Domestic violence can be defined as any abusive action or violence against a person in domestic setting. Domestic violence does not necessarily means physical violence alone, but also to psychological torture done in order to gain authority or control over an individual (Motz, 2016). Abusive behaviour is a learned behaviour and is necessarily not caused by anger or mental problems. A large number of actions can be considered as domestic violence such as physical assault, threatening or intimidating, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, criminal damage, mental and sexual harassment (Motz, 2016).
This essay will focus on the issue of domestic violence in a global and Australian context, how domestic violence impacts the physical and the mental well-being of a person. The essay would further examine how the socio-economic and the psychological factors influence the incidence of domestic violence.
Women and children are the most vulnerable groups to any kind of violence at home. Domestic violence is an issue that can be found globally irrespective of the ethnicities and nationalities (Hoyle,2012). It is a serious problem that can be seen in every society of both the developed and the underdeveloped nations. Although domestic violence can be seen against men, but the women, children and the elderly account for most of the cases of domestic violence.
According to Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS), one in every 11 people (1927899) have been a victim of domestic violence for since the age of 15. Breaking down the results- one in six women and the one in every 20 men (White ribbon Australia, 2018). As per the statistics on an average at least one women a week is being killed by a partner in Australia, One in five women in Australia have demonstrated sexual violence, one in four Australian female have faced with emotional abuse by the current or the former partner. Women are more susceptible to suffer from domestic violence from an intimate partner. Young women between the age group (15-44) are likely to suffer from emotional or physical abuse than the women in older age group. According to the reports the cost of healthcare and social welfare involving domestic violence has been found to be $21.7 billion a year, suggesting that if no further actions are taken, the cost might accumulate to $323.4 billion (Australian institute of health and welfare, 2018)
Socioeconomic status can be identified as one of the risk factors to domestic violence. It should be noted that SES does not only encompass income but also attainment of education, subjective viewpoint about social classes and status and financial security (Adams et al., 2013).
Families with lower SES are likely to experience domestic violence. Families with low SES lack a nurturing environment for the growth of a child and as a result low SES children are more likely to experience adverse experiences than their counterparts with high SES. Economic status of a person is linked to domestic violence in many ways (Adams et al., 2013). Poorer women or those women who are financially dependent on their partners are likely to suffer the most and are more likely to return to the abusive partners. The degree of the economic dependence of the women is associated with the severity of the abuse (Motz, 2016). Increased dependence on partner is associated with greater abuse. Furthermore a person can also be harmed to undermine his/her ability to become financially independent. A poor household is associated to low capacity of spending, lower ability to cope up with the increasing economic needs, which may give rise to depression in abusive partners, who can hit their partners at rage (Hearn, 2013). It should be remembered that low SES correlates to low educational achievement, poverty and poor physical and mental health. And people with lower education are more likely to hit their partners.
One of the factors behind domestic violence is disorganised family patterns and interactions created under stressful conditions, for which both the spouses might be responsible. Certain psychological factors such as critical inner voice that involves a destructive inner voice directing him to abuse his partner (Velea, Tru?escu & Curc?, 2015). Inferiority complexes, which is the shame triggered by the concept that they are appearing to be weak can trigger some people to act violently or become enraged.
Marital domestic violence is the most common form of violence seen worldwide. apart from the critical inner voice there lies a fantasy bond between a partner, where both the partner feels that they cannot lead their life on their own without each other and this gives rise to a perception of merged identity between the two partners that inhibits the from breaking free from a relationship even after it has become dangerous or hostile (Velea, Tru?escu & Curc?, 2015).
Abusive childhood has been reported to be a factor or retarded psychological growth of the abusers. According to the studies, people having abusive and unhealthy childhood are more likely to get indulged in such outrageous activities (Hearn, 2013). It is their past experience that makes them to hurt others.
Children who have been the victim of domestic violence often suffer from emotional and psychological trauma as they grow up in an ambience filled with tension and anxiety (Hardesty, Haselschwerdt & Johnson, 2012). Children who have been the victim to domestic violence are the ones who are forced to worry about their future instead of letting them grow in an emotionally and physically safe environment nurtured with love and care (Howard et al., 2013). According to the report undertaken by Queensland Domestic Violence Taskforce 1988, 90 % of the children present in houses where domestic violence has occurred, have viewed vehemence against their mother (Australian institute of health and welfare, 2018). These kinds of fearful experiences can have deep impact on a child’s mind and can contribute to aggressive behaviour in future (Patterson, DeBaryshe & Ramsey, 2017). These children may get involved in domestic violence in future with their partners (Herrenkohl et al., 2012). A child may get involved in the middle of an attack by accident or intentionally. Infants can get injured while being held by their mothers when the perpetrator attacks (Norman et al., 2012). Some of the impacts of domestic violence on child are depression, withdrawal, abuse of parents, taking on the role of the caretakers prematurely in order to protect the family member, entering into early relationship or marriage in order to escape from the family. According to Hardesty, Haselschwerdt & Johnson, (2012), daughters are more likely to suffer from domestic violence other than the sons. Daughters are also exposed to sexual violence in abusive families. According to Norman et al. (2012), where a male is the main perpetrator of the child abuse, it has been found that there had been a 70 % chance that the injury is serious. 80 % of the child abuses in a family are because of the father or the father surrogates.
