Domestic Violence in America

The biggest victims of domestic violence are the littlest. The home is supposed to be a safe and secure environment for children with loving parents and free from violence. Children need a secure environment where they can come home to when the outside world is unsafe. However, every year there are millions of children whose homes are not a safe haven. Millions of children are exposed to a parent being violently assaulted. Domestic violence is a prevalent social issue in America today. First, who is affected by domestic violence is addressed. Second, the impact of domestic violence on children is established. Third, the social harm of domestic violence is depicted. This paper argues that domestic violence has tremendous affects on children.
When Alhabib, Nur, and Jones (2009) studied domestic violence against women their results concluded that domestic violence against women is an epidemic in many societies. It also suggests that there is no racial, ethnic, or socio-economic group excluded from this violence. So who are the victims of domestic violence? A study conducted by Moylan, Herrenkohl, Sousa, Tajima, Herrenkohl, and Russo (2009), found that there are an estimated 3.3 to 10 million children exposed to domestic violence in the home yearly. Their research indicates that many children witness domestic violence and have also experienced child abuse firsthand. In another study by Amy Chanmugan (2011) there were 15.5 million children from ages 0-17 living in a household where a parent is a victim of domestic violence at least once a year. Since there are so many women victimized by domestic violence it leads to millions of children being exposed to domestic violence as well.
Domestic violence has various lasting negative impa...

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... clear view of the impact domestic violence has on the women and the children who are effected by it each year. Another example of how domestic violence impacts the larger society is economically. The cost of domestic violence lands in the hands of the tax payers by paying social welfare programs, health care services, legal services, criminal justice services, and other services that directly come from domestic violence.
Domestic Violence is a relative social issue in America today. Not only are millions of people effected by domestic violence each year, but it effects all aspects of race, ethnicity, economic status, and age. The research shows the tremendous effects it has on our youth, as well as effecting large number of our youth, it effects the larger society because of the resources needed to provide families with services to deal with domestic violence.