 times more prevalent than reported by the Bureau of Justice Statistics), the report does help with identifying very interesting trends. The rates of domestic violence vary along several lines, including race, gender, economic and educational status, and geographical location.

Gender trends: Women make up 3/4 of the victims of homicide by an intimate partner. Actually, 33% of all women murdered (of course, only cases which are solved are included) are murdered by an intimate partner. Women make up about 85% of the victims of non-lethal domestic violence. In all, women are victims of intimate partner violence at a rate about 5 times that of males.

Racial and Ethnic trends: Black women and men suffer from the highest rates of domestic violence. "Black females experienced domestic violence at a rate 35% higher than that of white females, and about 22 times the rate of women of other races. Black males experienced domestic violence at a rate about 62% higher than that of white males and about 22 times the rate of men of other races."

Age trends: Domestic violence is most prominent among women aged 16 to 24.

Economic Trends: Poorer women experience significantly more domestic violence than higher income women. 16

Marital status: For both men and women, divorced or separated persons were subjected to the highest rates of intimate partner victimization, followed by never- married persons.

Reporting to police: The rates at which individuals report domestic violence to police vary along racial and gender lines. Hispanic and black women report domestic violence at the highest rate (approximately 65% to 67% of abuse is reported). For white females, only about 50% of the abuse is reported.

It's Hard to Stop Because It's Hard to Report.

Victims of domestic violence are reluctant to report abuse. Women very reasonably fear retaliation against themselves and their children by the abuser and fear the economic upheaval that may follow the report. Studies show that the highest risk for serious injury or death from violence in an intimate relationship is at the point of separation or at the time when the decision to separate is made. 2 "Threats and violence are control strategies used by the batterer, the woman's leaving may threaten his sense of power and increase his need to control the woman and children."

Many times, women's self-esteem is so low as a result of spouse abuse that they are unable to see themselves as worthy of seeking help, or they rationalize the abuse, believing they caused or deserve it. Police complain that often when they arrest an abuser, the victims want them to drop the charges.

For children, the fear is more than fear of injury or death. Children fear the destruction of their family - their world. Middle-school aged children have an awareness of things such as poverty, foster homes, and homelessness, and may be unable to cope with the uncertainty that reporting abuse may cause. Even when adults in the community such as school personnel or neighbors report the abuse, children may outright deny it. Children may experience feelings of shame, guilt, and divided loyalties to parents making it unlikely that they will disclose the violence to others.

In an abusive situation, many battered women will try to solve the problem by talking it out with the abuser, by fighting back, or by trying to change their behavior to meet the demands of the abuser (of course, then the demands change). When they fail to stop the abuse, women may become passive, which may reduce the immediate danger, or may go into a state of emotional withdrawal. In the end, abuse may push a woman to see only two options: suicide or homicide.

When women do discuss domestic violence with an authority, they are most likely to do so with their physician. Still, in a recent AMA study of physicians, Rodriguez, et al, found that only 1% of physicians practicing in health maintenance organizations screened for domestic violence. Obstetrician/gynecologists (17%) and physicians practicing in public clinic settings (37%) were more likely to screen patients. A recent survey of physician attitudes found that "45% of clinicians never or seldom asked about domestic violence when examining injured patients". The result is less than 15% of female patients report being asked about abuse by doctors or telling their doctors about their abuse.

Recognition rates by physicians in a variety of settings have been as low as 5 percent (ie, the physician identifies abuse as a problem in only one abuse victim in twenty who presents for care).

Despite physicians being the primary link to families, many doctor's attitudes toward domestic violence and their knowledge about it's prevalence, warning signs and effects are lacking. In a survey of physician attitudes, it was found that "fifty percent of clinicians and 70% of nurses/assistants believed that the prevalence of domestic violence in their practice was 1% or less" and "twenty-five percent believed the abused person's personality led to the violence." 19

Effects of Domestic Violence

Long-term effects of domestic violence on women who have been abused may include:

• chronic depression
• chronic pain
• dehydration
• dissociative states
• drug and alcohol dependence
• eating disorders
• emotional "over-reactions" to stimuli
• general emotional numbing
• health problems
• malnutrition
• panic attacks
• poor adherence to medical recommendations
• repeated self-injury
• self neglect
• sexual dysfunction
• sleep disorders
• somatization disorders
• strained family relationships
• suicide attempts
• an inability to adequately respond to the needs of their children.

In a 1999 study from Johns Hopkins, it was reported that abused women are at higher risk of miscarriages, stillbirths, and infant deaths, and are more likely to give birth to low birth weight children, a risk factor for neonatal and infant deaths. In addition, children of abused women were more likely to be malnourished and were more likely to have had a recent untreated case of diarrhea and less likely to have been immunized against childhood diseases.

Most battered women take active steps to protect their children, even if they do not leave their batterer.

Domestic violence can severely impair a parent's ability to nurture the development of their children. Mothers who are abused may be depressed or preoccupied with the violence. They may be emotionally withdrawn or numb, irritable or have feelings of hopelessness. The result can be a parent who is less emotionally available to their children or unable to care for their children's basic needs. Battering fathers are less affectionate, less available, and less rational in dealing with their children. Studies even suggest that "battered women may use more punitive child-rearing strategies or exhibit aggression toward their children."

When children cannot depend on their parents or caregivers - for emotional support and for practical support - their development can be seriously delayed or, in severe cases, permanently distorted. Children without an emotionally available parent may withdraw from relationships and social activities. Since childhood is the time when social skills and attitudes are learned, domestic violence can affect their ability to form relationships for the rest of their lives.

Parents who have been traumatized by violence must cope with their own trauma before they are able to help their children.

Effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Teenagers

Effects of Domestic Violence: academic problems; agitation - feeling "jumpy"; aggression; avoidance of reminders; behavior problems; clinginess to caregivers; depression; distractibility; emotional numbing; emotional changes; fear - feeling scared; fear of natural exploring; feelings of guilt; feelings of not belonging; flashbacks; general emotional distress; increased arousal; intrusive thoughts; insomnia; irritability; low levels of empathy; low self-esteem; nightmares; numbing of feelings; obsessive behaviors; phobias; poor problem-solving skills; posttraumatic stress disorder; revenge seeking; social problems; suicidal behaviors; truancy; withdrawal from activities.

