Alcohol and Domestic Violence in Day-To-Day Social Life

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Table of Contents

Abstract
Introduction
Research body
Research question and hypothesis
Analysis
Research conclusion
Works Cited

Abstract

Alcohol abuse is the excessive consumption of alcohol that makes an individual fail in the fulfillment of major tasks bestowed on him or her. It also includes recurrent consumption which ends up being hazardous to the individual’s health and security status. The abuse is further characterized by continued alcohol consumption despite having legal, social, family and interpersonal problems. In my research paper, I will seek to establish whether there is a correlation between alcohol and domestic violence in our day-to-day social life. My paper will have a comprehensive literature review that will seek to analyze the above topic in order to assist the reader understand the alcohol contributions in the domestic and social violence in our society. The research paper will also have a hypothesis question that will seek to establish whether there is a strong correlation between alcohol abuse and domestic violence. The analysis sections will try and point out some of the key reasons why violent perpetrators in our social settings are either influenced or totally under the influence of alcohol when performing their wrongful acts. These sections will also point out some of the factors which cause domestic violence. In addition, the analysis part exhaustively addresses the feedback obtained in the data collection section. A concrete and prudent interpretation of such statistics is given in this section. The conclusion will be my last and final section, here I will either support or reject the hypothesis stated in the previous section.

Introduction

The increased consumption of alcohol in our society greatly connects to the domestic violence rise amongst people. An overview shows that 95% of the domestically abused victims are women. However, the impact of the violence usually trickles down to the children. The behavior also tends to socialize the children born in such families into becoming future abusers when they mature up. There are also a few incidences where men are physically or psychologically abused by their intimate partners although such scenarios are however very few since women do not necessarily lose temper after excessive alcohol consumption. It is believed that the majority of perpetrators of domestic violence are mostly driven and influenced by alcohol. This belief is logical since those who perpetrate violence while drunk does not act while in their sober mode. The fact that alcoholics are mostly the violence perpetrators shows that the violence notion is mainly triggered by excessive alcohol consumption.

A thorough study of alcoholics also shows that their inefficiencies in temper and behavioral control heighten the chances of establishing conflict between parties. The ignorant notion that is usually common in the drunken personality makes them careless of their action’s consequences. Due to these careless behavioral practices, close associates and partners have suffered continuous harassment, battering, and sexual assaults in their lives.

The capitalistic socialization has made the victims remain silent on the issue, despite its severity. This has been so because violent victims are embarrassed to express their feelings to people and the authorities as they regard the matter as private. The reason why alcohol is believed of perpetrating violence is its power which interferes with the normal reasoning of an individual. Drunken personalities will tend to conflict easily with sober and intimate personalities as they tend to be hot-tempered while interacting. These people will also tend to magnify simple and small issues into big problems which they think can only be solved through violence. Alcohol consumption, therefore, limits the diplomatic capabilities of people. Due to this inadequacy, alcoholics have to sort alternative measures of resolving their problems. Among the alternative chosen includes violent measures. To them violence enables them to exercise power and authority over their partners. They also argue that violent behaviors enable them to earn maximum respect and control of their partners which they would have not otherwise gained.

Research body

Literature review

Though there has been a persistent increase in domestic violence, many societies have opted to keep quiet about the issue. Considering the growing risk faced by our people in their daily operations, it becomes important to address the domestic violence issue. To start with it is important to analyze how and to what extent intimate partner violence has affected our society. According to Anon (2010) in the national coalition against domestic violence, there are approximately 3.5 million incidences of family violence and approximately 1 million intimate partner violence specifically directed to the female victims. The same journal further shows that approximately 32% of college and university students have either directly or indirectly been victims of violence in their past relationships. Although this rate has currently dropped, it is still alarming since it’s still maintained at a higher level. It is even more worrying since the violence either negatively impacts the victim’s health status or in extreme cases, lives have been lost due to it.

