Discussion
Many societies have been reporting great increase in domestic violence, and it is obvious that women and children experience this domestic violence more than men.
Domestic violence has severe effect on societies, families, and individuals themselves and it includes possession abuse, physical abuse, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse and people who mostly experience this kind of violence have higher possibility to be alleged as critical and dangerous to people victimized.
Domestic violence may abandoned them with the feeling of defenselessness, vulnerability, and in most severe instances, fear and this violence within the families include violence carried out by spouses and close family members (Wormer and Roberts 12).
Physical abuse can be described as any conduct which engages damage, pain and harm and this abuse includes using any item to strike, slap, kick, push, drown, force somebody to swallow something, apply weapon, and other abuse approaches (Hines and Malley-Morrison 35).
This physical abuse may also include some traditional beliefs such as inheritance of wives and female genital mutilation, and these traditional approaches are commonly seen in African societies.
Physiological abuse can be any conduct by the partner which is designed to threaten and hound, and serves as a kind of threat of rejection or abuse, supervision, imprisonment of your partner, intimidation to carry away custody of the kids, demolition of items, separation, verbal violence and frequent embarrassment.
Economic abuse is a type of abuse which is commonly experienced in most families and includes activities like limitation of finances, denial to support financially, refusing to provide basic needs, and restricting access to medical facilities, job, and so forth (Hines and Malley-Morrison 35).
Predicting Domestic Violence
There are several factors which predict the state of domestic violence in the future and this will help in preventing domestic violence. History of aggressive behavior is an effective way to predict future activities of people in their families. Joblessness among men in the society would lead to high risk of future violence or if a partner is employed or has higher rank than the other partner.
Lower education status is also linked with future or current domestic violence in several families. Some children have been witnessing or experiencing abuse from their family members and this triggers severe violence in the future. A partner may be experiencing mental illness which is unnoticeable and age difference between the partners may result in domestic violence. Moreover, couples who are still under 30 years of age have higher risk of engaging in domestic violence.
State laws
Several states in United States have different laws governing domestic violence. Some states consider domestic violence as offensive acts while others are not. States differ on the type of relationship that qualifies under domestic violence laws. Many states in America include present or previous dating relationships in their laws of domestic violence, where states such as South Carolina, Montana, and Delaware particularly keep out same-sex associations in their laws governing domestic violence (Itzin, Taket and Barter-Godfrey 10).
The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) was implemented as a law which is intended to improve services for the accused and the victim (Zamara). It has also helped in allocating funds for numerous groups and projects, including clothing and other services, to affected women. It offers judicial education, training plans, and other projects which raise outreach to poor families.
Section 609.2242 of Minnesota’s law states that domestic violence is a criminal act and explains that a person is considered to have committed family violence if he or she has caused another to fear, inflicting or intention to inflict, cause death or injury, and other offenses. Sentences are raised if the accused has been found guilty more than one occasion (Zamara).
Domestic Violence Prevention Act of new York State provides an all-inclusive connection of services for causalities of this family violence (Zamara). This law needs social service zones to provide immediate shelter and other services, including counseling, appointments, and support for the victims. Family Code of California contains sections which are used to protect the victims of this violence and provides clear explanations of the responsibilities of law enforcement teams.
Solutions
One of the first recommended approaches in every society is to increase understanding of the issue. Since if members are not aware about domestic violence and its impacts, they will not have any effort to solve the issue or communicate the unacceptability of the abuse. Increasing awareness permits people to have different opinion concerning the issue and to be responsible in solving the problem.
Awareness is the initial stage and the next step is assisting the families or partners who need it. The support may come from established or traditional services, along with new plans created by occupants themselves. Society members, who have experienced this violence, provide help to those who are undergoing domestic violence.
The most complex and desired way to solve this issue in the future is through eliminating poverty and engaging community members in transforming those situations, which trigger domestic violence in the future.
Efforts to solve domestic offenses are not simple as it removal needs change in the state of the community and until members of the family create a sense of politeness and respect for the rest of the family members (Ahmed 13). Through appreciating the value of each member of the family, violence can be reduced or stopped and this will prevents the weaker members of the family or the society from becoming the victims of this violence.
Intervention programs have been considered as an effective and legal tool in the control of domestic violence and if an intervention order is provided, it must go together with information concerning the accessibility of counseling.
When one member breaks the participation rule, counseling must be mandatory, as well as any disciplinary approvals. Equal legislation and support from every state permits an order presented in any state to be applicable and enforceable in other states irrespective of the jurisdiction responsible for the presentation of that order.
It is at times proposed that the important way to solve domestic violence lies in the equality of females and especially in making sure that every woman is economically self-governing and thus strong. Family violence harms its victims and humiliates its perpetrator and if the offender looks for assistance to manage his conduct, support must be accessible.
However, this must be offered with, and not as substitute, proper penalty for the offense. Community should identify the unlawful state of the domestic violence and agree on the suitable disciplinary approvals to it.
Conclusion
Domestic violence against women and children exist in every state and country, across all cultures and societies, status, wealth, age, schooling, and ethnicity (Lazarus-Blac 139). Although several communities forbid violence against children and women, the truth is that infringements against human rights of women are covered by cultural activities and beliefs, or through misunderstanding of spiritual principles.
Furthermore, when the infringement happens within the family, since it is usually the case, the violation is successfully disregarded by the understood silence and the obedience portrayed by the state and the rule of law. Counseling should be applied to help people affected by domestic violence to overpower the stress.
Works Cited
Ahmed, Basheer. Domestic Violence Cross Cultural Perspective. New York: Xlibris Corporation, 2009. Print.
Hines, Denise and Kathleen Malley-Morrison. Family Violence In The United States: Defining, Understanding, And Combating Abuse. London: SAGE, 2005. Print.
Itzin, Catherine, Ann Taket and Sarah Barter-Godfrey. Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse: Tackling the Health and Mental Health Effects. New York: Taylor & Francis, 2010. Print.
Lazarus-Blac, Mindie. Everyday harm: domestic violence, court rites, and cultures of reconciliation. Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 2007. Print.
Wormer, Katherine and Albert Roberts. Death by domestic violence: preventing the murders and murder-suicides. Westport CT: ABC-CLIO, 2009. Print.
Zamara, Eve. “Sample National Domestic Violence Laws.”. 2003. Web.