Effects in Adulthood: alcohol abuse; depression; low self-esteem; violent practices in the home; criminal behavior; sexual problems; substance abuse.

Estimates are that more than 3.3 million children are exposed to physical and verbal spousal abuse each year. 14 Exposure means seeing or hearing the actual abuse or dealing with the aftermath of the abuse.

When describing the effects of domestic violence on children, it is important to note that domestic violence and child abuse are often present in the same families. "In homes where domestic violence occurs, children are physically abused and neglected at a rate 15 times higher than the national average. Several studies have shown that in 60% to 75% of families in which a woman is battered, children are also battered." In addition, children living in households where domestic violence is occurring are at a higher risk for sexual abuse.

The effects of witnessing or experiencing violence at home vary tremendously from one child to another. The attributes that give a child the greatest chance of surviving unscathed are "average or above-average intellectual development with good attention and interpersonal skills. Also feelings of self-esteem and self-efficacy, attractiveness to others in both personality and appearance, individual talents, religious affiliations, socioeconomic advantage, opportunities for good schooling and employment, and contact with people and environments that are positive for development."

Many children in families where domestic violence has occurred appeared to be "parentified." They are forced to grow up faster than their peers, often taking on the responsibility of cooking, cleaning and caring for younger children. Laura Gillberg, MSW, is the child and adolescent program director at Sarah's Inn, an agency in Oak Park, Illinois. She stated, "Many of these children were not allowed to have a real childhood. They don't trust their fathers because of his role as an abuser and they may have been worried about what to expect when coming home. They learned at a young age to be prepared for anything."

Children may also be isolated. Typical activities such as having friends over to their house may be impossible due to the chaotic atmosphere. "Kids aren't going to have their friends over when mom has a black eye." However, school performance is not always obviously affected. Children may respond by being overachievers.

Gillberg noticed that children in domestic violence tend to be either extremely introverted or extremely extroverted. Psychosomatic problems (aches and pains for no apparent reason) are common; these children's eating and sleeping patterns tend to be disrupted. Children who witness domestic violence can develop behavior problems, including aggression and violent outbursts.

Underlying all these "symptoms" of domestic violence are children's emotional responses: i.e. anger - misery - intense terror - fear of dying - fear of the loss of a parent. Children may feel rage, guilt, or a sense of responsibility for the violence, which can stifle emotional and social development. To learn and grow into a healthy adult, children must feel confident in the world and in themselves. Domestic violence can wipe out a child's confidence and leave them shocked.

INFANTS AND TODDLERS:

Infants and toddlers who witness violence show excessive irritability, immature behavior, sleep disturbances, emotional distress, fears of being alone, and regression in toileting and language. Preschool children may develop enuresis and speech disfluencies, such as stuttering. "Exposure to trauma, especially family violence, interferes with a child's normal development of trust and later exploratory behaviors, which lead to the development of autonomy." 14

Being a teenager is difficult, as most of us remember. But being a teenager and living in a house infected with domestic violence can have devastating, life-long effects. Teens living with domestic violence face the unique problem of trying to fit in with their peers while keeping their home life a secret. Teens in shelters often face the problem of having to move and begin school in a new place, having to make new friends while feeling the shame of living in a shelter. Needless to say, their family relationships can be strained to the breaking point. The result can be teens who never learn to form trusting, lasting relationships, or teens who end up in violent relationships themselves.

In addition, teens face the same issues as younger children in an abusive family, namely feeling lonely and isolated, growing up too fast, behavior problems, stress related medical and mental health problems, and school problems. Teenagers are also faced with entering into the dating world for the first time. They are formulating their own theories about relationships, and some may not have the best models on which to base a healthy relationship. They have witnessed the cycle of violence with the abuse, apologies from the perpetrator, tensions building and more abuse. Unfortunately, some teenagers may be faced with a higher risk of being victims of dating violence and as mentioned earlier, ending up in violent relationships as adults either as victims or abusers.

Domestic Violence Shelters: What They Do

In 1999, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reported that the number of agencies providing services to battered women surpassed 2,000.

Shelters often offer temporary as well as transitional living programs, where women and their children can live in an agency-owned apartment for an extended period of time, during which they receive counseling and assistance. To be accepted into a program, women are interviewed and must demonstrate need. The cost is usually on a sliding scale, dependent on a woman's ability to pay. There is usually a waiting list for transitional living apartments because it is a much-needed service.

For children, group and individual counseling, education and play-therapy services, along with case management services are often available. About half of residents in domestic violence shelters are children.

Domestic Violence agencies and shelters often offer men's programs in the form of workshops and group therapy for abusers.

Outpatient services include support groups, vocational counseling and job training, outreach to high schools and the community, court advocacy, and mental health services or referrals. Many agencies have funding for practical matters such as locating temporary shelters and, if none are available, putting women and their children up at a hotel for a few days.

Conclusions

The effects of domestic violence on our society are obviously enormous, but are impossible to measure. Our entire nation suffers. You can see the effects at bus stations, fast-food restaurants, and schools. You can see it on television and in jails. You can see it in people's faces on the street - hopelessness, pessimism, hard-headedness, meanness. A person's spirit is priceless, and a broken spirit costs more than can be measured in dollars.

Still, think about the cost of domestic violence in terms of just dollars and cents, and it's devastating. Abuse victims need medical care. Up to 54% of women seeking emergency services, up to 66% of women seeking general medical care, and up to 20% of women seeking prenatal care report experiencing domestic violence. 17 Victims of abuse also require mental health care. There is enormous cost to the state in the form of time spent by law enforcement officers, courts, lawyers, public health workers and more. There is cost to social welfare organizations in the form of money and donated time to staff and run shelters, counseling services, hotlines, and more. There is cost to the productivity of our workhouse in the form of absenteeism, worker re-training (when a victim is killed), and decreased productivity. The educational system is required to provide specialized services to children suffering from attentional and behavioral problems resulting from domestic violence.

