Major Problems of Domestic Violence - Essay Example

The major problems of domestic violence - comparing present-day American society to that of at least 2 other cultures. Domestic violence, which roughly refers to different types of abusive behaviors by the partner in an intimate relationship, has been a reality across the globe and the problems connected to domestic violence are common to different cultures and societies. It is important to recognize that various forms of domestic violence such as physical belligerence, sexual maltreatment, emotional abuse, covert abuse, etc are widespread in every culture and society. In other words, domestic violence is so prevalent in modern societies and it has been a common occurrence all through recorded history. The problems related with domestic violence are numerous, and these issues are managed in different cultures in different ways. In the United States, the problems of domestic violence are frightening and it is established in several studies that, on an average, four women are murdered by male partner on a daily basis in the nation and the number of women killed due to domestic violence is alarmingly high. Whereas the magnitude of domestic violence in the U.S. is shocking, this appalling social evil is not confined to the U.S. alone and it is a global phenomenon. “Increasingly, domestic violence is being recognized as a very serious social problem in most countries around the world. Perhaps through studying the problem in other countries, we can continue to make progress in our own.” (Summers, xvi) Therefore, this paper makes a comparative analysis of the major problems of domestic violence in the present-day American society with those of other cultures such as Australian, Russian, Jamaican, and Japanese in order to offer a greater insight into problems related with it. Significantly, such an investigation of the nature of domestic violence in various countries confirms that domestic violence is a global issue and it is recognized as a serious social problem across the globe. In a reflective exploration of the gravity of domestic violence in different countries, it becomes lucid that domestic violence has been a crude reality across the globe and it prevails in every culture of the world in spite of the diversity in the economic and social situations. In the United States, family or domestic violence is a reality happening on a frequent and frightening level. Several studies on the topic have maintained that sixty percent of the families in the U.S. use violence on a regular basis, while the rate of child abuse in the nation is more than ninety percent. “Further statistics indicate that 1 in 4 young American women will be raped, and 50 percent of all women will be beaten at least once in a relationship… In the United States, 2,000 children a year are killed at the hands of their parents or guardians. The estimates of physical child abuse are between 2000,000 and 2.8 million a year… Sexual abuse estimates range from 130,000 to 1.3 million cases a year.” (Leeder, 238) Therefore, it is essential to realize that domestic violence in the United States has been a major threat to social stability and gender equality. Several social security policies and legislations such as the Violence against Women Act in 1994 have been adopted in the nation to fight against the increasing number of domestic violence. A careful analysis of the current trends in the country indicates that domestic violence has been recognized as a tragic and costly phenomenon. “Since the 1970s, more accurate methods of measuring its incidence have been developed, new laws have been enacted, and a plethora of agencies have been established to not only support victims but also prevent its occurrence.” (Summers, 170) However, domestic violence has not been confined to the U.S. alone, and nations across the globe are affected by the results of this social plague. An understanding of the extend of the problems of domestic violence in Europe suggests that this issue remains one of the most serious obstacles to equality, and the true extent of the domestic violence in different countries is not available due to the hidden nature, under-reporting, and rare-identification of the problem. According to the Council of Europe, “the problem has gained a serious dimension in European countries which are going through the social and economic reconstruction of their societies. (Council of Europe: Parliamentary Assembly, 116) The statistical evidences from the Council of Europe suggest that 13,000 women are killed in Russia every year and 70% of the children are abused within the family. Whereas the basic factors contributing to domestic violence are similar in different nations of the world, their perceptions about what contributes to their domestic violence problems vary. For example, domestic violence is regarded as rooted in the aggressive nature of men in Australia, while it is realized as stemming from lack of education, abject poverty, drug abuse, and patriarchal role of men, etc in Jamaica. In Russia, domestic violence is regarded as caused by major political changes, whereas in the U.K. gender inequality, poverty, social exclusion, criminal background, etc. are regarded as risk factors for domestic violence. (Summers, xiii) Significantly, a cursory analysis of the domestic violence in various countries of the world confirms that it is clearly prevalent in every part of the globe, although the magnitude varies from country to country. To compare the data of various countries to that of the U.S., the rate of spousal homicide in Russia is almost double that of the U.S., even though exact data on domestic violence is not available in the country. The statistics available for domestic violence in Australia indicates that violence against women and children is pervasive in the country. It is important to recognize that, in the country, domestic violence affects women of all ages, cultures, classes, and backgrounds, and it is prevalent at a high rate. To cite the examples from Japan, domestic violence in the past was mainly due to the privilege of the husband to physically abuse the wife and no one would question his rights. “More recently, under international pressure, Japan has been taking the problem more seriously because there are about 100 to 120 cases annually in which a husband kills his wide. In addition, approximately one third of Japanese women who apply for divorce cite their husband’s physical violence as the reason for such applications.” (Summers, xv) To conclude, it is fundamental to realize that, although domestic violence is a global reality, the rates of family violence in the U.S. are relatively very high in comparison to other wealthy industrialized nations of the world. Similarly, the levels of child abuse, sex harassment, emotional violence within family etc are relatively high in the U.S. Works Cited Council of Europe: Parliamentary Assembly. Documents: Working Papers, 2002 Ordinary Session (fourth part), 23-27 September 2002, Vol. 7: Documents 9468 & 9501-9537. Council of Europe. 2003. P 116. Leeder, Elaine J. The Family in Global Perspective: A Gendered Journey. California: Sage Publications Ltd. 2004. P 238. Summers, Randal W. Domestic Violence: A Global View. Greenwood Publishing Group. 2002. P xvi. Read More

 

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