Domestic violence and human rights reserch - Research Paper Example

Children are likewise thought to be mishandled about as frequently as spouses. The elderly also compose an identifiable group of abuse victims whose rights are violated and neglected. Often they are targets of the frustrations of family members who are presumed to care for them. In this regard, the essay is written with the objective of presenting relevant issues about domestic abuse as a human rights violation. Likewise, the discourse would discuss proposed ways to address and possible prevent this dilemma.

Definition of Terms According to UNICEF (2000), “The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993) defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life” (UNICEF, 2). The same source defines domestic violence as “violence perpetrated by intimate partners and other family members, and manifested through: physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, economic abuse and acts of omission” (ibid.). .

ed, fear of and control over female sexuality, belief in the inherent superiority of males, and legislation and cultural sanctions that have traditionally denied women and children an independent legal and social status” (UNICEF, 7). Situations where imposition of inequality of power towards another person deemed to possess weakness either in physical strength, educational achievement, economic status, or perceived demographic factors (age, race, culture) have increased tendencies for domestic violence.

Consequences The most crucial effect of domestic violence as revealed by various studies is the denial of human rights (UNICEF, 8). Further, domestic violence creates damaging repercussions to victims in the form of physical health injuries, mental health dilemmas and even fatal outcomes, such as death or contracting HIV/AIDS. There are also socio-economic cost identified to be associated with domestic violence, such as medical costs for treatment, law enforcement costs, lower labor productivity, and decreased quality of life (ibid, 13).

Prevention Strategies Due to the delicate nature and scope of the dilemma, domestic violence should be addressed with stringent vigilance and immediate action. The hesitation to report domestic violence due to fear, lack of resources or support systems, or ignorance exacerbate the ability of community workers and government institutions to apply the necessary strategies and interventions to prevent these abusive incidences. The Study Coordinator for WHO, Dr. Claudio Garcia Moreno averred that "domestic violence can be prevented and governments and communities need to mobilize to fight this widespread public health problem" (WHO, par. 10). The fact remains that women, children and the elderly have kept their silence about domestic