The Family Law Act of 1975 defines domestic violence in Australia as “violent, threatening or other behavior by a person that coerces or controls a member of the person’s family, or causes the family member to be fearful.” It refers to all those people who are or have been in an intimate relationship in a domestic environment and have experienced any kind of violence. This is also referred to as family violence. A survey revealed that one out of every three women experience domestic violence in Australia (Berns,2017). Approximately two lakh incidents of domestic violence have been reported between 2014 and 2016. The Australian Bureau of Statistics confirmed that men and women who have experienced domestic violence never foled a complaint with the police. It is very unfortunate that all over the world we are celebrating International Women’s Day but we cannot protect women and promise them a safe future.
In Australia, White Ribbons Day is celebrated on 22nd November signifying the protest against domestic violence on women. The government of Australia has taken some action in order to reduce domestic violence and sexual violence on Australia. Indigenous women are more prone to domestic violence (Chappell&Curtin,2013). This has become a major welfare issue in Australia.
Violence can adversely affect a women’s health. It can lead to depression, self-harm and also trigger the chances of HIV/AIDS. It is believed that today more and more women ar abused by their intimate partners. Violence also affects women psychologically. There are many reasons why women are abused by their partners. It is often due to less or no education, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, low level of income and other such causes. Sexual violence are caused by men against women in most of the cases. Reports suggest that women are likely to go through sexual violence during their childhood. Girls are touched inappropriately and molested by relatives or strangers. Today, dating violence is also a cause everyone needs to worry about. However, domestic and dating violence is not only among the uneducated and lower class people but also among the rich and educated class.
Domestic violence in Australia is on the rise than ever before. News report says that women are dying every week due to domestic violence. Domestic violence also affects children as they witness their mother being abused by their father. Often when women are murdered, it leaves the children orphaned and they end up in foster care homes (Bugeja et al.,2013). According to Women’s Agenda more than twenty women have been killed in Australia in the first five months of the year 2018. Dr Angela jay who is an obstetrician, spoke at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Congress in Sydney. She stated her horrific encounter with her ex boyfriend that left the audience in shock and empathy for the doctor. She reminiscent that her ex boyfriend had stabbed her eleven times and then put petrol all over her to lit her up. She described of the insurmountable pain that she had gone through at that moment. Research suggests that children who experience violence at home during early stages of childhood are more likely to become violent human beings when they grow up (Fisher,2013). They tend to exhibit violent behavior once they become an adult. The problem is finding the root causes of such domestic violence and working towards it. The path to recovery is far worse and long than anyone can ever anticipate.
The journey for the victims who have been physically abused is difficult and they need a lot of mental support during all the stages of recovery. In a violent relationship, a person’s self-worth and self-esteem can be affected drastically (Othman, Goddard & Piterman,(2014). They may have low confidence about themselves. Gradually they might become submissive and subservient to their spouse or boyfriend. Most people believe that domestic violence stems up from two main reasons. One being gender stereotyping (Letellier& Island,2013). The other, being the economic, social and political disparity that exisits in the society even today. Thus, some people believe that if the economic and other inequalities are solved this problem can be solved. Other people are under the impression that people who have anger issues and are violent in nature, it is often due to raised in foster homes or with equally abusive parents. Whatever the reason may be it is an issue of great concern today as more and more women are getting killed in Australia.
Many non-governmental organizations have come forward to plead the government to donate funds and take stricter legal actions aginst this brtuality faced by women. Domestic violence does not only mean physical violence (Costa,2015). It can be emotional and verbal too. It can be also in the form of financial abuse where the victim is not given any money for herself and for her children. Often money in the form of cash or card is taken away from the victim. The victim loses all access to finances. Women who are often victimised are often forced to hand over their jewllery, money and other forms of wealth. They are also beaten upmif they refuse to do so. It should not come as a shock that even children are beaten up with their mother if they try to protest. In domestic violence, the partner is usually very domineering and possessive. They control the social activities of the victim too (James, Brody & Hamilton,2013). The victim cannot leve the house without her partner’s permission or attend parties or social functions. If they do so, then they are abused. Most women keep quiet even after being abused firstly due to the fear of society. Secondly, because they still “love” their partners. Women by nature have higher emotional intelligence than men. Therefore, it is rather difficult for any women to break a relationship all of a sudden (Pain,2014). It is extremely difficult for married women with children to separate from their spouses as they think of the future of their children. Children of estranged parents are often emotionally insecure and unstable (Parkinson & Zara,2013). Another reason why women choose not to complaint to the police is mainly because they belong to the middle or lower middle class of society and these women are uneducated to look after themselves or their children. Women who have no formal eductaion and are jobless often tolerate domestic violence year after year.
No man has the right to deprive any women from her social and legal rights. Women who are abused often are deprived of the basic neccesities of life like food, medical care and others. Women should immediately contact emergency services and seek help. Victims have stated that there were times when they felt suicidal and they were on the verge of taking away their life but they were stopped by the memories of their children or near and dear ones. For some victims it took two to three years of planning and mental strength to get out of the abusive relationship. Hence, this is not easy. It requires a lot of detachment and courage to bring oneself out of an abusive situation. Ther are innumerable quetsions that goes inside the head of the victim. With lower confidence and esteem and no one to go to they find it difficult to take a leap of faith and make a choice. The government of Australia have taken several action plans to reduce domestic violence against women and childeren. However, a lot needs to be done and a lot of areas needs to be addressed.
References:
Berns, N. S. (2017). Framing the victim: Domestic violence, media, and social problems. Routledge.
Bugeja, L., Butler, A., Buxton, E., Ehrat, H., Hayes, M., McIntyre, S. J., & Walsh, C. (2013). The implementation of domestic violence death reviews in Australia. Homicide Studies, 17(4), 353-374.
Chappell, L., & Curtin, J. (2013). Does federalism matter? Evaluating state architecture and family and domestic violence policy in Australia and New Zealand. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 43(1), 24-43.
Costa, B. M., Kaestle, C. E., Walker, A., Curtis, A., Day, A., Toumbourou, J. W., & Miller, P. (2015). Longitudinal predictors of domestic violence perpetration and victimization: A systematic review. Aggression and violent behavior, 24, 261-272.
Fisher, C. (2013). Changed and changing gender and family roles and domestic violence in African refugee background communities post-settlement in Perth, Australia. Violence Against Women, 19(7), 833-847.
James, L., Brody, D., & Hamilton, Z. (2013). Risk factors for domestic violence during pregnancy: a meta-analytic review. Violence and victims, 28(3), 359-380.
Letellier, P., & Island, D. (2013). Men who beat the men who love them: Battered gay men and domestic violence. Routledge.
Othman, S., Goddard, C., & Piterman, L. (2014). Victims’ barriers to discussing domestic violence in clinical consultations: A qualitative enquiry. Journal of interpersonal violence, 29(8), 1497-1513.
Pain, R. (2014). Everyday terrorism: Connecting domestic violence and global terrorism. Progress in Human Geography, 38(4), 531-550.
(Parkinson, D., & Zara, C. (2013). The hidden disaster: Domestic violence in the aftermath of natural disaster. Australian Journal of Emergency Management, The, 28(2), 28.
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