2. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 2
Domestic Violence
The act of domestic violence has been a contentious issue in the social setting in recent
times. The crime takes place usually in the domestic limits, and the most common type of such
violence is the intimate partner violence type. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (2015), this domestic violence is defined as the use of physical violence, threats,
sexual violence or emotional abuse by one of the family members on anther within the domestic
setting. Payne & Wermeling (2009, p. 1) note that domestic violence can be within the parent
and child, sibling relationship and sometimes could involve dating relationships. This kind of
familial abuse is a concern for the social setting of the community because the family is
considered the backbone of the social composition of the community. Domestic violence,
therefore, remains a concern for the community because of the risk it poses to women and the
blurred future it holds despite its stakeholders mediating for a reduction in its incidence.
The problem of domestic violence has lately been in the spotlight because of the trauma
and the associated related consequences that its victims have to go through after their rights have
been violated. The problem has been a concern based on the shocking revelation from the
frequent statistics on the topic. For example, it is estimated that every minute, 24 people in the
United States are victims of either rape of physical violence. Other significant findings are that
the almost 3 in 10 women have been raped by either their spouse of other close relatives. These
statistics imply that the majority of the domestic violence cases take place within the intimate
partner setting as indicated by the finding that 22 percent of women and 14 percent of men have
experienced violence from their partner (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). The
female partner in an intimate partners more likely to be abused compared to the male under
3. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 3
similar conditions. Because of the shocking result that many of those who are domestically
abused suffer within the family setup, it is critical to address the challenge.
Efforts to end the challenge of domestic violence have been concentrated on the need to
reconcile the tension between the two parties because in many cases the victim and the
perpetrator have a close relationship. Because of this, it is paramount to note that the main
stakeholders in the attempts at reducing the magnitude of the problem are within the legal system
because most of the cases of domestic relationship end up in the courtroom. The main
stakeholders, therefore, are those within the legal system, the prosecutors, police, social workers
and judges (Payne & Wermeling, 2009, p. 2). All these parties will either be involved in ensuring
that there is justice in case one is a victim of circumstance. Others, such as social workers, also
form the network of stakeholders that are responsible for addressing domestic violence
prevalence. In fact, this is an especially important facet of the stakeholders because they play the
role of healing both the victim and the violator because of their ability to advise the affected.
Other such as the judges make sure that in making an attempt have the perpetrator be
accountable for their mistakes.
It is vital to implement mitigation, and preventive measures to address the challenge of
domestic violence several suggestion have been proposed. Many of these strategies have been
divided into two major classes of efforts that are exercised within the wider community
perspective and those that are implemented within the individual’s limits (Nonell, 2013). Nonell,
(2013) asserts that within the open setting, the stakeholders should be in a position to know the
signs so that they can take the necessary precautionary measures. The public could also get
educated in advanced so that they are in a better position to understand the psychology and the
predisposing factors that make one vulnerable to abuse. Nonell (2013) further points that the
4. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 4
community could boost their support network by integrating technology into their daily
operations, a factor that is identified to be especially important for women. An example of this
technique would be to use smartphone apps that could help them to alert the authorities as soon
as they realize a potential case of violence.
Other suggestions have been proposed to be used by the individual who is at risk of
abuse, who in many cases is the female victim. According to Nonell (2013), one should ring a
bell when they realize that they are at risk of being attacked. For example, it is explained that one
practical way to ensure that one notifies others would be to excuse themselves and come back
with a third party who may or may not have an idea of the reason for their existence. Such a
person could be the protective factor against any potential violence. Alternatively, it is suggested
that one could make a critical call in case the neighbor is not accessible, and the situation is more
complicated than in a case where people are easily accessible. The police services and local
emergency are usually given priority is such cases because the method is already successful as
indicate by the finding that 15 percent of the calls to the New York City Police Department are
related to violence (Klein, 2008, p. 7; Nonell, 2013).
Domestic violence has been a subject of scrutiny with many analysts concentrating on the
assessment if the trends of human relationships and the relation with the incidence of human
violence. The efforts that are aimed at determining the probability of future cases of violence and
the overall state of the future of domestic violence. In one study, it was anticipated that the rate
of domestic violence would increase because of the relation of the period of dating and the
possibility of violence (Staehle, 1998, p. 4). In the investigation, it was concluded that because
the current generation is using more of their time in dating, there is a potential for intense build-
up of sexual intimacy that would indirectly increase the probability of domestic violence once
5. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 5
the couple settles down (Staehle, 1998, p. 4). Many more studies have indicated the potential for
an increase in the rate of domestic violence. This hypothesis is supported by the potential of
relationships being built on more secretive grounds that are worse than in the current generation.
The result would be an increase in mistrust that would translate to domestic violence (Staehle,
1998, p. 5).
In conclusion, it is fundamental to stress the need for urgent intervention for domestic
violence. Because of the high likelihood for it to occur against women, precautionary measures
that are centered both on the societal level and the individual limits have to be instituted. The
main technique, however, should be self-assessment and taking the necessary precautions against
potential violence irrespective of the relationship one has with their perpetrator. The future of
domestic violence is expected to be worse than the current state because of the fact that people
tended to date for longer periods nowadays and coupled by the fact that relationships are
currently built on secrecy that affects trust.
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References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Prevent Domestic Violence in Your
Community. Njury, Violence & Safety. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/features/intimatepartnerviolence/
Klein, A. R. (2008). Practical Implications of Current Domestic Violence Research. U.S.
Department of Justice, 2007(07032). Retrieved from
https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/222320.pdf
Nonell, J. (2013). 16 Ways to Stop Domestic Violence in Your Community. 16 Days of Activist
against GenderBased Violence. Retrieved from http://16days.thepixelproject.net/16-ways-
to-stop-domestic-violence-in-your-community/
Payne, D., & Wermeling, L. (2009). Domestic Violence and the Female Victim: The Real
Reason Women Stay. Journal of Multicultural, Gender, and Minority Studies, 3(1).
Retrieved from http://www.scientificjournals.org/journals2009/articles/1420.pdf
Staehle, R. A. (1998). Defining Domestic Violence: Future Implications from a University Police
Perspective. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). Retrieved from
https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Content/getdoc/13bce711-b894-430f-bb7b-
4a5f61e36d90/Staehle.aspx