Now think about the fact that children growing up in a house with domestic violence will grow up and require medical care for stress-related illnesses, mental health care for anxiety, depression, panic, and shock. They will likely end up costing the state money in the legal system, will earn less than their peers because of their academic difficulties as children and because they may have lost the optimistic and risk-taking qualities necessary to become successful, and finally, they will likely raise children who will in turn continue the cycle.

American Medical Association. Facts About the Mental Health Effects of Violence. American Medical Association Web Site. November 1995

American Psychological Association. Facts About Family Violence. American Psychological Association Web Site.

American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Violence And The Family. Issues and Dilemmas in Family Violence: Executive Summary. American Psychological Association Web Site.

Carter, L., Weithorn, L., and R. Behrman. Domestic Violence and Children: Analysis and Recommendations. The Future of Children: Domestic Violence and Children (1999) 9(3):1-20.

Culross, P. Health Care System Responses to Children Exposed to Domestic Violence. The Future of Children: Domestic Violence and Children (1999) 9(3):111-121.

Fantuzzo, J. and W. Mohr. Prevalence and Effects of Child Exposure to Domestic Violence. The Future of Children: Domestic Violence and Children (1999) 9(3):21-32.

Findlater, J. and S. Kelly. Child Protective Services and Domestic Violence. The Future of Children: Domestic Violence and Children (1999) 9(3):84-98.

Goldman, L., Horan, D., Warshaw, C. Kaplan, S., and M. Hendricks-Matthews. Diagnostic and Treatment Guidelines on Mental Health Effects of Family Violence. American Medical Association Web Site. November, 1995.

Groves, B. Mental Health Services for Children Who Witness Domestic Violence. The Future of Children: Domestic Violence and Children (1999) 9(3):122-132.

Heise, L., Ellsberg, M. and M. Gottemoeller. Ending Violence Against Women. Population Reports, Series L, No. 11. Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Population Information Program, December 1999.

Lemon, N. The Legal System's Response to Children Exposed to Domestic Violence. The Future of Children: Domestic Violence and Children (1999) 9(3):67-83.

Massey, J. Domestic Violence in Neurologic Practice. Archives in Neurology. 1999;56:659-660.

Matthews, M. The Impact of Federal and State Laws on Children Exposed to Domestic Violence. The Future of Children: Domestic Violence and Children (1999) 9(3):50-66.

Osofsky, J. The Impact of Violence on Children. The Future of Children: Domestic Violence and Children (1999) 9(3):33-49.

Pampel, F., and K. Williams. Intimacy and Homicide: Compensating for Missing Data in the SHR Vol. 38 (2), May 2000, pp. 661-680.

Rennison, M. and W. Welchans. Intimate Partner Violence. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics. May 2000, NCJ 178247, Revised 7/14/00

Rodriguez, M., Bauer, H., McLoughlin, E., and K. Grumbach. Screening and Intervention for Intimate Partner Abuse: Practices and Attitudes of Primary Care Physicians. JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association. 1999;282:468-474

Saathoff, A., and E. Stoffel. Community-Based Domestic Violence Services. The Future of Children: Domestic Violence and Children (1999) 9(3):97-110.

Sugg, N., Thompson, R., Thompson, D., Maiuro, R., and F. Rivara. Domestic Violence and Primary Care: Attitudes, Practices, and Beliefs. Archives of Family Medicine. 1999;8:301-306.

Wolfe, D., and P. Jaffe. Emerging Strategies in the Prevention of Domestic Violence. The Future of Children: Domestic Violence and Children (1999) 9(3):133-144.

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TRAUMATIC STRESS SPECIALITIES

• CERTIFICATION IN FORENSIC TRAUMATOLOGY (C.F.T) • CERTIFICATION IN BEREAVEMENT TRAUMA (C.B.T.) • CERTIFICATION IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (C.D.V.) • CERTIFICATION IN MOTOR VEHICLE TRAUMA (C.M.V.T.) • CERTIFICATION IN SEXUAL ABUSE (C.S.A.) • CERTIFICATION IN DISABILITY TRAUMA (C.D.T.) • CERTIFICATION IN RAPE TRAUMA (C.R.T.) • CERTIFICATION IN PAIN MANAGEMENT (C.P.M.) • CERTIFICATION IN STRESS MANAGEMENT (C.S.M.) • CERTIFICATION IN ILLNESS TRAUMA (C.I.T.) • CERTIFIED CRISIS CHAPLAIN (C.C.C.) • CERTIFICATION IN CHILD TRAUMA (C.C.T) • CERTIFICATION IN CRISIS INTERVENTION (C.C.I.) • CERTIFICATION IN WAR TRAUMA (C.W.T.)

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Behind Closed Doors: Domestic Violence Expository Essay

Introduction, domestic violence, works cited.

The term “domestic violence” is used to denote the physical or emotional abuse that occurs in the homes. It is the repeated abusive act or behavior of one spouse directed to another who is in an intimate relationship.

Physical abuse includes beating or hitting of the victim. On the other hand, emotional abuse includes threats directed to the victim meant to intimidate him or her, which leaves the victim living in psychological distress (Bolin, 1). Domestic abuse has devastating effects on the members of the family. This includes direct victims and other family members such as children who may be affected indirectly.

Domestic violence is a vice that happens in many societies around the world. In China, the vice is on the increase. This has prompted an online campaign against domestic violence. Most of those supporting the campaign agree that there is no legislative support for the victims of domestic violence. This makes the victims afraid or ashamed of speaking it out. The lack of legislative support is a major challenge to fight against the vice (Bolin, 1).

It has been argued that the vice is widespread in the country. In fact, domestic violence is witnessed in more than thirty percent of families in China (Ribbons, 21). This is partly because China lacks legislation that protects domestic violence victims or even defining what constitutes the vice.

In addition, this can be attributed to the fact that the vice is entrenched in the Chinese tradition. In this case, it was normal for men to beat their wives. This practice was encouraged by mothers-in-law. Therefore, it has contributed to the spread of domestic violence in the country. The use of alcohol and drunkenness is also a probable cause of domestic violence. Though many women have been victims of domestic violence, there is no openness in saying it in the public (Ribbons, 23).

