Category: Domestic violence

Domestic violence, meaning a violent act committed against a person in a domestic relationship such as a spouse, a relative, or a dating or sexual partner, has been a problem for centuries. Although society, especially Western, is formally developing in the way of spreading the ideas of tolerance, large mindedness, and mutual respect of all human beings, the world still cannot deal with such mundane issues. Domestic violence is a complex issue that affects different spheres of public life, and dealing with it requires extensive measures, including the performance improvement of police, law, and public organizations.

General Statistics on Domestic Violence in America

Intimate partner violence does not seem widespread, as this is not a popular topic to discuss in society, though it is more severe than generally assumed. The statistics reveal surprising and frightening numbers of people suffering from this problem. For instance, more than 10 million adults a year experience domestic violence, and the number of intimate partner violence victimizations increased by 42% from 2016 through 2018 (NCADV, 2020). Moreover, in 2003-2012 domestic violence accounted for 21% of all violent crime (Truman & Morgan, 2014), meaning it is a huge component of crimes in general. Thus, an adult in the US experiences domestic violence at least once in 3 seconds.

Connection with Homicide Statistics

Domestic violence is usually considered relatively harmless compared with other types of crime. However, the statistics show that 12.8% of homicides are committed by family members, implying consanguineous relatives and relatives by marriage (FBI, 2018). Furthermore, U.S. crime reports suggest that about 1 in 5 homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner (CDCP, 2020). Though a minor domestic violence case can have no large-scale consequences, there are still risks that it will lead to a homicide in the future. Therefore, to avoid spreading the phenomenon, more attention should be paid to domestic violence and its victims, including their relationship with the violator and other family members. Based on the statistics above, domestic violence can be called an epidemic. However, in my opinion, it would not be true because an epidemic is something that evolves and spreads rapidly, and the domestic violence issue has been existing for centuries.

COVID-19 Pandemic Effect

Limitations connected with the pandemic have contributed to the explosion of the problem. The number of domestic violence incidents in the US increased by 8.1% after lockdown orders, according to an analysis by the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice (Rodriguez, 2021). The potential of the development of this issue is vast and probably even more prominent than expected. Coronavirus-related changes in societys life are not the cause of domestic violence cases growth; they have only disillusioned the situation and its actual extent. These numbers have shown the importance and rareness of home being a safe space for people.

Concealment of Assaults

The worst thing about domestic violence  and the main factor, which provides its existence and does not let governmental structures deal with it entirely  is that a large part of assaults stays unreported. For example, the National Violence Against Women Survey reveals that only 25% of physical assaults perpetrated against women are reported to the police annually (ONeil, 2016). The reasons for it are that people may fear triggering an attackers anger, facing a complicated financial situation, or becoming homeless. Consequently, all the assessment attempts are in any circumstances nonobjective and do not reflect the actual numbers of intimate partners violence cases.

The Image of Domestic Violence via the Media

As well as almost any occurrence reflected in the media, the picture of domestic violence is often angled and cannot be considered objective. For instance, NFL players are thought to be more disposed to behave violently than other people. This happens, no doubt, due to the way the media translates news about NFL players. In fact, NFL players have much lower arrest rates than average: arrest rates in the NFL are only 13 percent those for the general public among men aged 25 to 30 (Picht, 2014). However, people continue believing that NFL layers are especially dangerous. This example portrays how media can affect the perception of information by the public.

Physical and Mental Effects

Domestic violence is correlated with a wide range of social problems, making peoples lives more complicated. For example, only 34% of people injured by intimate partners receive medical care (NCADV, 2020, para. 7). Consequently, they may get serious diseases and feel uncomfortable in social interactions. This leads to the complexity of assessing the number of assaults and worsening the victims psychological condition as they remain silent about their problems.

Concerning the mental state of people, who have experienced domestic violence, it may have more substantial effects on public peace and safety than it initially seems. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV, 2020), domestic victimization is strongly connected with a higher rate of depression and suicidal behavior. This may result in an increase in crime in general, as psychologically unstable people are potentially more dangerous and tend to behave violently.

Penalties for Domestic Violence

The appropriateness of the penalty varies depending on the state. Considering all the above mentioned, the penalty should be harsh. For instance, community service or fines are not enough to discipline and redeem the convict, while termination of parental rights may be too strict in some cases. That is why the penalty should be strongly connected with the exact kind of a domestic violence case; only this way can punishment be proper.

Conclusion

To conclude, domestic violence is a worldwide issue, which affects social interactions, impacting the physical and psychological state of its victims and their behavior. It is tough to deal with this problem because many cases stay unreported, and victims often do not feel protected enough to leave. It can be solved only by combining the effort of civil and governmental structures.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Preventing intimate partner violence. 

Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2018). Expanded homicide. 

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. (2020). Domestic violence.

ONeil, Jennifer. (2016). Domestic violence statistics: the horrific reality. Good Housekeeping.

Picht, J. (2014). Domestic violence: NFL less violent than real life. Communities Digital News. Web.

Rodriguez, L. (2021). Domestic violence increased in the US by 8.1% during the COVID-19 pandemic. Global Citizen.

Truman, J. L. & Morgan, R. E. (2014). Nonfatal domestic violence, 2003-2012. U.S. Department of Justice.

Introduction

Children and youth who have been continuously exposed to domestic violence and abuse are at higher risks of experiencing psychological, developmental, and social damages that influence their future lives. In the most severe cases, abused children can lose their ability to be empathetic to other people. Among other implications, children and youth experience social isolation and do not feel accepted by their peers. To address the adverse social, economic, biological, and environmental impact of domestic violence against children, effective prevention and management strategies need to be implemented on community and individual levels. This paper will focus on the exploration of the mentioned above effects to form an idea of how children and youth suffer from domestic violence.

Biologic Effects on Domestic Violence

Recent research on child brain development showed that domestic violence against children could negatively affect their biologic processes that heavily rely on psychological conditioning. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was found to be one of the negative implications of child abuse that directly affect brain development. PTSD is defined as a mental disorder that usually develops after a person was exposed to a stressful experience, such as violence, assault, warfare, or others.

As found by Tsavoussis, Stawicki, Stoicea, and Papadimos (2014), domestic violence is severe enough to cause PTSD among children and thus affect the neurobiology of the brain. The researchers mentioned that there are compelling differences in neuroanatomy and cognitive function in affected children. These differences suggest the impact of maltreatment causes a significant compromise of brain anatomy and function, including changes in structure, physiology, and signaling pathways (Tsavoussis et al., 2014, p. 180). This means that such maltreatment as domestic abuse of children and youth could contribute to changes in brain functioning and cause problems in physical development. Because of this, appropriate and timely screening of children who experienced domestic abuse is paramount.

Social Effects of Domestic Violence

Children and youth who have been domestically abused tend to have very low levels of self-efficacy and thus have limited ideas about safety and security that families usually provide. Violence leads to desensitization to social responsibility and therefore causes aggressive behavior, the lack of adequate problem-solving skills, and issues with self-control. The social effects of domestic violence on children in youth are predominantly associated with their engagement in social activities (anti-social behavior) and the relationships they have with parents and peers.

Social implications include children choosing isolation over interactions with peers because of feeling unprotected from possible abuse on the part of other people as well as choosing to join a gang to exhibit anti-social and violent behaviors that reflect the negative experiences that they have learned when being abused.

To address the social effects of domestic abuse of children and youth, they require a secure and beneficial environment that could facilitate their social development at the pace they need. Parents or caretakers are advised to provide emotional support to children who have been abused and provide examples of positive social behaviors that the youth can later mimic during their social interactions. In both mild and severe cases, the involvement of mental health specialists is required to support children during their recovery from domestic abuse as well as the prediction of possible abuse in families and prevention of its adverse implication (Christian, 2015).

Economic Effects of Domestic Abuse

While domestic violence against children and youth is a serious violation of human rights that has adverse mental and physical implications, it also has significant economic effects for both governments and separate families. According to the recent report conducted by Whiting (2015) from the Thomson Reuters Foundation, child neglect and abuse are estimated to cost around $209 billion a year. The figure is so large because domestic abuse influences childrens and youths education, physical and mental health, as well as contributes to the increase in criminality and violence that costs governments large sums of money to address. It is important to mention that some maltreatment and abuse of children can be prevented; however, financial support is needed for the implementation of prevention strategies.

The economic implications of domestic abuse of children are essential to take into consideration because it is more effective to put monetary resources into prevention strategies rather than the management of abuse that has already taken place. At the moment, global organizations such as UNICEF are commissioning international experts to conduct research on the economic effects of domestic abuse of children and take into account such acts as general neglect, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse as well as witnessing of such abuse.