Incidences of women battering, sexual assault, and other forms of harassment have continued to be observed I our day-to-day life. The rising incidences and the severity of the matter have made it important to raise an alarm on this matter. The close interconnection between domestic violence and alcohol abuse has however been established in society. Many scholars have emerged to support or trash the connection between alcohol and violence. For instance, in Kilmartin & Allison (11) article, the experts have clearly rejected the connection between alcohol and violence. According to them, the domestic abusers will continue with their abusive actions even without having consumed alcohol. To them, domestic violence is mainly aroused by the social conflicts and difficulties that people experience in their daily lives. According to this group of scholar’s people excuse themselves from their actions and behaviors with alcohol as the defense. This therefore falsely connects alcohol consumption with domestic violence. But on the other hand, scholars have strongly argued to support the connection. According to them, alcohol distorts the mindset of the users. This mostly occurs if the user exceeds the manageable level. According to these scholars, alcohol abusers are most likely bound to lose temper when interacting with their close partners. They also tend to lose control of their behavior, a move that triggers violence incidences in society. To them, domestic violence incidences are on the rise although many of them go unreported as people fear being ridiculed. The majority of sexually harassed and assaulted women report the incidences to their friends or religious readers since they fear enforcing the law on their partners. And since they strongly believed that the abusive nature of their partners is triggered by alcohol consumption, they hope and believe that the trend will change as time goes by. The partners are also not ready to leave their partners despite the awful experiences they encounter in their relationships.

The relationship between alcohol and domestic violence is usually unclear due to the existing myth that has continued to dominate in the majority of communities in the world. Most of the bad behaviors are exhibited by alcoholics as they are not able to control and coordinate their behaviors. Alcohol is believed to have a very strong influence on domestic violence. This has been so as people use alcohol as a defense of their wrongful acts and behaviors. The argument behind this is mainly based on the fact that excessive consumption of alcohol makes people lose control of their temper and consequently become violent.

It is estimated that women are the majority of victims of domestic violence. Approximately 95% of the victims are women mainly because men are the majority abusers of alcohol; and in most cases, women ranging between 15 and 45 years have been battered by their husbands, boyfriends, or even live-in-partners (Lattimore 87). Other violent social incidences result in excessive alcohol consumption. Among the common incidences includes automobile accidents, rapes, and mugging which are experienced in our modern societies. The study of the past and the current statistics on domestic violence shows that similar trends will continue to be observed in the future, a scenario that makes it more worrying.

According to the reports, the majority of domestic violence cases are not reported to the police and other law enforcement departments. Instead, they are often reported to friends, churches and relatives. Only the extreme incidences of domestic violence are reported to the nurses and other health physicians. The domestic violence reporting trends, therefore, make it difficult to actually get the actual statistics of such cases. This is because the informality involved in the reporting as such cannot be included in the national crime survey, thus it may be true to say that the report does not provide a clear reflection of the accurate amount of violence experienced in our homes and relations intimacy.

Among the common examples of domestic violence includes partner violence which entails harm between the relating persons. It is important to understand that partnerships may be business or social-oriented. Moreover, family violence, battering, and spouse abuse are also examples of domestic violence in our society. Most of the domestic violence incidences are mostly directed to the spouse, girlfriend or lover, but the effect spill over to the children. In extreme instances, the violent impact ends up being felt by the family members, friends, or even people within the neighborhood. But this mostly occurs as people attempt to control the violent perpetrators.

In the above discussion, I have considered women as the majority victims of domestic violence. But it is also important to understand that similar scenes occur in gay, lesbians, and even against men. The bottom line here is not the parties involved but the driving force. Since both sexes engaged in excessive alcohol consumption violence perpetrators can be from either side. The statistics also show that violent men tend to abuse alcohol than non-violent men. It is also believed that people will result to excessive alcohol consumption as they try to cope with depression fear and stress (Wilson 69). For instance, the majority of men who engage in alcohol consumption mainly do so as they try to run away from the social problems and difficulties in their daily lives. Alcohol consumption is however differently linked to violence. There is violence which emanates from chronic alcohol abuse which further creates stress in the family.

It is evident that neighborhoods with more bars and liquor stores are occasioned with more assault incidences. 75% of the intimate partner’s violence is mostly influenced by the excessive consumption of alcohol. Families have also continued to experience alcohol-related sexual assaults in the U.S. It is also clear that the majority of the sexually assaulted victims are students ranging between ages 18-24. Since alcohol interferes with self-control, the majority of the law offender in the US is people below 21 years of age.