The case of Kim Lee brought to the light the fact that most Chinese Women are persevering in their intimate relationships. Indeed, many women in China are victims of domestic violence. An online discussion prompted by the case of Kim Lee revealed that over forty two percent of women had been victims of this vice (Ribbons, 23).

Nevertheless, it was asserted that many things have led to the revelation about domestic violence in China. This has been attributed to increased women economic independence, changed attitudes of men, high incidences of divorce, and increased awareness of domestic violence.

These aspects have contributed to the revelation of what is happening in marital relationships. The vice is likely to reduce with increased activism. In addition, the drafting of a national law against domestic violence in China will be essential in reducing the vice (Ribbons, 23).

Domestic violence refers to the abuse inflicted on an intimately related partner like those in a marriage relationship. It can either the physical abuse, which involves beating or emotional/psychological that involve threats of violence. This vice is caused by a number of factors.

They include traditional beliefs that women ought to be beaten by their husbands, drunkenness and lack of laws that prohibit the vice or that protects the victims of domestic violence. Increased sensitization of the existence of the vice and a drive to change men’s attitude towards women can significantly reduce cases of domestic violence.

Bolin, He. Campaign to stop domestic violence . 2008. Web. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-03/07/content_6515868.htm

Ribbons, Elyse. “Behind Closed Doors: China Grapples with Domestic Violence” Ms Magazine, 2.1. (2012): 23. Print.

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Bibliography

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Essay on Domestic Violence Against Women

Students are often asked to write an essay on Domestic Violence Against Women in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Domestic Violence Against Women

Introduction.

Domestic violence against women is a global issue, causing harm and suffering. It includes physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, often by a partner or family member.

Forms of Violence

Violence can be physical, like hitting or pushing. Emotional abuse might involve insults or threats. Sexual abuse is another form, often within relationships.

The impacts are severe, affecting women’s mental and physical health. It can lead to depression, anxiety, and even suicide.

Education is key in prevention. We should teach respect and equality, and offer support to those affected.

Ending domestic violence is crucial for a healthy society. We must all work together to stop it.

250 Words Essay on Domestic Violence Against Women

Domestic violence against women is a global issue, transcending cultural, geographical, and socio-economic boundaries. Despite its widespread prevalence, it remains largely underreported due to the stigma, fear, and societal norms surrounding it.

The Scope of the Problem

A staggering number of women worldwide experience domestic violence, with the World Health Organization estimating that one in three women has been subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner. This violence takes various forms, including physical assault, sexual abuse, psychological manipulation, and economic coercion.

Underlying Causes

The root causes of domestic violence against women are deeply embedded in patriarchal norms and gender inequality. Power imbalances, reinforced by societal structures, lead to women’s subjugation and vulnerability to violence. Other factors, such as poverty, lack of education, and substance abuse, further exacerbate the problem.

The impacts of domestic violence against women are profound and far-reaching. Beyond the immediate physical harm, victims often suffer from long-term psychological trauma, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Moreover, the cycle of violence can have intergenerational effects, perpetuating a culture of violence and inequality.

Addressing domestic violence against women requires a multi-faceted approach, encompassing legal reforms, education, and societal change. It is crucial to challenge and transform the deeply ingrained norms and attitudes that perpetuate such violence. Only then can we hope to create a world where women are free from the threat of domestic violence.

500 Words Essay on Domestic Violence Against Women

Domestic violence against women is a pervasive, yet often hidden issue that affects societies worldwide. It is a form of gender-based violence, deeply rooted in gender inequality, and continues to be one of the most notable human rights violations within all societies.

Domestic violence encompasses physical, sexual, psychological, and economic abuse. It is not confined to any particular political or economic system, but it is prevalent in every society in the world. It cuts across boundaries of wealth, race, and culture. The World Health Organization estimates that one in three women worldwide has experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.

Underlying Factors

The roots of domestic violence lie in the patriarchal societal structures that validate and perpetuate the domination of men over women. These structures are often reinforced by cultural, religious, and social norms that condone or even encourage violence against women. Economic dependence, fear of social stigma, lack of awareness about legal rights, and inadequate support systems further trap women in abusive situations.

Consequences of Domestic Violence

The consequences of domestic violence against women are far-reaching and devastating. It significantly hampers the overall well-being of women, leading to severe physical and mental health problems. It also imposes enormous costs on society, from direct costs such as healthcare and legal services to indirect costs like lost productivity and intergenerational effects.

Prevention and Response

Preventing and responding to domestic violence requires comprehensive, multidimensional strategies. At the individual level, empowering women through education and economic independence is crucial. At the societal level, changing attitudes and norms that perpetuate gender inequalities and violence is key. Legal measures and policies should be in place to protect victims and punish perpetrators. Moreover, support services like shelters, hotlines, counselling, and legal aid should be readily available and accessible.

Domestic violence against women is a grave violation of human rights with significant societal implications. It is a complex issue that demands concerted efforts from all sectors of society. As we move forward, it is crucial to foster a culture of respect and equality, where violence is unacceptable, and women can live free from the fear of abuse. Only then can we hope to eradicate this blight from our societies and build a safer, more equitable world for all.

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How To Write A Domestic Violence Speech (With Sample Speech)

Hrideep barot.

• Speech Writing

Today, domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women. An average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or other forms of harm by an intimate partner. Imagine that: as you sit here reading this article, 24 people are being hurt by the person that’s supposed to love them.

Domestic violence is not an issue specific to one single country or place. It happens all around the world and can happen to anyone. It’s a worldwide phenomenon, and that means it’s a topic that most people are familiar with.

And yet, even though so many people are familiar with domestic violence, but a few do anything about it–even when they’re the victims themselves. If you’re delivering a speech on domestic violence, this is something that you need to keep in mind.

Writing a speech on a topic as vast as domestic violence can seem like a daunting task. But it doesn’t have to be: writing a speech on domestic violence is just like writing any other speech.

To write an impactful speech on domestic violence, you need to keep in mind a few things like knowing your audience, using simple language, humanizing yourself, and showing–not telling–your speech.