Environmental Impact of Domestic Abuse

The same way as the environment affects the occurrence of domestic abuse against children, violence also has adverse effects on the environment. According to UNICEF (2012), there is a direct link between domestic child abuse and the risks of victims becoming abusers themselves due to the increasing occurrence of social, physical, and mental issues. As they grow up and experience domestic violence, children gradually show signs of impaired functioning with regards to perceiving the environment around them. Because abuse implies the loss of sense of security and control over a situation, the environmental effects of violence against children are highly visible.

For example, children-victims of domestic abuse that were raised in a violent environment will learn harmful practices on how to dominate others with power and intimidate peers or relatives through using force (UNICEF, 2012). It is also important to understand that those who abuse their children usually encourage violent behaviors against other people since they see them as only opportunities for children to gain respect from peers.

In the context of community development, domestic abuse also affects the environment of communities where children are raised. It is essential to note that many domestic violence cases that involve children remain unreported and thus are invisible to communities. This contributed to the decreased prosperity of neighborhoods and lowered the quality of life of children who cannot seek support from communities when it comes to dealing with domestic violence.

Among prevention and management strategies that can improve the environment within communities, support programs, interviews of children, and screenings have shown to be the most effective (Lane, 2015). Nevertheless, there is still a long way to go when it comes to an understanding of how communities can address the problem of domestic violence against children, and the involvement of local stakeholders may help in raising awareness of this issue.

Recommendations and Conclusion

Adequate measures of preventing domestic child abuse encompass a range of opportunities for communities, healthcare providers, and non-profit organizations concerned with the issue of childrens well-being. According to the research article Prevention of child maltreatment, written by Lane (2015), health care providers and public organizations can take the following steps:

1. Conduct screenings for child abuse risk factors such as parents mental health problems, alcohol and drug abuse, financial insecurity, and so on;
2. Identify factors that could enhance families well-being and prevent violence from occurring;
3. Provide guidance and financial support to at-risk families and their children;
4. Advocate for the introduction and maintenance of community-based services that address the needs of children and youth who experience domestic abuse;
5. Advocate for the introduction and maintenance of local, state, and federal programs that identify at-risk families and provide them with the necessary support to prevent child abuse from occurring (Lane, 2015).

To conclude, domestic abuse of children and youth has adverse effects on both victims and people that surround them. Negative experiences associated with abuse cause the development of such conditions as post-traumatic stress disorder that was shown to impair brain development and make permanent changes in childrens functioning. Apart from physical changes in childrens development, domestic violence contributes to the emergence of mental health problems that make abuse victims vulnerable to the pressure from the community and make them reject interactions with peers since they do not feel safe and secure.

Importantly, domestic abuse of children requires the implementation of effective prevention and management strategies, which costs governments millions each year, which points to the fact that domestic violence against children also has economic implications. Lastly, domestic abuse makes communities less safe, suggesting that local and federal organizations (including health care providers) should make both financial and other contributions to addressing the needs of children and youth who experience domestic violence.

References

Christian, C. (2015). The evaluation of suspected physical abuse. Pediatrics, 135(5), 1337-1354.

Lane, W. G. (2015). Prevention of child maltreatment. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 61(5), 873-888.

Tsavoussis, A., Stawicki, S. P. A., Stoicea, N., & Papadimos, T. J. (2014). Child-witnessed domestic violence and its adverse effects on brain development: A call for societal self-examination and awareness. Frontiers in Public Health, 2, 178-180.

UNICEF. (2012). Behind closed doors: the impact of domestic violence on children. Web.

Whiting, A. (2015). The economic impact of child abuse. 

Domestic violence against women is a long-standing issue worldwide, but in some regions, the situation is inferior to others. South Asia is an area where more than 70% of females from the age of 15 have less security against sexual and financial violence (The Asia Foundation). This can have different forms, but domestic abusers are from the circle of family, close friends, or romantic partners (Deshmukh). Usually, assaulters have more power over the victim, whether physically, psychologically, or financially. Although many countries of the region have regulations and laws against domestic crimes, unmarried couples and cohabitants are not considered (The Asia Foundation). South Asian women also experience many occasions of domestic violence due to the lack of protection from the government, economic boundaries, and unawareness of where to seek help (The World Bank). Therefore, this research essay aims to analyze the concept of domestic violence against South Asian women, its premises, and its impact on modern womens lives.

Domestic violence against South Asian women had roots in the patriarchal society and historical customs when males were the dominant figures in the community. They always took the leading position in the family, politics, or a job and claimed all the power and control of the situation and resources. South Asian women became no exception and were considered humans of lower importance who should obey male figures such as fathers, husbands, or an employer. By choosing violence against women, men strive to maintain control and reinforce the power structure in the family.

Domestic violence can have many different forms, not only physical. Men can mentally and verbally abuse women, monitor their activities in real life and social media, limit their communications with friends and family to not have support and become dependent on them (Tonsing and Tonsing 162). There are also variants of violence that males can use against women in the internet space. They may cyberstalk them, expose personal information, monitor womens online profiles and posts to maintain control, and not allow them to leave (Sambasivan et al. 2). Thus, domestic violence can have a verbal form along with physical abuse.

Sexual assault is also a widespread form of violence that happens towards females not, even from strangers or criminals, but from their cohabitants. Society has a stereotype that if two people are in romantic relationships, then the intimate connection is always welcomed by default from both sides. However, it is not necessarily mutual, and there are situations when someone from the pair does not want to be engaged in sexual activities. Therefore, men also perform this kind of abuse towards women to demonstrate their dominance and power, giving them the feeling of helplessness and humiliation.

All those incidents, especially when they happen systematically, hurt the women and create a demand for more social support and projects helping with the issue. Experiencing violence from a partner is always an extremely traumatic and damaging experience to both mental and physical health. Females who are pregnant or already have children may practice a low ability to perform maternal duties or feel positive emotions during parenting (Koirala and Montakarn 22). Although maternal health is one of the crucial social topics and issues in society, it still gets little recognition. There is a lack of special psychological support and assistance for mothers who live the abusive partners while having children or being pregnant (Koirala and Montakarn 23). As the vulnerable social group is exposed to aggression and offense from their male cohabitants, they should receive more help and resources from the government to cope with the consequences.

Religion is also an additional component of systematic domestic violence, specifically from intimate partners. Most of the massive religious beliefs are interpreted so that a female figure is perceived as obedient and submissive whose purpose is to serve her husband and family (Deshmukh). South Asian women are taught certain childhood gender and social stereotypes that impose a specific behavioral model that meets the characteristics of the patriarchal structure. Therefore, when they are adults, it may be tough for them to recognize the unacceptability of violent behavior and have enough independence and autonomy to end destructive relationships. Additionally, during the pandemic and lockdown, women lost the ability to escape from their abusers and leave their houses to seek help and accommodation (DNA India). Spending significantly more time than usual with the partners commonly contributes to increased aggression if it already existed in the relationship.

Overall, women in South Asia suffer from domestic violence regularly, and most of the time, the abuse comes from their intimate partners. The patriarchal concepts and religious confessions maintain the stereotypes that men should dominate women and control them to fit into traditional roles. Females often cannot easily leave their aggressor, especially if they are pregnant or have children, resulting in financial and emotional dependence, especially during the pandemic. Therefore, the South Asian governments should pay more attention to the issue and provide more sources of help and support for women who face domestic violence.

Works Cited

Deshmukh, Kalyanee. Causes of Domestic Violence in India. Aishwarya Sandeep, Web.

Four things to know about gender-based violence in Asia. The Asia Foundation, Web.

Koirala, Pallavi, and Montakarn Chuemchit. Depression and Domestic Violence Experiences Among Asian Women: A Systematic Review. International journal of womens health vol. 12, pp. 21-33, 2020.

Sambasivan, Nithya, et al. They Dont Leave Us Alone Anywhere We Go: Gender and Digital Abuse in South Asia. Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, no 2, 2019, pp. 1-14, Web.

The World Bank. Gender-Based Violence (Violence against Women and Girls). World Bank, 2019, Web.

Tonsing, Jenny C., and Kareen N. Tonsing. Understanding the Role of Patriarchal Ideology in Intimate Partner Violence among South Asian Women in Hong Kong. International Social Work, vol. 62, no. 1, 2019, pp. 161171, Web.

Two out of 5 Women in South Asia Experience Domestic Partner Violence, Says World Bank. DNA India, 2020, Web.

Introduction

Domestic vehemence is a severe social problem in India, with among the worlds highest rates. Around 30 percent of all women in India have suffered family abuse at minimum once for 15 years (Domestic Violence and Womens Health in India: Insights from NFHS-4, 2022, para. 4). Approximately 4 percent of all women who have ever become pregnant have encountered spousal abuse during pregnancy (Domestic Violence and Womens Health in India: Insights from NFHS-4, 2022, para. 4). Domestic ferocity affects several women, irrespective of gender, social class, religion, caste, or age. The United Nations uses domestic violence to describe a pattern of behaviors used to establish or retain dominance and influence over a current or former partner. This case study will play an essential role in exploring domestic violence existing literature, policy, laws, criminal justice, practitioner responses, and public understanding of domestic violence. It further provides a creative, alternative response to how the experiences of victims of domestic violence could be improved. Domestic viciousness in India needs to be improved since it compromises the well-being of women by causing traumatic stress, nervousness, and despair, which are apparent signs among domestic abuse survivors.

