The Problem of Domestic Violence
By Savannah
January 26, 2018
Ms. Barnhart, Period 4
The Problem of Domestic Violence
Students at the average high school experience health classes. Often, one of the topics within the curriculum is domestic violence. Students will watch the videos and often ask questions to why the girl does not just leave. This exposure is intended to teach them that domestic violence is a problem. Students are supposed to learn the signs of this violence before it gets to be too late to leave. They are supposed to learn that if someone is being harmed physically, mentally, or sexually to say something. What is not being taught is how much of a problem this topic truly is and how domestic violence can be solved. Even in 2017, American society still is not prepared enough to solve the issue of domestic violence.
On a national level, domestic violence in the United States is one of the most significant social issues of the 21st century. To understand the extent of the problem, it is important to examine the national data. There are an estimated 8.5 million women and and over 4 million men according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention that have reported a form of abuse from an intimate partner (Tjaden, Patricia, et al. 10). To break down the kinds of violence, 14% of men and 23% of women report having had experienced a form of physical violence with a significant other, 7% of men and 16% of women report sexual violence, and nearly half of men and women–47% of each–report experiencing psychological aggression (Tjaden, Patricia, et al. 7-8). This evidence suggests that the domestic violence with intimate partners is diverse in nature and widespread, necessitating more attention. To intensify the need, understanding that 16% or 1 in 6 of murder victims were killed by intimate partner shows that the consequences of this kind of violence can be deadly.
Domestic violence is perpetuated through a cycle. Behaviors that are used by a single person in order to control the relationship is how people tend to define domestic violence (“Definition”). However, when domestic violence is focused in between intimate partners in a relationship, it is known as intimate partner violence, or IPV. The cycle begins with the tension-building phase. In this phase, the victims feel like they need to keep the abuser calm in response to the stream of verbal abuse spewing from the lips of the one they love. Slowly they begin to attempt to keep the violence at a low level (“Cycle of Violence”). Potential causes for tension building include domestic issues, such as children, money, or work, may be the reasoning behind the tension building (“The Cycle”). Tension overall may take a while to build, but at some point it becomes too much, and that is when an acute battering episode occurs. The reasoning behind this occurrence is typically an external factor or the emotional state of the abuser (“The Cycle”). After sinking into the reality of the abusiveness, the said offender will begin to feel ashamed of themselves. Victims often get told by the abuser that the abuse was not as severe as it seemed, and will be told that they should not have done whatever they had done to cause the abusive state. Apologies come with the unfulfilled promises that the abuse will never happen again. When it is calm within the household, everything is believed to be okay. Gifts may be given to the innocent being at the time (“The Cycle of Violence”). In these moments, the violence seems to have stopped.
From the outside, abuse may have stopped for the time being. However, the cycle of violence is known as a cycle for a reason. The cycle never stops moving (“The Cycle”). Victims become accustomed to the consistency of the abuse and begins to believe it is normal. There may be times where the victim wishes to leave. One of the main reasons why it is so difficult is the complexity of being in the cycle of violence. This cycle causes the victims to float in and out of the relationship. Many attempts to leave are often before the victim can make a final decision to officially leave (“The Cycle of Violence”). However, the flaw with leaving is the feelings of guilt, insecurity, and possibly the safety of the victim’s family. Leaving an abusive relationship is not only complex and difficult, but highly dangerous and has significant implications.