But first: what is domestic violence & why should you write a speech about it?

Domestic Violence: What Is It & Why To Speak About It

In simple terms, domestic violence is violence or other abuse in a domestic setting such as marriage or cohabitation. Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior that an individual in a relationship uses to exert power over the other person.

The most important reason why we need to talk about domestic violence is that the more we talk about domestic violence, the more likely it gets that we will be able to spread awareness about it, be better able to identify abusive behaviors & take active steps to fight it.

This becomes especially important when we realize that many victims of domestic violence don’t realize that they’re victims at all.

Tips For Writing A Speech On Domestic Violence

1. familiarizing with the audience.

Knowing your audience is an integral part of any speech. It becomes even more important when you’re delivering a speech on a topic as sensitive as domestic violence.

So, before you start writing your speech, ask yourself: who am I going to deliver it to? Are the members in the audience victims of domestic violence themselves? Are they survivors of abuse? Or are they simply there to gain more knowledge about it.

The answer to the question is going to be highly important when you sit down to outline your speech.

2. Use Simple Language

If your aim is to spread awareness or reach out to more people with your speech, then your best bet is to use simple language while you’re delivering it.

We get it: complicated-sounding words make you sound smarter. But that’s not the purpose of your speech, is it? Nobody likes to hear complicated jargon. And if they don’t like to hear something, then they probably won’t.

3. Incorporate Stories

Storytelling is a must for any speech. It can take a flat or boring topic to the next level, and cement a speaker in the audience’s mind.

Incorporating stories in a speech about domestic violence is even more important. That’s because stories tend to have a personal impact on the audience’s mind. They also make it more likely that the audience will connect with you .

A story about a sixteen-year-old victim of dowry death, for example, will have a far greater impact than a statistic about how many teenagers die of domestic violence every year.

We’ve made an extensive video on storytelling that you can check out here. The techniques given here can be applied for all types of speeches and help make the presentation more persuasive:

4. Humanize Yourself

For the audience, the speaker and the message are synonymous with each other. If they do not connect with the speaker or feel like the speaker is distant, then they will never be able to connect with the message either.

So, it’s important to humanize yourself in their eyes. There are many ways in which you can do this. Storytelling is one. Humor is another great way to make yourself more approachable. And write your speech like you’re talking to a friend or family member–not to a bunch of robots.

5. Show, Don’t Tell

This is a tip that writers often hear: show the reader what you want them to see, don’t tell it to them. This goes for speechwriting too. You don’t want to simply bombard the audience with facts and statistics. Instead, you want to make them connect with your speech and give them a tangible idea to take back.

The best way to show and not tell is by incorporating stories and examples in your speech. Don’t tell them why domestic violence is horrifying: make them feel why it is.

6. Add A Unique Angle

For a topic such as domestic violence, it’s likely that many speakers have spoken before you. This means that your audience has probably heard about the topic from multiple different channels–like the internet, social media websites, Youtube–before your speech.

If you truly wish to make an impact on your audience’s mind and make your speech memorable for them, then you need to find a unique angle to your speech. While it’s good to take inspiration from other speeches, you don’t want to copy it. Instead, have your own spin on the topic.

How To Start A Speech On Domestic Violence?

There are many ways of starting a speech. A few of them have been listed below:

1. Powerful Phrase

A quintessential way to start a speech would be with the use of a powerful statement or phrase. This catches your audience’s attention right off the bat, and makes it more likely they’ll stick with you for longer.

By 2050, the world as we know it will come to an end.

2. What-If Scenario

Another great way to start a speech on domestic violence is to make the audience imagine something. This will not only make for a killer opening but will also prime your audience by making them engage in your speech right from the beginning.

What if every relationship in the world was an abusive relationship? What if abuse, and not love, was the basis of every relationship?

Storytelling is a quintessential way to start off a speech, and for good reason. Stories are an excellent way to engage your audience in your speech, and to formulate a personal connection with them right off the bat.

I was twenty-one years old when my boyfriend called me a ‘bitch’ and punched me in the face for the first time…

4. Question

A question is another great way to start off a speech. A question gets your audience thinking and makes them more actively engaged in your speech. You can ask the audience a rhetorical question–or even a literal one if you want.

Example: How many of you have had a partner swear at or hit you?

5. S hocking Statistic or Fact

Statistics and facts are another great way to begin your speech. This is because statistics or facts can add shock-value to your speech & immediately draw your audience’s attention where it should be: on what you’re going to say next.

Example: 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence (e.g. beating, burning, strangling) by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

For more information on how to open your speech, check out our article on 10 Of The Best Things To Say In Opening Remarks