Existing Literature

Human rights violations and life-threatening safety and health concerns are exacerbated by gender-based assault (GBV). Regardless of ethnicity, age, sexual preference, religion, or gender, anyone can tolerate domestic abuse. Couples married, cohabiting, or dating may experience it, but it can happen in other types of relationships. Regardless of social status or educational attainment, everyone is affected by domestic violence. According to the 2020 Survey in England, domestic abuse-related offenses increased by 9% from 2019 (Stripe, 2020, p. 5). Children, relatives, and other family members can all be victims of domestic violence. Since 2016, women who have reported physical violence in the US have climbed by 42 percent (Morgan and Oudekerk, 2019, p. 845). Thus, a practice of violent behavior towards that individual in a romantic or familial relation, where the perpetrator exercises power and influence over the sufferer, characterizes domestic violence.

Domestic violence can take various forms, including verbal, physical, economic, and sexual. The severity and frequency of incidents rarely stay the same, evident in Banduras social learning model; people acquire knowledge through observing, mimicking, and imitating each others behavior (Rumjaun and Narod, 2020, p. 86). There are numerous ways in which domestic violence and abuse manifest themselves, but sexual and physical attacks, as well as threats to perpetuate them, are the most visible. However, when accompanied by physical violence, the abusers regular employment of other abusive behaviors constitutes a more extensive system of abuse. Abusers influence over a persons life and surroundings is facilitated by physical assaults, even if they occur just once or infrequently. Victims, survivors, and eyewitnesses who have been harmed by crime or anti-social conduct can be supported by listening to them and providing practical assistance, such as escorting them to court.

Domestic violence can manifest itself in various ways, including verbal threats and violent behavior, which causes harm to the victim. Threatening, manipulating, demeaning, isolating, scary, terrorizing, pressuring, disintegrating, harassing, criticizing, harming, damaging, or hurting somebody in a marriage are all examples of this behavior. The perpetrators desire for power and domination over ones spouse is cited as the driving force behind the abuse. Domestic vehemence affects people of all ages and genders, and every time domestic violence occurs, both the victim and the perpetrator suffer. Understanding the general pattern of exploitation and aggressive behaviors used by the offender to maintain ownership over their spouse can be accomplished using the Power and Control wheel. Various other forms of manipulation frequently follow one or even more violent acts. As a result, domestic violence coercion pattern and control is more challenging to eliminate.

Psychiatric causes of violence in relations include negative self, depression, personal traits, alcoholism, rage and hostility, and a need for influence and domination in the marriage. It can pass from generation to generation, which is crucial for nations to consider when devising prevention and control measures. Spousal abuse and psychological mishandling are often employed as part of an effort to control the other person. The other person may be married, dating, living together, or separated from the abuser, and their sexual orientation can be heterosexual, gay, or lesbian; various psychological issues can cause misapplication. Rendering to the social learning theory, violence in the home is a learned trait rather than stress, illness, alcoholism, or a problematic relationship (Rumjaun and Narod, 2020, p. 86). Aside from stress and coping, anger can be a sign of stress and a lack of ability to deal with it

Domestic violence does not appear to be associated with excessive use of alcoholic beverages but has a much deeper underlying cause than simply being a result of excessive drinking. Deliberate violence offenders never accept their mistakes but often blame others; one example of external attribution is the influence of alcohol. When it comes to domestic violence, alcohol is not a cause but a contributing factor; it enhances the impression of dominance and authority over others. Alcoholic abusers are more likely to exert dominance and influence over their victims. Gender is commonly cited as a sociological impact on domestic violence. Domestic violence has various health effects on victims, survivors, and witnesses, including sexual assault on children and adults, abuse of the elderly and sexual assault on youths, and bullying (Rivara et al., 2019, p. 1628). However, the victims are protected, respected, recognized, and given information and secrecy by the courts.

Men and women are equally likely, according to most research, to engage in violent behavior at some point throughout their romantic partnership. Gender symmetry is a closely related notion that has frequently sparked the most passionate debate. Husbands are more likely than wives to engage in violence in most marriages. According to feminist views, masculine perpetrators are more likely to believe in gender norms and male supremacy than female perpetrators. Because of capitalism, a framework in which men rule and control women and exploit them, domestic violence occurs more frequently in heterosexual couples (Mshweshwe,2020, p. e05334ial). When a man loses his job but is unable to work, he may experience a loss of power over his wife and resort to physical violence to reclaim that power.

Existing Policy, Laws, Justice, Responses and Public Awareness

When one spouse in a healthy marriage utilizes a pattern of attack and intimidation to exert control and authority over the other, typically a female partner, domestic violence is employed. Victims of this abuse are almost always women; because this is a common home issue, various women remain silent to preserve the familys good name. The government and authorities in India are doing everything to protect women from this crime, which is relatively widespread. Since the public is aware of domestic violence in India, several policies and laws protect women. The 2005 preservation of females has protected womens modesty and dignity from the Domestic Violence Act and several criminal law changes (Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence and Maintenance, 2022). However, the Indian Penal Code, 1863, chapter 498(a), was the first to include domestic abuse as a crime against a womans husband or a relative of her husband.

Maintaining ones spouse, children, and parents is covered in Segment 125 (CrPC) of the 1983 Unlawful Technique Code (CrPC). If a woman seems unable to support herself and earn, the court can order monthly, annually, or in a lump payment, order maintenance from an ex-husband to his ex-wife. However, if the spouse is living in infidelity, refuses to remain with her partner for whatever reason, or lives apart with mutual consent, she is not eligible for the maintenance (Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence and Maintenance, 2022). When a womans father is a Hindu, she is permitted to obtain maintenance from her spouse for the rest of her life, as per Piece 18 of the Hindu Approval and Upkeep Act, 1956. The Act defines conditions under which the wife can separate abode and conservation (Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence and Maintenance, 2022). However, if she refuses to consummate the marriage or voluntarily converts, she is not eligible for financial assistance.

Widows are permitted to obtain upkeep from their father-in-law in Sector 19 of the statute. A court can order spousal support to be paid as a lump sum, or as a regular monthly or annual payment, under the rapports of the Hindu Marital Act of 1955 (Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence and Maintenance, 2022). The Muslim Females (Information and Defense of privacy on Separation) Act gives a wife the right to support her partner under Muslim regulation. According to the countrys regulations, the quantity of Mehr negotiated upon the relationship must be paid to the wife. A fair and acceptable amount of maintenance is due to her during her Iddat period (Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence and Maintenance, 2022). During the Idaat time, the Judicial Judge might rule that a Muslim womans relatives, who will provide judged fit upkeep to her and inherit her property, should she get divorced. A Judicial Administrator can command the Public Wakf Panel to salary a females maintenance if her family members cannot.

According to the Christian law of divorce, a separated Christian woman must receive sustenance underneath the Indian Filed for separation Act, 1869. Sector 37(41) of the Indian Annulment Act, 1869, allows her to seek maintenance in a lower or higher court (Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence and Maintenance, 2022). Following this law, the husband is obligated to pay his wife for her entire life. Parsi women are entitled to maintenance under the Parsi Partnership and Separation Act, 1963. Under this clause, a court can order a husband to pay his wife maintenance equal to one-fifth of his net earnings (Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence and Maintenance, 2022). The court, on the other hand, takes certain circumstances into account. Both the spouse and wifes behavior and their ability to pay are factors in determining a marriages success.

A magistrate at times issues a protective order to the aggressor not to engage the sufferer under any circumstances; thus, it serves justice for individuals who are domestic violence casualties. Because of the rising number of domestic violence attacks in India related to the giving and receiving of dowry, the dowry ban act was passed. Dowry in any form, including cash, gold, or property, is strictly prohibited by law. Under the marriage prohibition legislation, the giving of dowry by the parties to the marriage is regarded. Under the criminal code, the offender is penalized following the circumstances of their crime. Giving or receiving dowry is disciplined by custody, a penalty, or a punishment equal to the dowry given or accepted.

How Domestic Violence Victims Experience Could Be Improved

The experiences of domestic violence crime victims could be improved in various ways to prevent or minimize the crime. Possible strategies include enhancing communication, managing emotional feelings effectively, solving problems immediately, creating awareness campaigns, and establishing justice responses to protect the victims (Preventing Domestic Violence, 2022). Effective conflict communication has long been recognized as a life skill that cannot be taken for granted. Violence is used by those who lack the social skills to express themselves and effectively communicate during a dispute. The capacity to talk things out is often the only weapon people have for settling a problem. If an individual can hear what another person is saying clearly, in a tactic that makes people feel heard, the person does an excellent job of communicating. What the other party hears and understands depends on how well a victim expresses.

