Domestic Violence Against Women - Essay Example

Domestic violence Due Introduction Many women and men suffer from prolonged domestic violence, on many occasions their rights are justified and other times not justified committing an abusive crime. In cases of oppressor’s death, most victims are not granted their rights even though they may or may not be innocent of their crimes. Where domestic violence subsists cases of serious abuse would occur, that may even result in death. A pressing concern is, should abusers of domestic crime be given or not, a reduction of their sentences for murder or injuries caused by them? Domestic violence occurs when one partner tries to intimidate and control another through fear, guilt shame, and intimidation. It does not discriminate anyone though women are more victimized; men are also abused emotionally, verbally and sometimes physically. Regardless who inflicts domestic violence, it should never be tolerated. The first indication of domestic violence has to be aired out and get help and counsel from midwives where women who are pregnant and community nursing to other kinds of violence (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Pregnant women are most affected by domestic violence. Research done, show that, violence against pregnant women starts after they get pregnant. At this time, the fetus and the mother are very vulnerable to injury of abuse. It may be difficult to get the exact fact about violence against pregnant women as some of them are hesitant to disclose such information. The rate ranges from 0.9% to 20.1%. This rates how that significant number of women suffer domestic violence during pregnancy and postnatal period. Pregnancy in itself is not a protector of violence showing that domestic violence also happens to other women regardless they are pregnant or not and to men. The involved with domestic violence are miscarriages, fetal injury, maternal health, and preterm labor. Due to the stress of violence some women involve themselves in harmful behavior to cope with violence and abuse such as drug taking, smoking and alcohol abuse (Baird & Mitchell, 2013). Men also are abused in relationships or maternal homes verbally, emotionally and even physically. Any signs of domestic violence need to be reported to the relevant authorities early enough. Some men think that they can take it but in the real sense violence escalate over time and by the time they report, it may be too late and the damage severely large (Cook, 2009). Domestic violence takes various forms, and one can recognize it when they experience the other person in the relationship does the following actions. Threatens you, discourages you from going to work, school or from seeing friends and family. This person may call you names, puts you down and hauls insults. This person may force to engage in sexual activities, physically hurts you, shifts his or her blame to you and tries to control your spending of funds. This habit develops a cycle where the abuser uses violence, physically abuses you, recognizes his actions and apologizes and assures he will change, soothes and covers it by offering gifts. Then the cycle repeats itself (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Offenders of domestic violence are usually not considered innocent of murder they have caused assuming that murder they caused had been planned and thought out beforehand. During the time, the oppressor does the abuse, the oppressed plan on revenging the abuse. They would plan on occasion and even purchase weapons such as guns where they will feel protected when threatened. Domestic violence is majorly related to homicide, and those convicted are of lethal behaviors by offenders during the period of violence (Braaf & Sneddon, 2007). Many a times victims of domestic violence are not granted their rights in case of a trial concerning the death of their oppressors. Reason being the justice system in cases of dual arrest reduces the chances of the victim to express their rights. The police arrest the victim and the abuser and let the justice determine their case. The victim becomes abused twice by the abuser and the law. Victim is held in custody against their will. The impact of dual arrest can have devastating consequences for the victim and their rights not put into consideration. The practical and emotional impact of their rights affects the victim’s safety, their sense of self, access to children and their safety. These would leave them more vulnerable and alone (Braaf & Sneddon, 2007). Husbands on various occasions are reported to have harassed their wives mostly on immaterial grounds. Husbands who are abusers and verdict violence on their wives build traps and accuse their wives falsely. For instance, a husband after the first offense would send the wife to run an errand but set time without their knowledge. If the wife is held up in traffic, he accuses her of cheating with the stores man and beat her. This kind of men or women in some instance would want to dominate the other partner by taking total control. Control in the use of finances, limiting contacts with friends, family and neighbors, and time control (WHO, 2015). Today, in the world there is a great number of prolonged domestic violence cases among many people. Policies implemented by the criminal justice department in the recent past have not been successful in relationships where the partners are unemployed or have little to lose. Most of these offenders in repeat violence have a history of domestic violence. In mandatory arrests, to either one or both parties, in cases of repeated abuse, it increases the risk of retaliation to make a payback to the oppressed. These arrests make the survivors disempowered discouraging them from calling back. The ability of a survivor is reduced from making the best decision out of the situation (Griffith, 2005). Another reason, why domestic violence has escalated, is because most women do not report abuses by their partners. Neighbors, friends or family mostly report these cases. One of these reasons is because women wish to remain with their partners due to children, lack of affordable accommodation, financial security and placing a hope that their partners will change. Fear of retaliation from the abuser made women reluctant to report abusive cases. Report on domestic violence causes it to increase. Women will also keep silent because the sentence given to the perpetrator is not worth the process. They thought the sentences were quite lenient inappropriate and unhelpful. Some of these women wanted psychological assistant that they did not get through the courts (Braaf & Sneddon, 2007). Domestic violence has escalated to lengths where the oppressors end up killing their victims or oppressed. Killings result when the violence has escalated to certain heights. The oppressed cannot take it any longer and resolves to permanently eliminate the problem. In the case of the oppressor, they would kill without their knowledge if they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. They only realize what they have done when they are sober. Women are more likely to use weapons of domestic violence and such cases women are only defensive. They get arrested by the police and convicted of a crime, but they are the resultant cause of violence. Men are also more likely to use other means such as punching, strangulation and hitting the man with anything they find near them. Data collected in 2005-06 showed that 22% of men beat their wives to death while women do not use such ways. Women used sharp object to killing their husbands or partners were 80% of 15 women who killed (Braaf & Sneddon, 2007). In conclusion, Women and men suffering from prolonged domestic violence should be given reduced sentences for murder or serious injury to the abusers. Reason being, some of them resolve to violence as a retaliation of long periods of abuse and end up committing a crime, such as killing. Prolonged cases of violence are as a result of reporting, and their partners threaten them and abuse them to revenge having being reported. The oppressed can take various measures to make the situation easy. They need to report any signs of domestic violence immediately it happen and get help. Some of the women abused are pregnant women and can be assisted by midwives after an abuse through counseling and other maternal cares. Men also need help; through community nursing they can be counseled on how to live without violence. References Baird, K & Mitchell, T. (2013). Issues for consideration by researchers conducting sensitive research with women who have endured domestic violence during pregnancy. Retrieved March 10, 2015, from http://www98.griffith.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/handle/10072/54141/84192_1.pdf?sequence=1 Braaf, R., & Sneddon, C. (2007). Arresting practices: exploring issues of dual arrest for domestic violence. Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, UNSW. Clinic Mayo. "Adult Health." Domestic Violence against Women: Recognize Patterns, Seek Help. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2015. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. . Cook, P. W. (2009). Abused men: The hidden side of domestic violence. Westport, Conn: Praeger. Griffith, R. (2005). Domestic abuse: protection, intervention and the role of the law. British journal of community nursing, 10(6), 270-276. World Health Organization. (2015). Midwifery. Retrieved March 10, 2015, from http://www.who.int/topics/midwifery/en/ Read More