Sample Speech On Domestic Violence

Speeh Title: The War Inside Our Homes

“We are at war. In this country and across all the other countries across the world, a war is being waged. Unlike other wars, this one is not a loud war being fought between countries. This is a silent war. A war with a battlefield right inside the comfort of our homes. It is a war against domestic abuse. Like all other wars, the war against domestic abuse is man-made. Domestic abuse isn’t something new or previously unseen. In fact, it’s something that all of us are familiar with. Even if not everybody–thankfully–has a first-hand experience, we all know what domestic violence is. We’ve seen or heard about it before, be it in the news or on the television or even amongst people we know. One in three women and one in four men in the U.S. have reported having experienced rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. And these are only the cases that have been reported: the stories that are buried, the victims that are too afraid–or in too much danger–to speak out, are most often forgotten. “It started after an argument about who’s turn it was to buy milk.” James Harrison, a twenty-five-year-old writer from New York, thought he’d met the love of his life after his first date with his girlfriend-turned-wife-turned-abuser, Amy. Not even a month later, the couple became an official Facebook-couple. Six months later, Amy was kicked out of her job–and then her apartment. James decided to help her out and invited her to live at his apartment–which he shared with his friend–for as long as she wanted. He had no idea he was inviting her to abuse him for over six months–both physically as well as mentally. When asked why he didn’t speak up sooner, he said it was because he was ashamed. “I couldn’t even tell my roommate,” he said. “I was so ashamed of myself.” James isn’t alone. Most often, when we think of domestic abuse, the first image that pops up in our mind is that of a woman being hit by a man. Women are quintessentially perceived as the victims of domestic abuse, and the man the aggressor. While it’s absolutely true that a vast chunk of the victims of domestic abuse is women, men can be victims of domestic abuse too. Determining the rate of violence against men can be difficult, as societal stigma means that men are often reluctant to report abuse or seek help. According to the National Violence Against Women Survey, over 830,000 men experience domestic violence every year. This means that every 37.8 seconds, somewhere in America a man is abused. Domestic abuse is not about size or strength or culture or gender. It doesn’t matter whether you are a man or a woman: abuse is abuse. And domestic violence has been on the rise–without a fall anywhere in sight. United Nations Secretary-General noted the horrifying global surge of domestic abuse and called for a domestic violence “ceasefire”. In many countries across the world, domestic violence reports and emergency calls have increased over 25 percent over the last year–and keep in mind these are only the ’emergencies and worst-case scenarios. For Amitya, it started as verbal insults. Insults that she assumed were harmless because after, all if he wasn’t physically hitting her, it wasn’t abuse, right? Just words. She was wrong. Although she wanted to leave, she had no means of doing so. She was without a job, and completely financially dependent on her husband. Her family had made it clear that they would not support her: if she left her husband, she’d be on the streets. And then what about her daughter? Who would feed her? Who would protect her from the horrors of homelessness? Then, words turned to fists. A month ago, she was rushed to the emergency room and almost lost her life because she couldn’t get a bed for herself. That’s when she knew she had to leave. Because if she didn’t, she–and maybe even her daughter–would die. She is not alone. We are at war. A war against domestic abuse. Whether we lose it or emerge triumphantly, it remains to be seen.”

To sum up, writing a speech on domestic abuse might seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be so. Delivering a speech on domestic violence is just like delivering any other speech. If you keep in mind a few things like knowing your audience, using simple language, humanizing yourself, and showing–not telling–your speech, you can deliver an impactful speech on domestic violence with ease.

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Essay on Domestic Violence

Domestic violence, a critical social issue, plagues numerous households worldwide. It’s a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. This essay seeks to explore the multifaceted aspects of domestic violence, its psychological underpinnings, and the broader implications for society.

Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence involves physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. It includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone.

Types of Domestic Violence

• Physical Abuse : Hitting, slapping, shoving, grabbing, pinching, biting, hair pulling, etc., are types of physical abuse. It also includes denying a partner medical care or forcing alcohol/drug use.
• Emotional Abuse : Undermining an individual’s sense of self-worth and/or self-esteem. This may include constant criticism, diminishing one’s abilities, name-calling, or damaging one’s relationship with their children.
• Economic Abuse : Making or attempting to make an individual financially dependent by maintaining total control over financial resources, withholding access to money, or forbidding attendance at school or employment.
• Sexual Abuse : Coercing or attempting to coerce any sexual contact or behavior without consent. This includes, but is not limited to, marital rape, attacks on sexual parts of the body, forcing sex after physical violence, and treating one in a sexually demeaning manner.
• Psychological Abuse : Causing fear by intimidation; threatening physical harm to self, partner, children, or partner’s family or friends; destruction of pets and property; and forcing isolation from family, friends, or school and/or work.

The Psychology Behind Domestic Violence

Understanding the psychology behind domestic violence is complex. It often involves an intricate interplay of power, control, and deep-seated psychological issues.

• Power and Control : Abusers often feel the need to exert dominance over their partner, stemming from deep insecurities and a desire to control.
• Cycle of Abuse : Domestic violence usually follows a pattern known as the cycle of abuse, consisting of the tension-building phase, the abusive incident, the honeymoon phase, and calm before the cycle starts again.
• Childhood Trauma : Many abusers have histories of traumatic childhoods, including physical or emotional abuse, which can perpetuate a cycle of violence.
• Societal Influences : Societal norms and cultural backgrounds that perpetuate gender inequality and glorify aggression can contribute to domestic violence.

The Impact of Domestic Violence

The impact of domestic violence is profound and far-reaching.

• Physical and Mental Health : Victims of domestic violence suffer from various physical ailments, mental health issues like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and in extreme cases, death.
• Impact on Children : Children who witness domestic violence are at increased risk for emotional and behavioral problems, and may repeat the cycle of violence in their own relationships.
• Societal Cost : Domestic violence impacts society through increased healthcare costs, legal costs, and lost productivity.

Addressing Domestic Violence

Combating domestic violence requires a multifaceted approach:

• Awareness and Education : Raising awareness about the signs of domestic violence and educating people about its unacceptable nature is crucial.
• Support Systems : Robust support systems including hotlines, shelters, counseling, and legal assistance are vital for victims.
• Legal Framework : Strong legal frameworks that protect victims and hold abusers accountable are essential.
• Community Involvement : Community education and involvement in prevention programs are necessary to change societal norms and behaviors.

Writing About Domestic Violence

For students writing about domestic violence:

• Use a Sensitive Tone : Given the delicate nature of the topic, it’s important to use a tone that is empathetic and respectful.
• Incorporate Data and Research : Use statistics, studies, and research to provide a factual basis for the essay.
• Personal Stories : While maintaining confidentiality and sensitivity, incorporating stories can provide powerful insights into the issue.
• Discuss Solutions and Prevention : Go beyond outlining the problem to propose potential solutions and preventive measures.

In conclusion, Domestic violence is a complex issue that requires deep understanding and concerted efforts to address. It’s imperative to recognize the signs, understand the underlying causes, and work towards effective solutions. For students participating in essay writing competitions, delving into this topic is not only an academic exercise but also an opportunity to contribute to the critical discourse on this pressing social issue. By understanding and articulating the nuances of domestic violence, one can advocate for change and a safer, more equitable society.

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Home — Essay Samples — Law, Crime & Punishment — Advocacy — Domestic Violence Persuasive Speech

Domestic Violence Persuasive Speech

• Categories: Advocacy

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Published: Mar 13, 2024

Words: 615 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Table of contents

The prevalence of domestic violence, the impact of domestic violence, the urgent need for action, the broader implications.

