Domestic Violence

Introduction

This paper discusses the causes and effects of domestic violence. Scholars define family violence, also termed domestic violence, as violence between individuals who are related through intimacy, blood, or law. Domestic violence constitutes one of the principle causes of female injury in almost every country in the world. The notion of a “battered woman” (Bergen, 52) derives from the criminal violation known as battery, or the willful or intentional touching of a person against that person's will by another person, or by an object or substance put in motion by that other person. Other terms that are currently used to refer to such activity include domestic violence, wife abuse, spousal abuse, family violence, and intimate partner violence (Kubany, 88).

Discussion

In the battering relationship, the physical violence may take many forms, including pushing, shoving, slapping, punching, kicking, choking, assault with a weapon, holding, tying down, restraining, or other efforts designed to restrict the woman's freedom, or refusing to help a woman who is sick or injured. However, physical violence in such relationships is usually preceded by various forms of coercion that give way to emotional abuse and sexual abuse as a means of controlling the woman through fear and degradation (Groves, 47).

Causes of Domestic Violence

As is the case for all complex social phenomena, there is no one single cause of domestic violence. The first-and perhaps the most important cause of domestic violence is un-employment (Campbell, 25). Although substance abuse does not cause battering, it can play a role in exacerbating battering incidents. One fourth to one half of men who commit acts of domestic violence also have substance abuse problems. Women who abuse alcohol and/or drugs are more likely to be victims of battering, and victims of domestic violence are more likely to receive prescriptions for and become dependent upon ...