Domestic Violence Against Women - Research Paper Example

Domestic Violence Against Women Women and children are in great danger of abuse in the societies where they should receive maximum safety. Family members have lost faith upon each other because those who are to be the source of nurture have turned to be bully (Cefrey, 2008). The persons expected to nurture the members of the family and provide the necessary care and protection are becoming bully and source of threat to other member’s life. The victims of the same undergo physical and psychological suffering (Shipway, 2004). The victims are unable to make their own decisions or voice their opinions because of fear for further repercussion. They do not receive their human rights and their lives are stolen by the ever-present threat and violence. Domestic violence includes the violence by the intimate partners or the family members of the purported spouse. Overview Violence between men and women is common in the current society. However, the discrimination of women by men has more prevalence of occurrence than men discrimination. This prevents the full advancement of the women. Violence against women and girls continues to be a global pandemic that kills and tortures the victim. The act is present in all the countries but is very prevalent in the United States and some European countries. Males who are or were once in positions of trust and intimacy as husbands, boyfriends, or close partners more often perpetrate domestic violence. Some women have also been violent towards their husbands but their actions account for a small percentage of the domestic violence. The violence against women may occur within or outside the family scope. The oppression of women in most of the societies has great political influence making it hard to settle (Richardson & Feder, 1995). The violence can start at the very beginning of life of the girl child. The child may be a target for infanticide cultures that in a way pose threat to her life (Cefrey, 2008). Some early form of child violence can be enforced malnutrition, lack of access to medical services, genital mutilation, early marriages, and forced prostitution. Violence against women is common due to several factors such as socio-economic forces, enforcement of power by the males, and cultural sanctions that deny women and children and women legal independence and social status. This is because even females who are stable financially with respect to their correspondent males tend to violate them. Some cultural ideologies, both in the industrialized and the developing countries, provide substantial grounds for violation against women. Males who are in control of homes place authoritative decisions and dominate the propriety rights over the women. Violence can be learned; therefore, children with the experience of violence in childhood or having witnessed an act are at risk of practicing it in future (Shipway, 2004). Excess alcohol consumption provokes aggressiveness of the males and therefore translates to them causing violent acts to their family members. Research has shown that increased domestic violence against women makes them feel depressed and lowers one’s esteem. Domestic violence occurs when one person in the marriage dominates or takes full control over the other. The abuser does not play fair bit but intimidates the victim to keep her under the thumb (Council on Scientific Affairs, 1992). Women, HIV and AIDS The statistical data for people infected with AIDS vary significantly among the different worlds regions. Women account for low percentages in areas such as Western and Central Europe. However, the number of women infected with HIV and AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean is astonishing. The number of victims of AIDS in the sub-Saharan region in 1980 was equal for both males and females (Richardson & Feder, 1995). However, the number of female victims rose significantly, doubling that of males in a decade’s time. Statistics done in 2009 showed that the number of female victims in the sub-Saharan region was 14 million while that of the male was 6.2 million. The UNAIDS have estimated that the number of female sufferers in the sub-Saharan region is about three quarters as compared to the one quarter of the male sufferers. In addition, the region holds the record of having the highest number of AIDS victims and deaths in the world. Statistics have also shown that women have a very high probability of acquiring HIV and AIDS in an unprotected heterosexual intercourse as compared to the male counterparts (Helton, McFarland & Anderson, 1987). The main method through which women get AIDS in United States is through heterosexual sex. This accounts for 72 percent of the female sufferers in the country. The other percentage is due to injecting drugs and lesbianism, which accounts for a very small percentage. The cases of female AIDS victims in United States are common among African Americans who account for about 80 percent of all female victims (Buzawa & Buzawa, 2003). The number of women living with AIDS in Asia differs per country. In India for instance, the number of female victims is relatively lower (Shipway, 2004). The reason is that the majority of females have maintained high fidelity but they play a risk of infection from their husband who may have unprotected sex outside marriage. Statistics have shown that 90 % of the infected Indian women got it from their husbands. India has 2.3 million AIDS suffers with women accounting for only 38 percent. Much concern is raised over why we have many female suffers generally across the globe than males. The first and the major reason as to why this is the case are the inequalities within a family. Women in most of the societies have few, if any, rights in a sexual relationship. Men are the major decision makers in the relationship. This power inequality means that women have low chances of protecting themselves from contracting the disease. Marriage does not always protect a woman from contracting HIV and AIDS since she cannot force the use of condom if she is not the decision maker. Violence against women is another common cause or exposure of women to HIV and AIDS. Women become vulnerable to contracting of HIV and AIDS in forced rapes due to lack of condom use. Statistics showed that women beaten and dominated by their partners have a high possibility of contracting AIDS than those who are not. Another research in India certified that AIDS incidences were common among women tortured by their husbands or otherwise. In some instances, some persons intentionally infect a woman with HIV, in order to cause slow death to her. Women inheritance practiced in most of the societies put women at a great risk of contracting HIV and AIDS (Helton, McFarland & Anderson 1987). Why dont women report domestic violence? In the current society, women are exposed to extreme physical and emotional abuse. However, they sit on the matter and do not report or share the violence acts upon them by their husbands. These women fear the reaction of the partner. The other ultimate and common reason is the false sense of hope things will change to the best in the near future. The woman victim has strong conviction that the abuse caused by a flaw in relationship will find solution between the two partners. They often do not see it as a serious problem and even it comes to a point when the abused feels the responsibility for the abuse. More often than not, the abused uses tactics of spouse and boyfriend to keep the partner from leaving. Simply this tactic will accelerate the rate of torture since the abused seems to know less of her rights (Cefrey, 2008). Most of abused females from the African countries rarely report violence acts. To summarize this, the abused should decide on whether to report the matter or not. Women should generally know that abusive relationship is not healthy and in many times is deadly. The clinical officials in most of the countries are realizing the importance of setting special services for the abused women (Council on Scientific Affairs, 1992). Conclusion The society needs to address a number of issues that concern the prevention of abuse of females and spread of AIDS among the same. Promoting and protecting the rights of the women in the various aspects of life such as education, employment opportunities, and balancing of power in relationship can reduce violence upon women. Promoting the rights of women enhances their status in the society and protects them from violence. Transforming gender roles can also be an effective method of protecting persons against violence and AIDS prevalence. The society should change the perception where the women should be innocent and submissive when it comes to sexual matters (Shipway, 2004). Challenging harmful gender roles can prevent the spread of HIV and violence against the females. This also transforms the men’s attitude and behavior towards their partners and families in general. Another effective method of reducing the rates of violence among the female gender is through increasing education and awareness among all society members. Educating a girl child makes her aware of his rights, thus she is less vulnerable to getting exposure to violence and abuse. In addition, educated women can secure job and get enough money to raise a family and make her less dependent on the males. The increasing instances of domestic violence and other social injustices should not be taken lightly since this will lower their rates of occurrences. References Buzawa, C., & Buzawa, E. (2003). Domestic violence: The criminal justice response. California: SAGE. Cefrey, H. (2008). Domestic violence. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group. Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs. (1997). Physicians and domestic violence: Ethical considerations. JAMA. American Medical Association. Richardson, J., & Feder, G. (1995). Domestic violence against women. London: BMJ. Council on Scientific Affairs. (1992). Violence against women. JAMA. American Medical Association. Helton, A, McFarland, J., & Anderson, E. (1987). Battered and pregnant: A prevalence study. Washington, D.C: Am J Public Health. Shipway, L. (2004). Domestic violence: A handbook for health professionals. New York: Routledge. Read More