Good communication during a conflict can aid people to feel more at ease since it helps them understand each others perspectives, eliminating possible violence. Despite this, it stands hard on essential issues; conflict is typically exacerbated by a crisis or heightened tensions in a peacekeeping environment. A cross-cultural context can make it more difficult for peacekeepers to understand and trust one another. Effective conflict mediators listen to the other side in a way that helps them feel heard, validated, and understood while still getting the information they need. To end a problem, sometimes all required is believing the other party and genuinely hearing them. A third partys presence makes it even more critical that the parties involved feel heard of fostering respect. A skilled mediator would communicate straightforwardly and unambiguously, with no ambiguous or ambiguous messages.

Problem-solving can improve domestic violence by managing a problem once it happens. Strong problem-solving skills generally lead to more confident, self-assured, and independent people since making decisions involves solving difficulties. Individuals grow more robust when they take on challenges independently or in a group. They gain the ability to approach problems with a fresh set of eyes (Why is Problem Solving Important in Child Development? 2022, para. 22). Problem-solving abilities can either alleviate or worsen the effects of trauma on mental well-being in the context of a violent environment. Mentoring men on how they should solve their challenges will be crucial in improving domestic violence since men are the most who have been exploiting women in India. Therefore, these skills will play essential parts in highlighting men on their roles, including protecting their wives from harm by solving problems with them once they occur without harming them.

Ensuring justice responses, including punishing the individuals who engage in domestic violence, can help improve or prevent domestic violence against women. These responses play vital roles in ensuring women involved in domestic violence are compensated, and men are discouraged from repeating the mistake. Justice responses promote equality across various domestic violence aspects and discourage individuals from engaging in the crime. Within criminal justice systems, victims play the roles of reporting violent crimes to the authorities and testifying or providing testimony. Victims have the right to speech, participation, security, and the ability to seek compensation to support their responsibilities in society. Creating domestic violence awareness plays a significant role since it advocates for change, honors survivors, and pays tribute to those who have perished due to abuse (Prosperity Now, 2021, para. 1). Family, friends, coworkers, and other community residents are all affected by domestic violence problems.

Conclusion

In conclusion, domestic violence should be eliminated or prevented since it compromises the well-being of women. People need to know when and how to express their feelings when controlling emotional reactions since it is healthy to express ones emotions, but it is essential to know how and when. Individuals who are adept at managing their emotions can more maturely and responsibly deal with stressful or difficult situations. They understand they can control how they react rather than allowing their emotions to dictate their actions and are aware that their actions and reactions impact the responses of others and their feelings. To effectively regulate ones emotions, one must be aware of and comprehend own emotions. Persons must recognize and name their feelings at any given time to be emotionally aware of domestic violence.

Reference List

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022) Prevent Domestic Violence. Web.

www.orfonline.org(2022) Domestic Violence and Womens Health in India: Insights from NFHS-4. Web.

indiafilings.com. (2022) Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence and Maintenance. Web.

Marlborough.org. (2022) Why is Problem Solving Important in Child Development? [online] Web.

Morgan, R.E. and Oudekerk, B.A. (2019) Criminal victimization, 2018. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 845. Web.

Mshweshwe, L. (2020) Understanding domestic violence: masculinity, culture, traditions. Heliyon, 6(10), p. e05334. Web.

Prosperitynow.org. (2021) The Importance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month | Prosperity Now. Web.

Rivara, F., Adhia, A., Lyons, V., Massey, A., Mills, B., Morgan, E., Simckes, M., and Rowhani-Rahbar, A. (2019) The effects of violence on health. Health Affairs, 38(10), pp.1622-1629. Web.

Rumjaun, A. and Narod, F. (2020) Social Learning TheoryAlbert Bandura. In Science Education in Theory and Practice (pp. 85-99). Springer, Cham.

Stripe, N. (2020) Domestic abuse during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, England and Wales. Office for National Statistics, 25, pp. 1-27. Web.

Introduction

Domestic violence has been recognized to take many forms including physical, emotional, sexual, and psychological threats or abuses. These forms of disagreements can happen to both male and female sexual categories. In most cases, such vices are directed towards women in a domestic setup. Some researchers also posit that domestic violence can occur in both heterosexual and homosexual relationships. Solutions to such domestic issues have remained a challenge for a long time; hence, repercussions have been experienced not only by the victims but also their family members among others. Therefore, the use of LEGSEN is a sure way of solving domestic violence against women, especially in contemporary societal settings. This essay provides insight into the enactment of stronger legislation and sensitization of men to domestic violence as a way of solving the problem permanently (LEGSEN).

Legislation to completely eradicate Violence against Women

It has been realized that legislation governing domestic violence against women exists in some countries. However, such laws have not been applied in appropriate ways to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book. Other countries have also failed to include legislations and laws to curb such vices. A solution such as LEGSEN that encompasses the violence against women Act and sensitization will help in three major ways. The first one is the provision of adequate funds to ensure that proper investigations are conducted with a view of bringing the perpetrators to book. This law will further impose mandatory and instant restitution of the perpetrators. Thirdly, the law will provide a chance for redress by civil society in case of any unfairness.

The sensitization of the negative impacts of domestic violence against women and advocacy on the importance of respecting womens rights will essentially solve the problem. This law will also provide proper victim protection at all times. Previous solutions have been capturing civil rights without a proper way of protecting them. Such laws also failed to provide funds for the investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators (World Health Organization & World Health Organization, 2005).

Sensitization of Men to Domestic Violence against Women

Regardless of the legal proceedings and other solutions that have been in place to curb domestic violence against women, some reports still indicate that the situation is still on the rise. According to the World Health Organization (2005), the main types of domestic violence against women include sexual and intimate violence. Various reports have been given on the two cases as the major cause of health problems and violations against the rights of women.

A prevalence of about 35 percent of women worldwide experiences either sexual or intimate violence in their lifetime. The report further indicates that about 30 percent of women in relationships claim that they have either experienced violence in the form of sexual and/or physical violence caused by their male partners (World Health Organization & World Health Organization, 2005). About 38 percent of murder cases on women are because of domestic violence that is caused by their partners. The major results of such violence include mental, sexual, physical, reproductive health problems, and/or vulnerability to several infections such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) among others (World Health Organization & World Health Organization, 2005). Men are portrayed as the perpetrators of domestic violence against women in these findings; hence, they should be sensitized to domestic violence to help them change their unruly behaviors and characters. This strategy, in combination with various legislations, is a sure way of stopping domestic violence against women.

Solutions offered by LEGSEN Program

It has been realized that stronger legislation alone cannot solve the problems of domestic violence properly because changes of attitude are not tackled in depth. The illegalization of domestic violence or legislation of laws against domestic violence in combination with sensitization can bring a lasting solution to the issue. The sensitization will be carried out through media campaigns and reporting cases of domestic abuse to the appropriate authorities. The neighborhood will also be informed about such incidents (Gennari et al., 2015). This campaign and sensitization will ensure that men change their character. They will also be expected to take personal responsibility for violence against girls and women. Men will realize the benefits of gender equality in society and change their viewpoints on superiority in society (Chiu & Choi, 2015).

The sensitization will also be used to educate people in institutions such as the police force, schools, and cultural exhibitions. This situation will ensure that men change their negative perceptions of domestic violence. For instance, the program will ensure that men who follow the culture of avoiding their women during expectant periods understand the need for their role in ensuring that their presence is significant. Men will be held in group meetings to discuss the importance of household chores and the need to help women to seek healthy attention to change their attitudes towards women (Chiu & Choi, 2015).

On the legal aspect as a solution, women will be provided with proper and quick access to lawful representation and justice against the perpetrators in the justice system. Gender equality will be promoted in institutions besides ensuring the provision of access to girl child education, prohibition of underage marriages, and revision of biased matrimonial laws that act against women in the society (Gennari et al., 2015).

Benefits of the LEGSEN Program

Current costs that are incurred in programs used to prevent domestic violence are high. Most of the costs are seen in terms of health support to the victims while issues concerning policies and legal processes are minimal. Others such as protection, emotional, physical support, and sensitization are minimal; hence, the outcome required is far below the required numbers. This situation is evidenced by the increased number of domestic violence instances in various parts of the world (Gennari et al., 2015).

The proposed LEGSEN program is indicated in green color for the same periods. The proposed program will save billions of dollars in the short term as well as in the long term by almost half for the three years. It is beneficial to use the package in resolving domestic violence other than using other solutions.