Since we cannot separate ourselves from domestic violence, it would be advisable for us to define ways in which we can avoid or reduce conflict incidences. We should seek to look at some of the reasons why men usually batter women. The prevailing theory on why women are battered argues that men who constantly abuse their wives are usually mentally ill. This theory was however not credited as mentally ill people do not limit the direction of their violence. But instead, they only direct it to their intimate partners. The theory also argues that battered women also suffer a mental illness which is not the case. From the theory, we can fully blame alcohol for the many violent incidences that families experience in their day-to-day life. This is because alcohol tends to interfere with the logical thinking of a human being. The failure to control and regulate personal behaviors after excessive alcohol consumption is the main cause of domestic violence.

There is another theory whose argument is that violence is a learned behavior, according to which, the domestic violence perpetrators acquire violent behaviors through learning and not due to the excessive consumption of alcohol. The learned behavior theory does not however rule out the fact that alcohol influences the violent perpetrators. This is because excessive consumption distorts the normal thinking of a person which may eventually cause conflict between partners.

Research question and hypothesis

This section will seek to establish the hypothesis question on which the research focuses. The hypothesis question will however be derived from the question proposition which closely examines the relationship between domestic violence and alcohol abuse. The research question comprises the indirect variable and the dependent variable. These two variables are jointly held together to enable the reader to understand the connection between the research paper and the subject topic. Below is the question proposition which guides the paper.

P1: How is excessive alcohol consumption linked to domestic violence incidences in our society?

P2: How the increased alcohol consumption in the current generation continues to raise violence incidences among intimate partners?

From the above question propositions, the following hypothesis can be formulated

H1: There is a strong correlation between domestic violence and alcohol abuse.

H2: There is no correlation between domestic violence and alcohol abuse

From the above hypothesis, it is clear that the independent variable here is domestic violence while excessive alcohol consumption is the dependent variable. The independent variable is in this case measured by both the reported and the unreported violence incidences in American society. The dependent variable on the other hand will be measured by looking at how excessive alcohol consumption influences the mind and temper control in a human being.

Analysis

The study undertaken on the sociological impacts of alcohol shows that there is a clear connection between it and domestic violence. This connection can however be differently interpreted depending on the researcher’s perspective. In my own opinion, alcohol denies people the chance to guide and regulate their behaviors. It also transforms them into being hot-tempered. These deficiencies, therefore, initiate conflict between people as logical thinking is no longer practiced. Evidence also points out that domestic violence is mainly seen in the society which heavily invests in businesses such as clubs, bars and restaurants.

In cases where both partners consume alcohol, the chances of domestic violence are higher than the cases with only one partner. The trend also indicates that domestic violence is mainly observed in people who regularly consume alcohol. People will mostly engage in domestic violence and alcohol abuse due to poverty, desperation, and frustrations in life. According to these people practicing violence and drinking alcohol help, they relieve their daily stress. More so, these people tend to find happiness from violent behavior. To them women battering, harassment and assault assist them to establish their might on the opponent. They also tend to find contentment from their wrongful violent act.

The Violence behavior also assists these people to exercise power and authority over their intimate partners. The incidences are however not reported as the victims fear putting their partners into harsh consequences. It is also clear that people have opted to remain secretive about the issue despite the health and mental damages caused. The majority of the victims fear being laughed at or being exposed to the general public. To them, it’s shameful to be battered, molested, sexually assaulted, or abused by your so-called intimate partner. Moreover, the victims are not ready to give up the relationship they have with these people. All they do is pray and hope that the abuse and violent incidences will stop soon. The friends and religious leader’s consolation advice have also greatly assisted the victim to condone and continuously forgive the culprits.

From the information gathered, it is clear that the violence incidences mostly occur since one or both partners is/or are under the influence of alcohol. According to the victims the incidence has rarely or never occurred in the sober mode of the partners. The victims also agreed that they are usually unable to control and regulate the tempers of their partners once they have excessive drinking. To them their partners also tend to drastically change behaviorwise immediately they consume excess alcohol. The combination of both failure to control and regulate temper and behavior contributes greatly to domestic violence. It is also true that although the violent perpetrators do this while drunk, other factors such as financial and psychological stress contribute to the violent behaviors (Mildorf 29).

An analysis that I also did indicate that majority of the partners who incurred domestic violence either suffer financially or have other social difficulties between them. This, therefore, shows that although we cannot rule out the fact that alcohol contributes to violent behavior, the past and present conditions of the partner’s relationship also impact the incidences. It was also evidence that the majority of the victims came from a poor or medium background family (Billson & Mancini 296). Very few violent incidences were experienced by people from elite and rich backgrounds. These findings, therefore, indicated that financial and intellectual inadequacies significantly contribute to domestic violence incidences.

