Research on Domestic Violence and Steps to Take

Domestic violence and ways of preventing the vice has been a topic of discussion for long across the globe. The issue involves physically harms, which invokes fear or prevents somebody else, usually a partner, from doing what they want. This usually starts when one partner feels that they are dominant over the other and that they should control the other. Domestic violence does not favour anyone and it happens even in same-sex couples and while women are the most affected by this, men are also abused particularly verbally an emotionally. This research focuses on the causes and approaches which can be used in the prevention of domestic violence. Domestic violence has been studied by researchers for over thirty years and some of the experts have viewed domestic violence as a system other than as a result of individual mental disturbance. Domestic violence as a system occurs at different levels like individual, family and at the society. Acts of violence may at some time yield positive results thus encouraging the perpetuation of violence. The article, Essays on Women Empowerment Focusing on Paid Family Leave and Domestic Violence, is proof that certain factors play a role in a person’s mental state. It was proven that rainfall increases a women’s risk to domestic violence by 4.4% and dowry deaths by 7.8%.

Financial issues are one of the major factors contributing to violence. Individuals rich in resources like social, personal and economic issues are less likely to experience domestic violence. However, people with low income and poor interpersonal skills often results in domestic violence in order to maintain dominance in a relationship. Individuals often withhold money in order to control a person's behavior and many victims of domestic violence are always forbidden to go to own their own money. This makes the victims to solely depend on the working partner thus making leaving impossible. In poor neighborhoods, there is a likely hood of increased domestic violence since the deprived economy always results to lack of strong law enforcement, have less police notification, attention and documentation. Financial domestic abuses have different signs which include:

• One individual controlling all decisions regarding money
• Withholding of money by one individual
• Abuser restricting access to financial accounts
• Abuser maintaining of only being the source of income
• Stealing of money or property by one individual

There has been a complicated relationship between alcohol or any other substance and domestic violence. There is a myth that portrays alcohol and substance use as the major cause of domestic violence but experts and research show that the proprietors of domestic violence use alcohol as an excuse to be fierce. The abuser justifies the action of being violent using alcohol. Researchers have found alcohol and substance abuse to be a factor that accelerates or increases aggression towards domestic violence. The use of alcohol affects an individual ability to perceive, integrate and process information thus increasing the risk of one misinterpreting his/her partner. In some of the research, it has been found that the use of alcohol increases one's power and feeling of supremacy over others and the urge to use this power to feel dominant over a partner leads to domestic violence. Research shows that there exists a correlation between different personality traits and the risk of domestic violence. For instance, there are individuals who think that there is no harm or it is appropriate to abuse a woman and when they abuse alcohol or any substance, they increase the risk of becoming more violent. Parents who abuse drugs and are domestically violent increases the chance that their children will grow becoming a drug abuser and also be domestically violent. In situations where substance abuse is used, it is important to hold both people accountable for their actions if there are children involved. Research from “From culture clash to new possibilities: A harm reduction approach to family violence and child protection services”, the theory, social control, is implied.

This theory states there needs to be responsibility in holding a person accountable for having stability in their life or for another person’s life. This works for both domestic violence victims and children because it is the adult’s responsibility to be able to provide for the child if they are not capable of that then the state has reason to take the child away. A lot of research work has pointed out lack education as one of the major causes of domestic violence. According to research women with a low level of education are more likely to face domestic violence than those who are educated. This means that individuals with low level of education are at a higher risk of being victims of domestic violence than those who are learned. This, however, does not mean that those who are educated cannot face domestic violence because as discussed above domestic violence does not discriminate. Most research has pointed out that males who are not educated or with low levels of education than their partners most likely are domestically violent than those who have an equal level of education. Education is important since it sharpens communication skills and those people with low levels of education do not communicate appropriately or effectively thus resulting in disagreements which leads to violence. The difference in levels of education between couples is another risk factor related to domestic violence. Since education level is majorly related to individuals earning ability and status in the community, an abuser may see his/her partner's education as a threat and result to violence in order to be dominant and gain control over the partner. In instances where one partner tries to pursue a higher level of education the other may feel threatened and try to stop the partner from gaining that level of education. Males mostly feel threatened by women with higher levels of education than them but women do not feel threatened by men having a higher level of education.

