Domestic abuse, which is also known as domestic violence, is a dominance of one family member over another or the other. That dominance mostly has a form of emotional, physical, or sexual oppression. According to Goldsmith, a considerable percentage of abusers have observed violence as the normal behavior in the environment where they were raised (2017). Some of them have been victims themselves, mostly in their childhood. The main motivation of such people is their belief that oppression as well as aggression are completely acceptable and even reasonable ways to resolve interpersonal conflicts. Furthermore, an individual who has poor self-control can lose it completely after consuming alcohol or drugs (Goldsmith, 2017). The probability of becoming a victim to domestic abuse also correlates with having such experience before. In fact, this type of crime is apparently a textbook example of how violence breeds violence.
The primary role of public health nursing specialists in minimizing domestic abuse lies in monitoring the community and cooperating with the residents. Stanhope and Lancaster define this as partnership and highlight its importance in “identifying strength and problems” as well as setting goals (2016, p. 400). Practically, partnership presupposes working with community organizations, which enables being aware of all challenges the community is facing at the moment. This awareness, in turn, allows for being always prepared for the most probable occasions. Regarding domestic abuse specifically, partnership provides a maximally detailed portrait and background of a victim, which increases his or her chances for a proper medical and psychological aid. The same is applicable to children who are being raised in families where violence is common. As a result, the probability of them becoming abusers later in life is considerably reduced.
References
Goldsmith, T. D. (2016). What causes domestic violence? PsychCentral. Web.
Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2016). Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in the community (9th Ed). Elsevier Mosby.