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What's in this year's federal budget? Here are all of the announcements we already know about

Treasurer Jim Chalmers will hand down his third budget on Tuesday night, but has been tempering expectations for weeks in the lead-up, warning Australians not to expect a "cash splash".

Inflation remains a key challenge for the government, and we already have a pretty good idea of how Mr Chalmers plans to use his budget to provide cost-of-living relief while also trying to jump-start a slowing economy and navigate growing uncertainty overseas.

Here are the measures we already know about before the treasurer reveals all at 7:30pm AEST.

Short on time?

There's been no shortage of announcements in the lead-up to the budget. If you're interested in a specific topic, tap on the links below to take you there:

Cost-of-living relief

Education, training and hecs changes, tax changes, future made in australia, health and aged care, paid parental leave, domestic violence, defence and foreign affairs, environment, infrastructure, additional announcements.

Is your area of interest not covered?

• Tell us what other cost-of-living measures you're hoping to see included in this year's budget .

The bottom line

Will the budget be in surplus or deficit?

• The budget will deliver a surplus of $9.3 billion for the 2023-24 financial year, making it the second consecutive budget surplus in almost two decades
• That said, the following three financial years are all forecasted to have larger deficits than previously expected in December, but the size of each deficit is not yet known
• Overall, the treasurer says Australia's total debt has been reduced by $152 billion in the 2023-24 financial year, and the budget will benefit by a $25 billion boost in revenue upgrades

What does the budget mean for inflation and interest rates?

• The treasurer has repeatedly said he's kept inflation in mind when crafting this year's budget, and is confident that the measures won't contribute to it
• In fact, Treasury predicts inflation will fall to 2.75 per cent by December — well before the Reserve Bank's most recent forecast for the end of 2025 — due to yet-to-be-announced budget measures taking pressure off inflation
• For what it's worth, RBA governor Michele Bullock wasn't too concerned about the upcoming budget last Tuesday, saying she  would wait to see its impact first , but she said the treasurer reassured her that he was focused on curbing inflation  

The reworked stage 3 tax cuts form the centrepiece of the government's budget. They were announced in January, legislated in February and come into effect on July 1.

The changes to tax cuts originally legislated by the Morrison government mean that all Australian taxpayers who earn more than $18,200 (that is, more than the tax-free threshold) will get a tax cut.

Before Labor's changes, the original stage 3 tax cuts were skewed more heavily to higher-income earners .

A person with a taxable income between $45,000 and $120,000 will receive a tax cut of $804 more come July 1  under the revised stage 3 changes compared to the Morrison government's tax plan.

However, the government has hinted at other cost-of-living measures, with the treasurer calling the tax cuts the "foundation stone" of broader assistance.

Among those measures appears to be energy bill relief (in addition to what some states have already announced), with the treasurer pointing out that last year's measure curbed living costs and eased inflation.

Adjustments to rent assistance also seem likely, as do increases to JobSeeker and the aged pension.

Back to top

The biggest announcement in this area is the wiping out of $3 billion worth of HECS debts  triggered by last year's indexation of 7.1 per cent.

It means student debts will be lowered for more than 3 million Australians, with the average student receiving an indexation credit of about $1,200 for the past two years.

The debt relief will also apply for apprentices who owe money through the VET Student Loan program or the Australian Apprenticeship Support Loan.

Speaking of university, the government is aiming to tackle "placement poverty" by providing financial support to students to help make ends meet while they complete practical hands-on training as part of their course.

Under the scheme, those studying nursing, teaching or social work will receive a Commonwealth Prac Payment of up to $319.50 a week, but they will be subjected to means testing.

Similarly, apprentices willing to learn clean energy skills as part of their trade will be eligible to receive up to $10,000 in payments . The scheme already exists, but the government has broadened the eligibility to include apprentices in the automotive, electrical, housing and construction sectors based on industry feedback.

Universities will also be required to stop a surge in the number of international students, as part of the government's broader plans to cut annual migration levels back to 260,000 a year — much to the concern of peak education bodies .

Another  $90 million will be put towards 15,000 fee-free TAFE and VET places to get more workers into the housing construction sector , with an extra 5,000 pre-apprenticeship places provided from 2025.

While we can expect to hear more about the stage 3 tax cuts, it seems likely that the government will unveil other changes to tax in the budget to encourage business investment.

One such change will be the extension of the government's instant asset write-off scheme for small businesses for another year, allowing businesses with a turnover of less than $10 million to claim $20,000 from eligible assets.

However, the same measure from last year's budget is still yet to pass parliament — and businesses are urgently calling on them to pass the measure before it expires on June 30 .

In addition to spending more to attract skilled workers in the housing and construction sectors, the government is also tipping billions of dollars into building new homes across the country .

It's estimated the government will be putting roughly $11.3 billion towards housing, as the government works to deliver its promised 1.2 million new homes by 2030.

$1 billion will be spent on crisis and transitional accommodation for women and children fleeing family violence and youth through the National Housing Infrastructure Facility, which is re-allocated funding.

The government has also committed to providing $9.3 billion to states and territories under a new five-year agreement to combat homelessness, assist in crisis support, and to build and repair social housing — including $400 million of federal homelessness funding each year, matched by the states and territories.

Another $1 billion will be given to states and territories to build other community infrastructure to speed up the home-building process, including roads, sewerage, energy and water supplies.

The government has also committed to consulting with universities to construct more purpose-built student accommodation.

Overall, the funding announcements for housing build on the $25 billion already committed to new housing investments, with $10 billion of that in the Housing Australia Future Fund, which is designed to help build 30,000 social and affordable rental homes.

The government says the housing funding measures will also help take the pressure off the private rental market, which is experiencing record-low vacancy rates and surging growth in weekly rent prices.

Aside from the revised stage 3 tax cuts, the revival of local manufacturing is the other centrepiece of the government's budget this year.

The Future Made in Australia Act (which is often referred to without the "act" on the end) is bringing together a range of new and existing manufacturing and renewable energy programs under one umbrella, totalling in excess of $15 billion.

In other words, the government is putting serious taxpayer money towards supporting local industry and innovation, especially in the renewable energy space.