Conclusion

Cultures that are based on gender roles and the existing inequalities between men and women have been known to underpin domestic violence. The LEGSEN program is proposed to solve the problem. In a nutshell, with the available resource at the disposal of human society, the prognosis of the implementation of the LEGSEN program is optimistic. Besides, the change of the attitude of men towards domestic violence will be accomplished. The attitude of the overall community will be changed with persistent sensitization to the issue alongside the enacted legislation procedures. For more information to lend a hand in the fight against domestic violence, please feel free to contact us via my e-mail address: [email protected]

Reference List

Chiu, Y., & Choi, Y. (2015). Spousal violence and in-law conflict in Asia. Routledge Handbook of Families in Asia, 1(1), 318.

Gennari, F., Hidalgo, N., McCleary-Sills, J., & Arango, D. (2015). Violence against Women and Girls: Citizen Security, Law, and Justice Brief. Web.

World Health Organization, & World Health Organization. (2005). WHO multi-country study on womens health and domestic violence against women: summary report of initial results on prevalence, health outcomes and womens responses. Web.

Neutralization theory presents freedom in a relationship and condemns deviant behaviors. The approach aims to eliminate oppressive cultures and safeguard ethical human activities. Neutralization sheds light on human rights against violence; this way, the oppressed can get justice through law courts. Theoretically, molding a morally sound society is essential to enhance individual respect and social virtues. The theory advocates equality for both genders and other professional positions, giving no human advantage over others in any way.

Techniques are developed in the situations and cases experienced to justify or solve the problems. In this case, womens weakness is a technique used to justify domestic violence against women and girls in patriarchal communities. A large population of women experiences physical and emotional assaults on their relationships. Violence aggressions expose the offended to health complications leading to physiological damages (Keilholtz & Spencer, 2022). Alcoholic influence makes men aggressive and provides denial-based justifications for their actions. These activities cause sexual violence and lead to trauma and depression in the affected individuals. Concealing neutralization may help the oppressed to evade relationship challenges and give them freedom.

Womens silence in domestic abuse justifies the subsequent attacks in marriage life affecting mothers and children. Argument justifications explain the provocations the men claim when they abuse their partners. Pieces of Advice granted to abused women justify the continuation of violence in families. For example, when a woman is advised to endure all the challenges in a family setup gives a man strength to continue practicing the same, assuming the woman is weak and speechless. Ignorance and lack of knowledge facilitate oppression activities in the marriage since the women tolerate them.

Intimate partner violence involves the sexual harassment of a relationship partner in marriage. This challenges both genders in different family and cultural setups. During courtship or dating, this abuse may occur through rape or physical assault though common in marriage backgrounds. Most of the repeated cases happen in a broken relationship within a year. The violence raises health and justice concerns to control the sexually transmitted disorders involved people. Intimates should be close and friendly though they experience conflicts most, which is normalthese minor issues, when prolonged with a narrow problem-solving window, lead to violence.

Drug and substance abuse is a significant cause of intimate partner violence. Drunkard fellows display cognitive disruptions with less responsible thoughts that can fully resolve problematic issues. Raising an argument with a drunk person stimulates hostility in the middle of a discussion leading to violence. Poverty tends to increase financial conflicts, leading to violence based on the male identity. The violence-accepted norm makes it easy for oppressors to practice violence in society.

The types of intimate violence include domestic abuse violence, where stalking and affliction are practiced. The oppressed people experience major physical injuries through fights and rapes. In other cases, family members and close circles may be violent to biological and stepchildren. Sometimes, domestic staff may cause violence toward the children in the absence of the parents. Incest is another type of domestic violence practiced by close and extended family members, primarily children (Shahen, 2022). Cyberstalking and intimidation hurt emotionally, which may result in mental health disorders. Intimate violence leads to health complications based on force and psychological aggression.

Several means can help in responding to intimate partner violence. The justifications recommendable include empowering women, behavioral therapy, and assessment of private partners. Empowered women have the financial and social voice to prevent them from triumphing the domestic harassment. Frequently assessing intimate partner behavior help identify the significant reasons for certain behavioral misconducts. Identifying the possible solution probably through therapy will respond ideally to personal violence. A safety shelter should be located to place the oppressed women who run away from their marital homes. If vigorous punishment is subjected to the oppressors, the community will have a lesson and create awareness of equality.

Children are exposed to mental, physical, and psychological torture resulting in child-related trauma and depression. Children often become perpetrators of violence through psychological learning in their abusive families (de Haan et al., 2022). Witnessing violence may expose the child to being victimized in marriage, for example, being married to an abusive man. Different stages of child development tend to present different learning scenarios. Psychological maltreatment and sexual abuse expose the child involved to STI and fornication.

Economic-related violence may cause low academic performance in the children involved. In case of parent loss during the violence, social interactions are rare for domestically abused children to fear. The respect factor is weakened by witnessing the violence and abuse between both parents. Health issues may result either psychologically or physically from physical assaults on the child. Girls are more affected than boys during development, evident through lower test scores, significantly below the age of twelve. A child can copy alcohol and substance abuse behavior since parents are meant to be role models to their children.

A childs conflict resolution depends on the problem-solving strategies in a family setup. Domestically abused children tend to be antisocial and violent to their fellow children in schools. Hatred, fighting, and rejection are the principal antisocial act as interaction blocks. Boys are more aggressive in this matter compared to girls who practice dating violence. Both short-term and long-term effects are harmful to society and individual well-being. This effect makes violent people defend themselves with self-defense traits.

Sexual offenses involve forces subjected to a person to accept sexual activities of which sexual abuse is related to intimate violence. Physical pressure inflicted makes it easy to penetrate the victim without rejection. Revenge porn is done to hurt the personal emotions of the person involved. Sharing intimate photos of a partner exposes personal privacy in criminal codes. Selling sexual favors to hold a partners confidential information gives the oppressor an advantage to abuse the partner based on the information contained (Mshana et al., 2022). Spying on a partner and providing unwanted gifts poses the involved person to emotional abuse. Through computers, the process is straightforward; making it a crime will lower dating frauds.

Computer servers are different and have a wide range of information and frauds, and it is a challenge to control what to post. Pornographic domains are available, exposing every sexual part and enabling the user to access and redo every article (Claes et al., 2022). Information technology training in criminology provides insufficient investigation data related to cybercrime. Commensurate development is not fully serviced, making job satisfaction a challenge. Resourcing and addressing technological crimes is demanding and involves new server trends and development basics. Training is vital to improve criminology skills in handling personal cybercrime. Interviews do not give exact information about the cybercrime issue; hence, inventing ways to provide accurate information will be significant in the field.

References

Claes, F., Frederix, N., & Enzlin, P. (2022). Living Relationships, with Intimacy, Dementia Sexuality and Care. Dementia and Society, 10, 105.

de Haan, A., Deegener, G., & Landolt, M. A. (2022). Childhood Violence and Its Consequences. In Trauma Sequelae (pp. 107-122). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.

Keilholtz, B. M., & Spencer, C. M. (2022). Couples therapy and intimate partner violence: Considerations, assessment, and treatment modalities. Practice Innovations, 7(2), 124.

Mshana, G., Malibwa, D., Aloyce, D., Peter, E., Mchome, Z., Kapiga, S., & Stöckl, H. (2022). Same habitus in new field? How mobile phone communication reproduces masculinities and gender inequality in intimate relationships in Mwanza, Tanzania. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 02654075221097936.

Shahen, M. A. (2022). An Analytical Study on the Violence Against Children During Covid-19 Period in Bangladesh. International Journal of Qualitative Research, 2(1), 19-28.

The people in the selected family include:

• Jackson (Husband);
• Nancy (Wife);
• Jimmy (Child/son).

Jackson and Nancy have been married for six years and are currently living in Newfoundland, Canada. The husband is 32 while Nancy is 31 years old. Jimmy is 3 years old.

The two met while in college and started dating within the first year. After completing school, the two moved in together and eventually decided to live as husband and wife. Within the first two years in marriage, the two enjoyed sharing ideas and sharing with each other.

A year after the birth of Jimmy, Jackson lost his job following the unexpected emergence of COVID-19. The imposed lockdown measures and absence of adequate family savings compelled him to start drinking. Within twelve months, he had already started to abuse alcohol. This outcome echoed some of the predicaments that Jacksons family had encountered as a child. During his adolescence, Jacksons father used to abuse alcohol and engaged in violent behaviors as a way of solving problems.

Nancy started to complain about Jacksons misbehavior and inability to provide for the family. As a response, she started to threaten to leave and go back to her parents. Sometimes Jackson would use verbal and physical abuse as his way of solving problems. Jackson developed a weird habit of coming home drunk. At times he would smash utensils on the floor.

One day Jacksons wife chose to leave and move on her life. She chose not to go back to Jacksons place and instead began to focus on her son, Jimmy. After all, that was all that mattered the most to her at the time.

