Domestic Violence Research Paper

Women all over the world struggle to live normal lives because they are domestically abused. Domestic violence is defined as aggressive behavior towards someone in order to gain or maintain control. The violence usually occurs between people in relationships. This type of assault includes physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Partners can either be married or single; heterosexual or homosexual; living together, separated, or dating (“Definition - Domestic Violence”). I believe it is important to put an end to domestic violence for the safety of all women. Women should not have to live in fear of being battered by their partners or anyone else.
Physical abuse is a vicious act that affect millions of women worldwide. It is an act of violence

that causes bodily harm or pain to an individual. Examples of physical abuse are: kicking, punching, slapping, etc. Some studies show that “up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner” (“Facts and Figures: Ending Violence against Women”). Men usually portray themselves as the dominant figures. Some women often feel intimidated by their partners. Some of the everyday stressors, or daily hassles of life, such as finances or work-related stress, may cause a person to change his/her personality and become who they are not. It is not a definite cause; however, it can trigger aggression and violence in individuals who normally display that type of behavior. Men who suffer from anxiety may have violent outbreaks; even if it is not intentional. All of the built up stress is being released. Everyone in the world has problems; that’s not an excuse for such aggression.
Men also use substance and alcohol as an excuse for deviant behavior. Alcohol does not make a person violent. It does, however, affect a person’s ability to process what is occurring around him/her. Studies have shown that intimate partner violence can result from the consumption of alcohol in specific drinking situations (Mair 2102). Most of the time, women who are victims of domestic violence feel trapped in their relationships because they fear their attacker. The average person would wonder why the victims don’t leave. It isn’t always easy to just get up and leave. Thoughts of retaliation by the attacker cause the victims to stay in unhealthy relationships for long periods of time. A lot of women are murdered by their partner if they try to report them.
Most of the victims are afraid of retaliation from their attacker; but in some cases, they are afraid of being punished by the authorities for reporting domestic violence.

Punishments include: beatings, imprisonment, or worse; death; which adds to the abuse. Depending on where these victims live, laws are set against women and they have no rights to their freedom. If a woman is abused, it is technically her fault. Many women who are violated in foreign countries, are viewed or looked upon as the cause of the violations, instead of the victim of the crime. According to (Walsh, CNN), a 16 year old girl in Afghanistan was arrested and thrown in jail because she was assaulted by a married man. To avoid being shunned by all around her, she was forced to marry the attacker; even if it meant cutting all ties with her family. Women have no say when it comes to protecting themselves. “A patchwork of treaties, resolutions, recommendations, declarations and U.N. campaigns exists to address these types of issues, but most are not legally binding (Shannon). There should be an end put to all acts of violence towards women. The authorities do not put victims of abuse on the top of their priority list. It seems that men are seen as the victims. Stricter enforcements are necessary in order to break this vicious

cycle.
Women are not only abused physically, but they are also abused sexually.

Sexual assault is non-consensual, or against the victims will. This type of abuse comes in all different forms: verbal, visual, or anything that forces a person to be a part of the unwanted attention (“Violence Against Women – Sexual Assault and Abuse”). The majority of those who experience this type of violence are women, and the majority perpetrating it are men (Mikton 359). It is always a wise decision to be aware of different surroundings, because a woman can be easily caught off guard; especially if she is with a person that she they may or may not know very well. Some men find it acceptable to easily take advantage of a woman because she is viewed as less superior. Manganaro and Alozie found that “men and women differ in their gender role attitudes, as men report more conservative attitudes than women” (516). I find it very wrong and sexist when men think of women as objects. I also feel that males take our kindness for weakness. Females are constantly taken advantage of because men know that women are willing to forgive them most of the time; but I feel that sexual abuse is

unforgivable.
One of the worst forms of sexual assault is rape (gang rape). Rape is forced, non-consensual physical contact. About 120 million girls and women worldwide have experienced forced intercourse or other involuntary sexual acts at some point in time (“Facts and Figures: Ending Violence against Women”).The goal of a rapist is to hurt, violate, and humiliate the victim. A woman’s body is a temple, and being raped can destroy it and make someone feel vulnerable for the rest of their lives. Women will feel like they have to shut themselves out from the rest of the world because they are embarrassed and afraid of it happening again. Being violated can cause many different problems; mentally, physically, and emotionally.
Physical outcomes include pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDS). Pregnancy as a result of rape is frequent and causes concern among young women. There are a lot of things to consider; such as deciding whether or not to keep the baby, allowing the father to be in the baby’s life, and how life will change. In 31 states, a rapist maintains parental rights if the victim delivers a baby as a result of the assault (Shannon).