Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is referred to as intimate partner violence or domestic abuse. Domestic violence is not just physical but any kind of behaviour that tries to gain power and control over the victim. It can affect people from all walks of life and it basically subjects towards a partner, spouse, or intimate family member.
Often women and children are the soft targets of domestic violence. Domestic violence is a gruesome crime that also causes a number of deaths. Some of the most common causes of domestic violence are illiteracy and economic dependency on the menfolk.
The male-dominated society plays an important role in this problem. Further, dowry is also one of the leading causes which have the consequence of violence against newly-wed brides.
In many parts of the world, physically assaulting women and passing horrendous remarks is common. Children also become victims of this inhuman behaviour more than often.
Domestic violence has many ill-effects which depend on the kind of domestic violence happening. It ranges from being physical to emotional and sexual to economic. A physical abuser uses physical force which injures the victim or endangers their life. Moreover, the abuser also denies the victim medical care.
Further, there is emotional abuse in which the person intimidates the victim. Threatening a person is also a type of domestic abuse affecting the person mentally and emotionally. It also includes undermining their self-worth.
Finally, there is economic abuse where the abuser controls the victim’s money and their economic resources. They do this to exert control on them and make them dependent solely on them. This damages the self-esteem of the victim.
Research has shown that there exists a significant and direct correlation between a country’s level of gender equality and domestic violence rates. Countries that experience higher rates of domestic violence have less gender equality. Domestic violence on a worldwide basis is among the most underreported crimes globally for both women and men.
Domestic violence often takes place when the abuser believes that the victim is subordinate to them, and it is the abuser’s entitlement, justified and acceptable. Domestic violence may produce a cycle of intergenerational abuse in children and other members of the family as they feel that this kind of behaviour is normal and acceptable.
In an abusive relationship, there is a cycle of violence and abuse, which is committed by the abuser when there is a rise in tension or an act of violence is committed. It is then followed by a period of calm and reconciliation. Victims of domestic violence are stuck in domestic relationships or situations through the lack of financial resources, power, and control, isolation, to protect a child, fear of cultural acceptance, traumatic bonding with the abuser, or fear of shame.