In the article, a study of the nature and causes of domestic violence among the attendees of a domestic violence counseling center of a tertiary level hospital of a city of Central India, research was able to prove some of the leading causes that leads to domestic violence. These include financial issues, substance abuse, cheating, or other family conflicts. The research also concluded on how skilled or literate people were and their household income range. The conclusion to the research is there are 56% victims who suffer from domestic abuse every day and there needs to be more focus on getting more resources available for people. Domestic violence can also be triggered by infidelity and jealous amongst partners. A jealous partner has mixed feelings of anger, sadness, suspicion which causes depression which can lead to domestic violence. Researchers have found out that sexual jealousy and infidelity has played a major role in domestic violence. Male mostly turn violent to women whether they` are the ones accused of infidelity or not. This is so because men have greater strength than women and they result in violence in order to justify their actions. Husbands often result in violence when they discover that their partners are sexually unfaithful. They do so out of frustration so as to try to control the partner.

In June 2013, the World health organization (WHO) released a report that 35% of women in some parts of the world undergo domestic violence. This report shows that there is a large number of women who suffer from partner violence and there is a need for public intervention in order to stop this violence on women. Both the community and individuals have a role to play in stopping violence against children. One of the steps to take includes:

1) Knowing The Signs of Violence

Individuals and the community should be able to identify the signs of any domestic violence. These indicators differ and do not necessarily have to be physical signs since domestic violence does not involve physical attacks only. Individuals should be in a position to distinguish all forms of abusive violence which include emotional, verbal or economic abuse. Individuals may also be suffering in silence and people should be able to understand and notice these types of signs.

2) Getting The Community Educated

This is one of the most effective ways of eradicating domestic violence. With the help of women organizations and local domestic violence shelter, many people can be educated the dangers of domestic violence. Local arrangements can be made and individuals can organize town hall meetings, talks in schools and form group sessions that will discuss this issue of domestic violence. In articles such as Domestic and Family Violence, are great resources to use to better educate a person. With this article its broken down into two different parts, how does a person understand domestic violence and how are they suppose deal with domestic violence? It elaborates on the facts and myths of domestic violence and different resources that are out there to help a person.

3). Having An Organized Community

Having large numbers when stopping an abuser from the action is safe and mostly the outcome is successful. The community should have a network of people who helps victims of domestic violence so has to have a community free of domestic violence.

4). Use Of Technology To Stop Domestic Violence

There are various applications which can be installed on smartphones to help stop domestic violence. The community support network team can be equipped with a smartphone whereby the apps of the smartphone can alert the team members when someone is in danger. Some of the apps include a circle of 6 and IAMDEFENDER.

5). Stopping Domestic Violence For The Good Of Business

Domestic violence costs economies millions of money due to the cost incurred during medical care and productivity goes low due to unavailability during Medicare. According to research carried in the U.S about domestic violence, it is estimated that over 8.3 dollars are lost due to domestic violence. Business owners and senior members of a company are advised to intervene if they suspect that any of their employees is undergoing some domestic violence since this will have a negative effect on one's company or business.

6). Ringing The Bell

People should learn to take care of their neighbors and whenever a neighbor is undergoing a domestic violence one should take his/her time to ring the bell and know what's happening. One should involve another person whenever the situation looks more dangerous.

7). Increasing Funding For Support Services

The Family Violence Prevention and Support Act has been supported by the federal government for the past 30 years. The support services should be supported financially in order to effectively perform their duty of domestic violence prevention.

8). Helping Women To Be Economically Independent Research shows that many women are in an abusive relationship since they have no sources of income and leaving their husbands is difficult because they will be homeless with children to take care of. Women should be encouraged to have jobs like their husbands and courts should make divorce financial distribution much fairer. In the research article, Role of Appellate Courts in Domestic Violence Cases and the Prospect of a New Partner Abuse Cause of Action, The [notes]. Review Of Litigation, domestic violence victims feel an obligation to their abuser. With tort actions happening, they can feel like that have other options. Although a lot of abusive families are of lower income and won’t have a lot to sue for, it is a step in the right direction. They can feel like there are other possibilities out there and there are resources that can help them.

9). Making Penalties For Domestic.

In order to be successful in eradicating domestic violence, penalties should be tough and consistent to the offenders. This will send a message to other abusers and this may help decrease incidents of domestic violence. It is, however, customary to offer first-time offenders a chance to choose to counsel and avoiding charges. One of the reasons for this is that the offender may lose a lot when in jail.

10). Listen To Empower

Victims of domestic violence always feel isolated and depressed by the actions and when they reach out to a person in search of help, one should listen to them and make them feel safe. One should not judge someone's actions choices and make the victim believe in you that you can offer help. This intervention can mostly be successful in personnel such as hairdressers, nurses, HR department and anyone whose work involves in much talking to clients.

11). Check In Regularly

If someone's life is in danger or a person is in a likelihood of facing domestic violence one should call or text that person once or twice daily to make sure he/she is safe.