Lack of knowledge and information on human rights that one is supposed to enjoy makes the partner condone and also not report the incidences to the relevant authorities. It is also clear that the economic and social desperation also makes people remain silent on the issue. Since the majority of the victim will not wish to part from their respective partner, to choose to retain the harassment and abuse to themselves. It is also evident that there are cases where the victims have even suffered some physical injuries and other extreme health problems all in the name of love and other close relationship ties. It is therefore important to sensitize the general public on the severity of the incidences as in some extreme cases some victims have ended up dying. The public and the victims should therefore understand that the experiences they have if not addressed can lead them to physical and mental incapacitation or even death. By letting them note the severity of the matter, the victims will be able to check the perpetrator’s behaviors.

The victims should also understand that infringement to personal life is illegal, and that they should fully enjoy their freedom to live without letting others harm them. Such knowledge can at least assist the victims to seek justice when they encounter such incidences. People should also try and understand the meaning of true love. It is important to note that love is kind, love is not selfish, and that when a person you love is hurting you cannot be at peace at all. Such understanding can help domestic violence victims identify if their partners really love them. It will also enable them to identify the right measure to take if their partner abuses them in the name of being drunk. The victims will also be able to regulate their partners drinking behavior if he or she thinks that it’s the main contributor of violence between them. They will also try and design ways to counter the temper and behavior of their partners while drunk. This is because intimacy, relationships, and alcohol will continue dwelling on us so long as we live. It is also important to understand that domestic violence gradually affects the psychological and emotional health of the victims. If the incidence persists it may end up worsening the emotional and physical health of the victim.

The domestic violence victims accuse alcohol of disrupting the cognitive thinking of a human being. According to them alcohol greatly reduces the user’s ability to reason understand and process information. These shortcomings, therefore, increase the risk of violence as the perpetrators may misinterpret the partner’s decision or action. Some people use alcohol to exercise their power and authority over their partners. Violence may therefore emerge as the perpetrators’ gear towards attaining this control. There is also an argument that indicates that alcohol possesses a chemical that acts on the brain causing the aggressive reaction (Glick, Berman & Clarkin 533). People usually learn how to abuse alcohol and exercise domestic violence through observation and practice performing the act (Anon para.2). It is because of this reason that children born and raised in a violent background, may actually turn out to be domestic abusers when they grow up. Such children are usually socialized into an abusive environment transforming them into being hostile in nature.

The analysis also establishes that alcohol abusers may eventually engage their partners in alcohol drinking. This is because to them drinking and partying is a hobby and they feel good when exercising it.

Research conclusion

From the analysis above the H1 hypothesis is therefore acceptable. Domestic violence perpetrators are usually influenced by excessive alcohol consumption. Since alcohol interferes with temper and behavioral control, violence incidences erupt more than often to the abusers. It is also true that violent men and women turn out to be alcohol abusers. This indicates the close connection between the two. A wrong belief that circulates amongst people of how alcohol reduces domestic stress greatly influences men into alcoholism. The wrongful contentment feeling that the alcoholics acquire after exercising violence on their partners makes them repeat the incident over and over again. It is therefore important that violent perpetrators seek to amend their ways as it worsens the relationship they have with their intimate partners.

Works Cited

Anon. “Alcohol abuse and domestic violence”. About Alcohol Abuse. Web.

Anon. “National coalition against domestic violence.” Domestic violence and substance abuse. 2010. Web.

Billson, Janet Mancini & Mancini, Kyra. Inuit women: their powerful spirit in a century of change. London, Rowman & Littlefield, 2007. Web.

Glick, Ira, et al. Marital and Family Therapy. Arlington, American Psychiatric Pub. 2000. Web.

Kilmartin, Christopher & Allison, Julie. Men’s violence against women: theory, research, and activism. New York, Routledge, 2007. Web.

Lattimore, Pamela. Homicide in Eight U. S. Cities: Trends, Context and Policy Implications. New York, DIANE Publishing, 1999. Web.

Mildorf, Jarmila. Storying domestic violence: constructions and stereotypes of abuse in the discourse of general practitioners. New York, U of Nebraska Press, 2007. Web.

Wilson, K. J. When Violence Begins at Home: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding and Ending Domestic Abuse. Alameda, Hunter House, 2005. Web.

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