Feminist, Power, and Social Control Theories

Several theories can help explain the nature of domestic violence described in the case above. For example, feminist theory is a common framework that begins by explaining the origin and nature of gender inequality. For decades, males have assumed leadership roles while failing to appreciate the responsibilities and positions of women. Consequently, domestic violence has emerged as a social problem whereby men abuse women (Brubaker, 2021). Proponents of this model argue that some men will apply diverse tactics to manipulate and control women, such as domestic abuse and violence.

Power Theory

Power theory is another model that could help explain the cause and nature of domestic violence studied in Jacksons case. Under this model, individuals tend to apply abuse and control as the best option for settling conflicts or avoiding responsibilities (Wagers et al., 2021). This issue would tend to occur between partners in intimate relationships. Those who learn such attributes from childhood, such as physical abuse and alcoholism, might begin to exhibit them. The emerging ideas become the best model for addressing emerging conflicts. This framework can shed more light on the nature of domestic violence.

Social Control Theory

Social control theory identifies abuse in the domestic setting as an outcome of social structures. Such attributes arise from practices whereby violence becomes a common method of addressing problems (Asian et al., 2019). A proper understanding of such structures can help people learn more about abuse, how societies approve it, and the best approach to deal with violence. According to this theory, violence emerges as an expression of control and dominance associated with those in positions of power.

Based on these theoretical frameworks, it is evident that social structures dictate the manner in which community members relate with each other. Such patterns determine decision-making procedures and sources of authority. In extreme cases, males tend to domineer and dictate the actions their women undertake. Role dynamics at the domestic setting could contribute to violence, abuse, or misunderstanding. Psychological issues attributed to alcoholism and stress can compel some people to become arrogant, thereby increasing their chances of oppressing others (Wagers et al., 2021). Similarly, enabling environments characterized by absence of security measures and other relatives could make some men more violent and abusive.

Existing Policies

In Canada, several policies exist that are intended to protect victims of domestic violence while holding offenders accountable for their actions. Established civil measures are designed in such a way that affected individuals can receive personalized interventions in a timely manner. First, the criminal code in Canada can restrain abusers from contacting or visiting the affected individual or other family members. Second, the primary law against all forms of domestic violence is the Family Violence Protection Act in Newfoundland (Martinson & Jackson, 2017). This code has provisions detailing how accused people need to be charged or punished. Peace bonds could also be considered in the event of property damage and injury. Third, many Canadian workplace environments have strict laws prohibiting all forms of violence against each other. All these policies treat violence against other people as a criminal offense that calls for proper disciplinary actions. Some of the common offenses include bodily harm, human trafficking, sexual assault, and forcible confinement.

Throughout the adjudication and legal process, it is an offense not to comply with court, recognizance, and probation orders. At the family level, additional offenses that might occur include mischief, verbal threats, and criminal harassment (Brubaker, 2021). The creation and implementation of these policies is essential since it allows legal officers to monitor actions similar to the ones Jackson commits. The policies are capable of allowing Nancy to seek protection and ensure that her husband continues to take care of their son.

Critical Analysis

The selected policy for this discussion is appropriate since it resonates with the issues of violence described in the presented case scenario. The Family Violence Protection Act is an outstanding policy against domestic violence since 2005. The lieutenant-governor of Newfoundland, whose name Edward Roberts, is the author of the policy. This civil status is formulated in such a way that it identifies, defines, and outlines the best approaches to protect victims of different forms of abuse. The law presents a criminal code for holding wrongdoers at the domestic setting accountable for all forms of abuse, property destruction, and injury (Martinson & Jackson, 2017). Offenders are at risk of getting severe punishments, such as fines and imprisonments.

From an historical perspective, this policy emerged as a response to the complaints and challenges women and children were facing in their homes. The province lacked proper mechanisms to empower victims and hold offenders responsible. The Act would emerge as a response to some of these challenges while at the same time focusing on the problematic issue of gender inequality. Within the past years, the policy has helped minimize cases of domestic violence since individuals fear being punished for their actions. More victims are finding it easier to receive timely emergency services and services in accordance with the policy (Htun & Jensenius, 2020). The author had a strong background in legislation, a strength that helped him to focus on the best efforts to implement it. Roberts liaised with the relevant stakeholders and agencies to support its passage.

This policy has provisions intended to tackle any form of physical abuse and child neglect as witnesses in the case scenario. The law goes further to provide incentives for allowing victims to get immediate services and protection against all forms of abuse. Should Nancy should to report to the authorities, chances are high that Jackson would have increased chances of being punished (Htun & Jensenius, 2020). He could be restrained in such a way that he cannot communicate with Nancy. In accordance with the policy, Jackson might be compelled to provide for his son.

Unfortunately, the specific policy might be incapable of addressing the violence described in the scenario. For instance, Nancy might be unable to apply the Act to explain the events without a witness. Jackson might choose to deny such allegations since Jimmy is unable to provide his observations due to his tender age. Additionally, the policy might not apply to a situation whereby complainant is unavailable. Nancy needs to report the matter to the relevant authorities and ensure that proper actions are undertaken (Martinson & Jackson, 2017). Unfortunately, the current policy lacks proper mechanisms to protecting victims and encouraging them to seek the much-needed support. These key gaps in execution and application of the specific policy could affect the overall process of addressing the recorded issues.

To find a long-lasting solution, the use of the selected policy can support the formulation of an effective plan to attend to most of the problems recorded in the selected family. As a professional, it would be appropriate to begin by adopting the law to ensure that Jackson receives a befitting sentence in accordance with the committed offenses. A detailed strategy is possible to help Nancy seek the relevant support and protection (Martinson & Jackson, 2017). The law informs an effective plan for ensuring that Jackson meets the financial and social needs of her son. The policy could help restrain Jackson from visiting Nancy and the child.

References

Asian, M., Rosinaite, V., & Khojanashvili, L. (2019). Social control theory variables in conceptualizing bonding models of attachment theory and adolescent development. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 8(2), 199-207.

Brubaker, S. J. (2021). Embracing and expanding feminist theory: (Re)conceptualizing gender and power. Violence Against Women, 27(5), 717-726.

Htun, M., & Jensenius, F. R. (2020). Fighting violence against women: Laws, norms & challenges ahead. Women & Equality, 149(1), 144-159.

Martinson, D., & Jackson, M. (2017). Family violence and evolving judicial roles: Judges as equality guardians in family law cases. Canadian Journal of Family Law, 30(1), 11-70.

Wagers, S. M., Wareham, J., & Sellers, C. S. (2021). Testing the validity of an internal power theory of interpersonal violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(15-16), 7223-7248.

The American Psychological Association (APA) style is a set of rules that describe different components of scientific writing. APA presents requirements for the organization, format, and citation in academic papers. The APA styles purpose is to enhance clarity, reliability, and conformity. In addition, it assists in avoiding plagiarism and promotes the coherence and fairness of scientific research. These intentions are implemented via in-text citations. Through references and in-text citations, readers get an opportunity to check the credibility of presented statements and implications. All necessary details that include the authors name, the title of a source, date of publication, and some others should be specified in the reference list at the end of a paper. The APA guidelines can be applied to various types of academic assignments, such as literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, and essays.

For example, to support the statement that different types of domestic violence are a fundamental issue in modern societies that affects people of any gender, one may quote a relevant source, applying the APA formatting. According to Howard, Oram, Galley, Trevillion, and Feder (2013), Domestic violence  physical, sexual, or emotional abuse by an intimate partner or family member  is a major health problem and although more common in women, can also affect men (p. 16). This in-text citation serves as a tool enhancing the credibility of the text.

The article Domestic violence and perinatal mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis provides information on domestic violence cases in the perinatal period. The authors scrutinized incidents of domestic violence against women suffered mental disorders associated with pregnancy. Such conditions involve depression and anxiety disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], eating disorders, and psychoses (Howard et al. 2013, p. 5). The authors agreed that further research on methods addressing domestic violence and improving health conditions of pregnant women is of high priority.

References

Breiding, M. J., Chen, J., & Black, M. C. (2014). Intimate partner violence in the United States2010. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Elmquist, J., Hamel, J., Shorey, R. C., Labrecque, L., Ninnemann, A., & Stuart, G. L. (2014). Motivations for intimate partner violence in men and women arrested for domestic violence and court referred to batterer intervention programs. Partner Abuse, 5(4), 359-374.

Foshee, V. A., Dixon, K. S., Ennett, S. T., Moracco, K. E., Bowling, J. M., Chang, L. Y., & Moss, J. L. (2015). The process of adapting a universal dating abuse prevention program to adolescents exposed to domestic violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 30(12), 2151-2173.

Gluck, S. (2016) Effects of domestic violence, domestic abuse (on women and children). Web.