As reported by most of the victims, the main cause of the domestic violence have been found to be substance abuse, alcoholism, financial problems within the family where the person have to go through hardships for making the end meet, extramarital relationship of one partner that can be outrageous to the other partner (Stanley, Miller & Richardson Foster, 2012). While reporting about child abuse, the victims have reported that children are likely to face abuse while witnessing their mother getting abused or due to their inability to meet up to the expectation of the parents. Factors such as inability to get higher grades during exams, or getting in to a relationship without parental consent has been found to be some of the factors responsible for physical abuse in families (Stanley, Miller & Richardson Foster, 2012).
According to a qualitative study examining the reasons why the perpetrators commit domestic violence, most of the men believed that their violence was associated to the learned behaviours that they have witnessed in their family (Capaldi et al., 2012). Again some of the participants have admitted that they do not consider emotional abuse to be any form of abuse when in reality such types of abuse can have a long term implications tan physical abuse. Furthermore, few people also think that they possess an inherent right on their spouse or their child and hence can treat them as per their will or mood (Capaldi et al., 2012). The participants that were interviewed have reported that activities like praying, counselling, support from the families have helped them in the recovery. Hence it can be understood that the main issue lies in the mentality of the community.
In conclusion it can be said that the Children and women are the most vulnerable group to domestic violence. Socioeconomic status and psychological issues in childhood have been identified as the prime precipitating factors to domestic violence. However there are lot more reasons behind the increasing incidence of domestic violence in Australia and all over the world. Domestic violence has been found to have a negative impact of the psychological development of the child witnessing domestic violence. However a community based approach is necessary to decrease the prevalence of the domestic violence. Strengthening of lawsuits would not be sufficient. A community based approach is necessary to increase the awareness on people about domestic violence and to eradicate the problem from the grass root level.
References
Adams, A. E., Tolman, R. M., Bybee, D., Sullivan, C. M., & Kennedy, A. C. (2012). The impact of intimate partner violence on low-income women’s economic well-being: The mediating role of job stability. Violence Against Women, 18(12), 1345-1367.
Australian institute of health and welfare. (2018). Family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia, 2018 .Access date: 31.8.2018. Retrieved from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/domestic-violence/family-domestic-sexual-violence-in-australia-2018/contents/summary.
Capaldi, D. M., Knoble, N. B., Shortt, J. W., & Kim, H. K. (2012). A systematic review of risk factors for intimate partner violence. Partner abuse, 3(2), 231-280.
Hardesty, J. L., Haselschwerdt, M. L., & Johnson, M. P. (2012). Domestic violence and child custody. Parenting plan evaluations: Applied research for the family court, 442-478.
Hearn, J. (2013). The sociological significance of domestic violence: Tensions, paradoxes and implications. Current Sociology, 61(2), 152-170.
Herrenkohl, T. I., Hong, S., Klika, J. B., Herrenkohl, R. C., & Russo, M. J. (2013). Developmental impacts of child abuse and neglect related to adult mental health, substance use, and physical health. Journal of family violence, 28(2), 191-199.
Holmes, M. R. (2013). Aggressive behavior of children exposed to intimate partner violence: An examination of maternal mental health, maternal warmth and child maltreatment. Child abuse & neglect, 37(8), 520-530.
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.
Hoyle, C. (2012). Feminism, victimology and domestic violence. In Handbook of victims and victimology (pp. 162-190). Willan.
Motz, A. (2016). The psychology of female violence: Crimes against the body. Routledge.
Norman, R. E., Byambaa, M., De, R., Butchart, A., Scott, J., & Vos, T. (2012). The long-term health consequences of child physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS medicine, 9(11), e1001349.
Patterson, G. R., DeBaryshe, B. D., & Ramsey, E. (2017). A developmental perspective on antisocial behavior. In Developmental and Life-course Criminological Theories (pp. 29-35). Routledge.
Stanley, N., Miller, P., & Richardson Foster, H. (2012). Engaging with children’s and parents’ perspectives on domestic violence. Child & Family Social Work, 17(2), 192-201.
Velea, O. P., Tru?escu, C., & Curc?, G. C. (2015). Psychosocial factors associated to violence against women. Romanian journal of legal medicine, 23(3), 221-226.
White ribbon Australia., (2018). Domestic violence statistics. Access date: 31.8.2018. Retrieved from: https://www.whiteribbon.org.au/understand-domestic-violence/facts-violence-women/domestic-violence-statistics/
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