DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

A variety of factors cause domestic violence, sometimes the combination of various factors can cause it too. Some examples of these factors are infant experiences of violence, drug abuse, alcohol consumption, insufficient income, personality disorders, sexual difficulties, among others.

The majority of people affected by domestic violence are women and this has been true for much of history. For example, during the medieval times in England, a man could not be prosecuted for raping his wife. In ancient Rome, men were known for committing despicable acts, but they chastised their wives for committing those same acts even to the point of killing them.

One cannot actually put a number on the prevalence of domestic violence, because for different reasons, victims fail to report its occurrence to appropriate authorities. Most surveys generally underestimate its prevalence.

The effect of domestic violence can be casual or extreme, when it involves physical abuse, injuries can be bruises, burns, stab wounds, and unfortunately miscarriage in pregnant women. Some victims turn to substance use to help them pull through; this can lead to further abuse of substances which in turn does more harm than good. Victims may experience deep depression and may even attempt or commit suicide.

Personally, I think governments around the world are not doing enough for victims of domestic violence, especially women. I believe building shelters and safe zones for victims of domestic violence is a great way to provide some sort of succor for victims. Skill acquisition and training can be carried out in such shelters for victims that were/are economically dependent on their partners. Treatment programs for offenders are not a bad idea too. Counseling for spouses or partners to should be promoted. Stricter legislation for consistent offenders should be passed into law by parliaments and houses of assembly around the world. Public enlightenment especially in developing countries cannot be overemphasized.

I believe if we do not collectively work to get rid of domestic violence in this twenty-first century, it will get rid of our cherished society, one way or another.