Howard, L. M., Oram, S., Galley, H., Trevillion, K., & Feder, G. (2013). Domestic violence and perinatal mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine, 10(5), 1-16.

Spivak, H. R., Jenkins, E., VanAudenhove, K., Lee, D., Kelly, M., & Iskander, J. (2014). CDC grand rounds: A public health approach to prevention of intimate partner violence. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 63(2), 38-41.

Aizer, Anna. The Gender Wage Gap and Domestic Violence. The American Economic Review, vol. 100, no. 4, 2010, pp. 184759. JSTOR, Web.

Anna Aizer works in the Economics Department at Brown University, where she focused on research highlighting the nature of the relationship between the gender wage gap and domestic violence. The author focuses on the disproportional rates of poor women experiencing violence from their domestic partners. According to the author, the income that a woman contributes to the household expenses determines their bargaining power and power dynamics in the relationship. Women who earn more than their spouses have a lower chance of experiencing violence and abuse in their marriages. To address the shortcomings of previous papers in the field, the author has relied on administrative data from the hospitalization of women for assault. The use of this primary source of data allows the author to propose a model of household bargaining where a womans income level directly influences her likelihood of being victimized in her marriage.

Crenshaw, Kimberle. Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color. Stanford Law Review, vol. 43, no. 6, 1991, pp. 124199. JSTOR, Web.

Kimberle Crenshaw is a Professor of Law teaching at the University of California with a research focus on detailing the lived experience of the African-American woman. Towards this end, her take on the intersectionality of identity politics and continued violence against Women of Color. The article highlights the manner in which violence against women is systemic and can no longer be viewed as an isolated incident within the community. In this way, the author provides evidence from the available literature to demonstrate how race and gender interact to shape discrimination and violence against this section of the population (Crenshaw 1241). The article, therefore, contributes to a shared acknowledgment that domestic violence is a significant problem that disproportionately affects women of color. Crenshaw uses clear and easy-to-understand language to ensure that the article is accessible to a wide audience. In this way, the article can be applied to the paper on domestic violence with a focus on how it affects women of color.

Jayna Kothari. Criminal Law on Domestic Violence: Promises and Limits. Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 40, no. 46, 2005, pp. 484349. Web.

The author of this article, Jayna Kothari, based at the Centre for Law & Policy Research, advocates for a law enforcement-guided response to domestic violence. She uses the article to discuss the remedies provided by the Domestic Violence Bill passed in 2005 and incorporated into the Indian Penal Code. The result of this new statute has created a dual path for victims of domestic violence to seek redress through the legal system. The author focuses on the outcomes of the criminalization of domestic violence in light of the minimal social responses to the issue in the community. Another important point to note involves the fact that the article also discusses the limitations of the criminalization of domestic violence such as the fact that it only protects married.

Karlekar, Malavika. Domestic Violence. Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 33, no. 27, 1998, pp. 174151. JSTOR, Web.

The author is a freelance contributor to several reputable newspapers and journals with a reputation of providing well-researched papers on a variety of topics. The article focuses on providing a definition of violence in order to trace the emergence of domestic violence in contemporary society. In this way, the author ensures that audiences are armed with the requisite understanding of domestic violence and can distinguish it from other forms of violence. The authors use data collected from India to define domestic violence and the power dynamics that facilitate the vice in the community. As a source for the paper, the article provides an overview of violence in the conjugal environment and makes use of reliable and peer-reviewed sources to support their primary argument. The structure of the article is clear and easy to follow for the average reader, as the author took special care to avoid the use of technical jargon.

Thomas, Dorothy Q., and Michele E. Beasley. Domestic Violence as a Human Rights Issue. Human Rights Quarterly, vol. 15, no. 1, 1993, pp. 3662. Web.

In this article, the authors were funded by the Women in Law and Public Policy where they chose to explore domestic violence as an emerging human rights issue. The primary audience of the authors in this article is the general public, as they intend to demonstrate the need for proactive responses to domestic violence. The focus of the discussion is to use scholarly arguments to demonstrate that domestic violence breaches the inherent dignity of women. In addition, the article also demonstrates the benefits of classifying domestic violence as a human rights issue based on the ability to secure international collaboration against the issue. The primary outcome of the article is to show how human rights can mandate state actors to take a proactive role in ensuring the safety and welfare of women from domestic violence. States have the resources and the ability to enforce policies and measures intended to safeguard women from the adverse effects of intimate partner violence.

Zorza, Joan. The Criminal Law of Misdemeanor Domestic Violence, 1970-1990. The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology (1973-), vol. 83, no. 1, 1992, pp. 4672. JSTOR, Web.

Zorza Joan is a staff attorney working at the National Center on Women and Family Law. The article explores domestic violence from the perspective of the criminal justice system. This can be seen in the introduction, which singles out domestic disturbance as the most common form of crime reported to law enforcement officials. The frequency of these reports demonstrates the necessity of responding to domestic violence incidents as criminal assault incidents. In this way, the author calls for the use of local statutes and ordinances to criminalize domestic assault and include them as part of the mandate of law enforcement. The criminal justice system is an important stakeholder in the fight against domestic violence showing the importance of the article in understanding domestic violence. The authors approach provides a different perspective on domestic violence and alternative responses that can supplement community and societal interventions against this challenge. Overall, the article proposes the handling of domestic violence as an issue affecting the entire community as opposed to isolated incidents.

Introduction

Domestic violence is a burden of contemporary society. In the United States, there are more than ten million victims of violent actions every year (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 2015). Cases of domestic violence can be found in any community. Their prevalence does not depend on age, social status, race, gender, or religion. Physical abuse is one of the aspects of family violence. It is frequently combined with emotional or sexual abuse thus involving not only physical injuries but also psychological traumas (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 2015). Domestic violence is a primary concern of sociological services because it has an impact on the stability of the family and the health of the abuse victims. However, the issue of maternity is often left out in debates on domestic abuse. This aspect needs careful consideration because both the psychological and physical health of women can have a significant influence on their approaches to family planning, pregnancy, or care for children.

Any event which threatens or violates someone and occurs in a family or home environment between adults disregarding gender or sexual orientation is considered domestic abuse. Most of those cases are perpetrated by men against women. The abuse is not limited to physical actions that are more frequent and can also be mental, emotional, or financial. Intimate partner violence against women, which is the most common, influences both mental and physical health (Dillon, Hussain, Loxton, & Rahman, 2013). Moreover, it leads to victim-blaming attitudes among women (Gracia, 2014). Another aspect of domestic violence is abuse in pregnancy. Abuse in the perinatal period can cause negative obstetric outcomes and mental disorders (Howard, Oram, Galley, Trevillion, &Feder, 2013).

On the whole, this research is going to provide evidence that domestic abuse creates a hostile environment that is treated as dangerous to raise a child in by women. Another purpose is to discover potential reasons and conditions for domestic abuse. Moreover, the paper will analyze the influence of abuse on the decision-making process of women with or planning to have children. Thus, domestic abuse has a direct impact on maternity because women living in a hostile environment feel that the conditions are dangerous to personal health and the well-being of a child

Problem Definition

There are many investigations dedicated to the issue of domestic violence and its consequences. Since most cases of abuse are against women, it is necessary to review the peculiarities of their reactions to abuse. Intimate partner violence is a frequent abuse and thus became a public health and social concern over the world. According to the World Health Organization (as cited in Dillon, Hussain, Loxton, & Rahman, 2013, p. 1), intimate partner violence is behavior within an intimate relationship that causes physical, sexual or psychological harm, including acts of physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse and controlling behaviors. Recently, more attention was dedicated to the possible health consequences of abuse both for acute and chronic health conditions. These conditions do not include evident physical traumas but address potential mental health issues.

The research by Dillon et al. (2013) reveals such mental health outcomes as depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, suicide and self-harm, self-perceived mental health and psychological distress, and sleep disorders. Physical health outcomes, as outlined by Dillon et al. (2013), include problems in functional physical health, self-perceived physical health, and chronic physical health conditions. Depression is considered to be the most frequent mental health disorder resulted from intimate partner violence. Thus, it consists of 34.7% of all health problems developed as a consequence of abuse (Dillon et al., 2013).

According to Zlotnik et al. (as cited in Dillon et al., 2013, p. 4) who discovered the patterns of recovery in mental health status in women who were subject to intimate partner violence after five years, women reporting IPV at the commencement of their study were still significantly more likely to experience a greater degree of depressive symptoms and functional impairment with lower self-esteem and life satisfaction at the 5-year follow-up, compared to women without IPV. Another mental health outcome for women who experienced domestic violence is the development of victim-blaming attitudes. A study by Gracia (2014) reveals the complex character of this problem which needs treatment through the social context. There is a necessity in more public attention and education efforts to manage the problem of victim-blaming attitudes and achieve a better understanding of the problem.

