FAMILY VIOLENCE AND ABUSE - Research Paper Example

They tend to develop issues with their emotions (Wallace 1996). In 1994 and 1996 the Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that confirms domestic violence is a national crime and Federal laws can help overburden State and local Criminal Justice System. VAMA is a legislative act that aims to improve criminal justice and community-based responses to domestic violence; violence in dating or courtship, sexual assault and stalking in the United States (Dziedzic 2009). Additionally, children who become offenders or victims may face great obstacles in life, like emotional, mental, and physical development.

These obstacles include attention deficit, lack of proper social skills, educational difficulties, substance abuse and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (Lloyd 2001). It is a federal crime under the VAWA, under the Gun control act for convicted felons to have a firearm or ammunition after conviction of a misdemeanour crime of domestic violence and a maximum prison penalty term of ten years depending on the seriousness of the bodily harm caused (Wallace 1996). The legislation defines domestic violence in-depth and understanding of the law to avoid misinterpretation.

The offender gets a clear and proper judgment and proper action undertaken. The legislation also covers the rights of the victims and the offenders as it ensures both parties are properly represented. In the gun act where felons are prohibited from owning a gun or ammunitions helps a lot in ensuring that the spouse or children dont assault with a weapon that kills. Also, stalking is prohibited in some state with the intent to injure or cause bodily harm to a person who shared intimacy or were intimate with (Dziedzic 2009).

These laws prevent further harm to people as many are often harassed by their former lovers who stalk them with intent to harm him or her due to the fact that their relationship did not go as they expected it to go, actions can now be