A number of measures have already been announced (or re-announced), including:

• $1 billion for the Solar SunShot program to increase the number of Australian-made solar panels
• $2 billion for its Hydrogen Headstart scheme to accelerate the green hydrogen industry
• $470 million to build the world's first "fault-tolerant" quantum computer in Brisbane , matching the Queensland government's contribution
• $840 million for the Gina Rinehart-backed mining company Arafura to develop its combined rare earths mine and refinery in Central Australia
• $230 million for WA lithium hopeful Liontown Resources , which is also partly owned by Gina Rinehart
• $566 million over 10 years for Geoscience Australia to create detailed maps of critical minerals under Australia's soil and seabed
• $400 million to create Australia's first high-purity alumina processing facility in Gladstone
• $185 million to fast-track Renascor Resources' Siviour Graphite Project in South Australia
• A $1 billion export deal to supply Germany with 100 infantry fighting vehicles , manufactured at Rheinmetall's facility in Ipswich

All up, the government is spending an extra $8.5 billion on health and Medicare in this year's federal budget, with $227 million of that put towards creating another 29 urgent care clinics.

Millions of dollars are also being poured into medical research, including $20 million for childhood brain cancer research , and a $50 million grant for Australian scientists developing the world's first long-term artificial heart .

Another $49.1 million is being invested to support people who have endometriosis and other complex gynaecological conditions such as chronic pelvic pain and polycystic ovarian syndrome. The funding will allow for extended consultation times and increased rebates to be added to the Medicare Benefits Schedule.

As for aged care, the government hasn't announced anything specific for the sector, nor has it outlined its response to the Aged Care Taskforce report that was delivered in March.

Parents accessing the government-funded paid parental leave scheme will be paid superannuation in addition to their payments from next July .

Under the current program, a couple with a newborn or newly adopted child can access up to 20 weeks of paid parental leave at the national minimum wage — however that figure will continue to rise until it reaches 26 weeks in July 2026 .

The plan, which Labor will take to the next election, would see superannuation paid at 12 per cent of the paid parental leave rate, which is based on the national minimum wage of $882.75 per week.

The cost to the budget is not yet known, however a review commissioned by the former government estimated that paying super on top of paid parental leave would cost about $200 million annually.

About 180,000 families access the government paid parental leave payments each year.

The federal government has pledged almost $1 billion to combat violence against women , including permanent funding to help victim-survivors leave violent relationships, and a suite of online measures to combat online misogyny and prevent children from viewing pornography.

The $925.2 million will go towards permanently establishing the Leaving Violence Program over five years, after it was established as a pilot program in October 2021 known as the Escaping Violence Program.

The program will provide eligible victim-survivors with an individualised support package of up to $1,500 in cash and up to $3,500 in goods and services, plus safety planning, risk assessment and referrals to other essential services for up to 12 weeks.

While the funding has been broadly welcomed, survivors and advocates want to see more investment .

The package also includes funding to create a pilot of age verification technology to protect children from harmful content, including the "easy access to pornography" online, which the government says will tackle extreme online misogyny that is "fuelling harmful attitudes towards women".

The federal government is planning to spend an extra $50 billion on defence over the next decade , meaning Australia's total defence spend will be equivalent to 2.4 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) within 10 years.

All up, the government is planning to invest a total of $330 billion through to 2033-34, which includes the initial cost for the AUKUS initiative to purchase nuclear-powered submarines.

Part of that $50 billion will be spent on upgrading defence bases across northern Australia, with $750 million to be allocated in the budget for the "hardening" of its bases in the coming financial year.

More than $1 billion of that funding will also be spent on an immediate boost on long-range missiles and targeting systems.

In the Pacific, Australia has committed $110 million to fund development initiatives in Tuvalu , including an undersea telecommunications cable and direct budget support.

The government has also pledged $492 million to the Asian Development Bank to provide grants to vulnerable countries in the Asia-Pacific.

The only dedicated announcement for the environment so far is the scrapping of the waste export levy , also known as a "recycling tax".

The proposed $4 per tonne levy was first legislated by the Morrison government in 2020 in a bid to reduce and regulate waste exports, after China announced it would no longer handle Australian rubbish.

Waste industry players had been concerned that once the levy was introduced in July, it would have caused more waste to be sent to landfill instead of being recycled.

The scrapping of the waste export levy is part of Australia's broader move to manage its own waste.

A slew of funding commitments have been made around the country, including a $1.9 billion funding commitment for upgrades in Western Sydney, ranging from road improvements to planning projects and train line extensions.

The government is also putting $3.25 billion towards Victoria's North East Link, which is being built between the Eastern Freeway and M80 Ring Road in Melbourne.

Ahead of the Brisbane Olympics in 2032, the government is also chipping in $2.75 billion to fund a Brisbane to Sunshine Coast rail link , matching the amount promised by Queensland Premier Steven Miles. (That said, $1.6 billion had been previously announced by the federal government.)

Also in Queensland, the Bruce Highway will receive $467 million for upgrades, while Canberra will receive $50 million to extend its light rail.

A proposed high-speed train line between Sydney and Newcastle will also receive $78.8 million to deliver a business case for the project.

The government will also put $21 million towards the creation of a national road safety data hub.

There are several other funding commitments the government has made in the lead-up to the budget that don't fit neatly into the categories above.

The government will spend $161.3 million on creating a national firearms register , which will give police and other law-enforcement agencies near real-time information on firearms and who owns them across the states and territories.

The money will be spent over four years to establish the register, and comes after state and territory leaders agreed to set up the register in December last year. The government has described the register as the biggest change to Australia's firearm management systems in almost 30 years.

Another $166.4 million will be spent on expanding anti-money-laundering reporting obligations , requiring real estate agents, lawyers and accountants to report dodgy transactions in a move that will bring Australia in line with the rest of the developed world.

And ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, the government has given the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) a $249.7 million funding boost to upgrade its facilities to support local athletes.

The government has also committed to a $107 million support package for farmers, after announcing it will end Australia's live sheep export trade by 2028 .

Farmers and regional communities will also benefit from a $519.1 million funding boost to the government's Future Drought Fund.

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