The immensity of the situation, coupled with the difficulty in escaping the cycle of violence, has many consequences. What is misunderstood is that when victims leave their abuser they often face many challenges alone. Finding homes, and jobs to get their life together, are just the beginning problems. Consider the story of a woman named Mary. She met a man named Todd in Florida, and instantly fell in love. He invited her to live with him in Washington D.C. Mary followed willingly even though she would have nobody but Todd with her in D.C. Mary, like most, wished to get a job. Something she was unable to secure in Florida, she hoped for better luck in her new northern home place. However, Todd would not allow her to search for one. Day by day tension increased. Unable to leave the house without his permission, no access to other people or a telephone only made matters worse. She was cornered. Battering would occur when Todd thought that she did something wrong. Mary grew sick, her long-term illness prescription had run out and she was not allowed to fill it. Mary finally got out when Todd left to run errands and asked someone unknown to take her to the hospital for help. She had nothing, not even a penny to her name. After winning a temporary protective order, she went to stay at an emergency shelter for thirty days. This shelter could not provide much–limited transportation vouchers that only took her to the court and back, as well as emergency grocery store vouchers. Mary had no way to get clothes for job interviews, or even a way to get to the job interviews. The shelter did not provide items like female hygiene products, or toilet paper. When the thirty days had come to an end, her vouchers were gone, she was left with no money, no job, no transportation. There felt like nothing else Mary could do but return to Todd, and reluctantly she did so (Johnson 2-3). It is not often realized that victims like Mary stay or return back to the abuser due to not having anything and feeling trapped. On average 1,740 domestic violence victims are unable to receive emergency shelter and 1,422 victims could not be given transitional shelter to help get back on their feet (“Domestic Violence”). For so many people to not be able to have a place to stay is difficult. Meanwhile, the longer the person is with the abuser, the more implications there are that remain unseen.
Exposure to violence and traumatic events, including the ones within IPV, mental illness occurs. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is often connected with military personnel. However, it is quite common within the minds of Intimate Partner Violence victims, as between 51 and 75% of females who are victims of IPV experience PTSD (Nathanson et al). Percentages of the severity of PTSD had been connected with the intensity of victimization as well (Nathanson et al). Although PTSD is quite severe, so is depression along the lines of mental illness within the victims of domestic violence. Between 35 and 70% of victimized women were diagnosed with depression. Similarly, high rates of depression have been noted within populations of IPV victims (Nathanson et al). Interestingly enough, besides coping with PTSD, victims who have depression due to Intimate Partner Violence, have difficulty establishing and maintaining a relationship, in turn, this leading to social isolation and the decreased access to social support (Nathanson et al). Although there are several implications in relation to domestic violence, there are things that are being done in attempt to help the victims at stake.
With the consistency of an issue such as domestic violence, there are a few things being done in hopes to improve and possibly save many lives at risk because of domestic violence–though there is always more to be done. Nationally, victims of domestic violence are starting to gain new rights within the workplace. Bill De Blasio, the mayor of New York City, signed a bill in which the city’s paid sick leave laws were expanded to allow domestic violence victims “safe time” (Bahler). This bill guarantees victims paid time off in order to meet with law enforcement, move away, and arrange possible life-saving services (Bahler). Only approximately 42% of United States employers do not offer such services for those who suffer from domestic violence. When asked, 19% of employers were unsure whether they would cover it. That is a total of 51% of employer who do not have a system in place to help the victims of domestic violence (Bahler). In other states across the country, there are things that can be done that are newer, like what De Blasio did in New York, in order to help save the most people in the shortest amount of time. As Diane Rosenfield, Harvard Law lecturer and director of the Gender Violence Program explains “Domestic-violence homicide [and other types of intimate partner violence] is so predictable as to be preventable” (qtd in Blumenthal). If more is done to look into the predictable parts of this significant issue, more victims can be saved and deaths prevented. Programs like the Gender Violence Program help improve the lives of many and it is something that is not thought of often. With more programs that address violence between partners and the aftermath, it would lead to fewer people dying from or suffering from the problem of domestic violence.
American society is not completely prepared to solve the issue of domestic violence. Society does not pay attention to the minority, and does not address domestic violence as a problem. Signs of violence are not properly addressed within daily lives and victims are often left with nothing but to go back to their abuser. Students in classes need to learn that there is a way to get help. Help from the police, staff, and experts. There should be a lesson dedicated to breaking down the cycle and explaining to the students what happens and how the victims get trapped within this cycle of violence. Speakers should come to classes and tell their stories and how this problem needs a solution. Programs need to be created to study gender violence, and discuss the options that victims face repeatedly in order to survive. This problem is escalating day by day and a solution has not been attempted in order to save the lives of many. Domestic violence is a severe and deadly problem that needs to be solved. If not completely, then the best that it can be done, to save the most people in the least amount of time.
Works Cited
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