Particular attention should be concentrated on the impact that domestic violence has on maternity. Apart from a negative influence on womens decisions on family planning, childbirth, and child upbringing, domestic violence provokes perinatal mental disorders (Howard et al., 2013). Previous studies revealed a connection between mental disorder and being a victim of domestic violence. The systematic review discovered prevalence of domestic violence during pregnancy in high-income settings ranges from 4% to 8% in the majority of studies, equating to approximately 152,000 to 324,000 pregnant women experiencing abuse each year in the US (Howard et al., 2013, p. 3). These rates can be higher in low- and middle-income countries. The consequences of domestic violence in the perinatal period can be different. Thus, it is proved that perinatal abuse increases the risk of low birth weight, can cause pre-term labor, miscarriage, and even fetal death (Howard et al., 2013, p. 3). Moreover, there is a danger of the following child behavioral problems and maternal death.

Solutions to the Problem

Currently, domestic violence is a problem that is researched and monitored by various agencies. According to McLaughlin, Banks, Bellamy, Robbins, and Thackray (2014), different social care establishments try to create a system for possible interventions. However, the authors note that these agencies often fail to document their findings as well as some crucial data that can help scholars to research this issue further. For instance, it is hard to collect personal information regarding ones ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, and possible disability of domestic abuse victims due to multiple reasons. However, many approaches to domestic abuse are being implemented right now. McLaughlin et al. (2014) note that adult social care for victims of violence is underdeveloped in comparison to child care services and child protection. Jahanfar, Janssen, Howard, and Dowswell (2013) state that there is not enough sufficient evidence to evaluate all existing practices and establish their effectiveness. Moreover, it is possible that current solutions are not systematized enough for researchers to monitor their success.

The concept of addressing the cases of domestic violence is complicated by the fact that victims of domestic abuse cannot always adequately assess their situation and ask for help. Moreover, many ways of abuse cannot be detected easily. For example, while physical violence is not very hard to notice, such types as emotional and economic abuse often go unnoticed and thus cannot be evaluated in full. Moreover, pregnant women that suffer from domestic violence are also exposed to their child being affected by the same situation. While physical abuse can be stopped, the effects of it often result in mental issues, including anxiety, depression, and postpartum depression. Jahanfar et al. (2013) argue that interventions during ones pregnancy do not show significant results in treating womens mental condition. Therefore, the treatment of abuse victims is a complex problem that should be researched further.

Existing Solutions

Law enforcement

There are several approaches to the mitigation of the effects of domestic violence that can be outlined. First of all, violence is often treated by law enforcement practices that focus on preventing abuse from happening by distancing the abuser from the affected individuals. This type of solution offers physical protection to the victims.

Domestic violence can be of different severity just like all other crimes. For instance, a man can just yell at his wife and children and slap them, or he can kill them while beating. Realizing that domestic violence is observed in different forms, legislators developed the Domestic Violence Bill, in the framework of which the victims of this kind of violence obtained an opportunity to receive the maximum possible protection offered by the current legislative system (Fitzgerald, 2017). In the framework of these regulations, specific police departments were created. Their main task is to respond to cases of domestic violence. Nevertheless, when getting in touch with a victim, police officers cannot make one act as expected. It often happens that he/she is so scared that prefers to keep silent instead of repeating their testimony. Still, professionals should at least provide a person with the information related to the location of a shelter and healthcare establishment, etc. It would be even better if they accompany this individual and ensure that he/she is safe.

However, it does not assess the mental health and overall well-being of a person that encountered abuse. Moreover, while this solution is necessary to stop the actual domestic abuse from happening, it should not be viewed as the only way to prevent or treat the effects of violence. Furthermore, the problem of domestic violence is often ignored by law enforcement due to its highly private nature and complex emotional response from affected individuals. Therefore, this approach is currently underdeveloped and needs to be improved on the governmental level. For example, new ways of training can be devised to make police forces more knowledgeable on the topic of domestic violence.

Counseling

Another approach to domestic violence prevention and treatment is counseling. When a person manages to leave an abuser, he/she continues experiencing emotional influences of this condition. To improve ones state and stop feeling guilty, one should search for counseling services that can be easily accessed. Counseling can be advantageous in several ways. It provides an opportunity to consider how to act in the discussed situation to minimalize adverse effects. As a result, a person even receives an opportunity to save a marriage and prevent a family from collapsing. In addition to that, counseling can be needed when a person is no longer living with the abuser but remains depressed for a long time. Visiting both individual and group sessions, one receives a chance to overcome issues faced in relationships or at least avoid its repetition in the nearest future.

This solution also has its drawbacks. First of all, some counselors fail to appropriately address the issue of domestic abuse by approaching it as a family problem. Moreover, the process of counseling can induce conflict and engage in attitudes of victim-blaming. According to Berns (2017), the promotion of counseling as the best practice for treating domestic abuse can be damaging to a victims mental health as many counseling techniques focus not on the abuser but the victim. Moreover, these practices can treat women as though they can always change their partner or leave their relationship without any consequences. Thus, this approach needs further improvements.

New Solutions

The problems of the approaches described above are further complicated by the diversity of victims as well as types of abuse. These two solutions often do not address the victims data, including ones age, socioeconomic situation, disability, and ethnicity. These factors can significantly influence the victims ability to address the situation. Thus, new and improved solutions should include special techniques for individuals that fall into various categories. For example, pregnant women have multiple complications connected to their ability to communicate their situation. Improved police forces should be instructed to address pregnant women and women with children cautiously and ensure the safety of all people affected by the issue. Simply arresting the perpetrator is not enough.

In addition to that, it can be beneficial if screening for domestic violence is improved. Rather often those people who reveal violence towards others because of being angry or irritated use force when they are not satisfied with something at home. Police officers should be educated regarding the early stages of these situations so that they can pay more attention to particular families and get involved before it is too late. They should know how to identify a person that can harm someone potentially because of ones character. It would also be beneficial to provide female students and employed women of the community with similar information. If special classes or training are devoted to this topic, they are likely to become able to influence their relationships, ensuring that their partners are not aggressive. If it does not work, they can still be able to consider how to act in this situation and inform the authorities before it is too late.

Information regarding existing programs should be easily accessed by any person. The number of the National Domestic Hotline should be easily found online and be present in various facilities, including medical, educational, and recreational ones. In this way, if a person is controlled by an abuser, she is still likely to have an opportunity to find out whom to ask for assistance.

The employees of the domestic violence shelters should cooperate with police officers for them to find an abuser as soon as possible. Moreover, they should emphasize the necessity of counseling immediately, because many women who were abused come back as they are afraid of consequences.

Counseling services should address womens mental health regarding their behavior towards the abuser as well as their children. The approach to pregnant women should assess their attitude towards pregnancy and birth and recognize the onset of mental issues as soon as possible. Cattaneo and Goodman (2015) discuss the importance of empowerment for people recovering from domestic violence. This approach does not blame victims and concentrates on active identification and pursuit of goals. Moreover, preventative recognition of violent behaviors is also a viable solution that should be implemented.

Conclusion

Domestic abuse is a complex issue that significantly impacts motherhood. Various treatments of this problem fail to recognize the specific needs of pregnant women and mothers and handle them unsuccessfully. The existing research regarding the issue of abuse during ones maternity is insufficient. Thus, new solutions to this problem should be devised and implemented. Pregnant women, as well as other victims of domestic violence, can benefit from better counseling practices, educated law enforcement officials, developed child protection services, and advanced treatment of people from different social groups.

References

Berns, N. S. (2017). Framing the victim: Domestic violence, media, and social problems. New York, NY: Routledge.

Cattaneo, L. B., & Goodman, L. A. (2015). What is empowerment anyway? A model for domestic violence practice, research, and evaluation. Psychology of Violence, 5(1), 84.

Dillon, G., Hussain, R., Loxton, D., & Rahman, S. (2013). Mental and physical health and intimate partner violence against women: A review of the literature. International Journal of Family Medicine, 2013, 313909. Web.

Fitzgerald, F. (2017). Second stage Domestic Violence Bill 2017. Web.

Gracia, E. (2014). Intimate partner violence against women and victim-blaming attitudes among Europeans. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 92(5), 380-381. Web.

Howard, L.M., Oram, S., Galley, H., Trevillion, K., &Feder, G. (2013). Domestic violence and perinatal mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine, 10(5), e1001452. Web.

Jahanfar, S., Janssen, P. A., Howard, L. M., &Dowswell, T. (2013). Interventions for preventing or reducing domestic violence against pregnant women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 11, CD009414.

McLaughlin, H., Banks, C., Bellamy, C., Robbins, R., &Thackray, D. (2014). Domestic violence, adult social care and MARACs: Implications for practice.

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. (2015). Domestic violence.