Domestic Violence (Women)

Domestic Violence (Women)

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Introduction

Children and women are often in danger in their places of residence where they ought to be firm and happy and so for the majority, the so called ‘homes’ are the places where they encounter violence and regime of terror. This is caused by the people they consider their lovers, friends or family members; the people they ought to be able to trust and live happily with. Women and Children at times are not able to make decisions at individual basis as they are controlled, unable to air their opinions, or protect themselves as they are afraid of consequence that might follow thereafter. They are deprived of their rights as human beings by the people they live with. It is in the family where the members are supposed to seek safety, love and shelter but this in some cases does not happen. It is the family and its environs that are to be equated with sanctuary as per the perceived purposes, place of comfort and happiness. However, it has been shown by the evidence that at times it becomes worse and imperils the lives of the family members. Domestic violence against females’ progresses to be a worldwide epidemic that murders and gives torture to individuals and families as a whole. It (domestic violence) affects us both psychologically, physically, economically and sexually. Domestic violence is among the extreme persistent vices promoting human rights’ violations, and prevents females from being considered equal to males, being secure, having deserved dignity, denial of self-worth and esteem, as well as females’ right of taking pleasure in fundamental freedoms. Domestic violence is evident in all countries, and it cuts crossways the borders of income, class, culture, education, age and even ethnicity.

The violence in most cases is perpetrated by the men that have been or are in ranks and from the family members that consider themselves as being superior. These members might have been trusted over and over again and are in power such as; husband, boyfriend, stepmother, brother and the likes. The dignities of females have been lowered. Women and children who are subjected to violence result to being with an increased emotional stress and in cases of growing children; violence can harm the growth of their brains and damage their development. The changes in behaviors as a result of domestic violence entails irritability, problems in sleep, the person having emotional distress, fear of the abuser among others. The children who monitor their parents having conflicts or violence are generally fearful and do not perform as others of their age and progressively indicate the signs of having problems. Women are as well affected in various ways. It is due to these reasons and in attempt to find the most appropriate remedies for solving domestic violence affecting women that the paper is written. The contribution that women and children provide to the society is essential and needs appreciation. Nowadays, women have climbed higher ladder (in both profession and ranks) and are no more to be rated or mistaken as they were in the 19th century and below. Women are the society and societies are both indispensable and undeniable, nowhere is their rank on a par with men’s. Any threats or factors that affect women in the long run affect the whole community. Females are essential in all life aspects. All people (males and females) in any given set-up are correlated and each depends on the other and vice versa. With all this in mind, human dignity and respect considered, one should embarrass the act of being fair, just and non-violent. The paper chiefly illustrates the causes of domestic violence, the effects and how it can be reduced. The other aim of the paper is thus to help the affected individuals (paying close attention to the female victims in the society) by making people comprehend the consequences and feelings that the victims do have after such episodes. The paper also illustrates how numerous organizations have tirelessly fought against domestic violence and their contribution to the fight and uphold of human dignity especially the females.

Definition of domestic violence

There lacks to be overall established definition given to the term “domestic violence”. However, some human rights campaigners have given it a broad-based definition that entails “structural violence” like deficiency and imbalanced access to public goods like education and health.

Violence against children and women is a manifestation of the chronological unequal authority/power relations that is amid men and women and this has resulted to supremacy over them and being discriminated by males and further it has also lead to the affect of the complete advancement of females.

The other scholars have framed and tried to compress its meaning to fit some given areas and purposes. Other people have laid their arguments that the term ‘domestic violence’ has unlimited and self-based definition and this has been so that the actual meaning and magnitude that the term preserves can be lost. In all cases, the necessity of developing exact operational meaning has been recognized so that investigation and supervision can be exact and so that there can be better cross-cultural applicability. On the other hand, UNDEV has defined violence against women as an act that is based on sex that turns out in or has probability of resulting to bodily, sexual and even physiological harm or pain to the females. They have said that violence against women entails vices like threats, intimidation or arbitrary dispossession of liberty, that occurs in civic or in any woman’s personal life. According to their definition, violence against women refers to the gender-based pedigree of brutality. UNDEV further emphasizes that violence that is touching women is one among the vital communal mechanisms through which females are enforced into a secondary rank as compared to males. Numerous definitions of domestic violence and lack of specificity have made the term to be watered down and the intended meaning either ignored or changed. Various organizations and individuals hence have fought against violence in different ways and using various methods. United Nations Declaration gives the definition of violence against females as encircling, but their definition is narrowed to three known regions: violence that takes place in the family in the family (within family members), violence in the universal society and committed or intended by the ruling authority in any given set-up. Home violence hence entails (according to UND) domestic violence, as defined for this digest, includes violence perpetrated by close associates and other members of the family, and it is normally carried out through: psychological abuse, bodily abuse, sexual abuse, and even the economic abuse. Psychological abuse involves intentions to threaten or harass another person in the family set-up or any member of the society. 7

Psychological abuse means administering abandonment threats or insult, surveillance, coercion to seize away custody of the youths, items destruction, segregation, spoken assault and even unvarying disgrace. Physical abuse entails the acts like beating, choking, threatening and even committing murder. It includes all the bodily threats that are given either to the women, children or even men in the family. Mostly women and children are the majorly affected people any family. They are the individuals that are considered as being inferior. It can further mean the traditional vices that faced women like female genital mutilation, and the inheritance of the wife (though this has not been given the meaning it perceives and has spread due to the ignorance of women).

They (women) have not identified that inheritance is also a form of domestic violence. Sexual abuse entails the vices like forced sex, intimidation of women among others.

The biasness that most organizations favor men to women to some extents can be taken as sexual abuse. Economic abuse includes acts like when one is being denied public funds, refusing to offer financial contribution, basic requirements and food denial, regulating the frequency and access to health care.

Factors that leads to or promote domestic violence

There lacks to be one main or single factor that promotes domestic violence especially when taking females under consideration. However, the majorly identified is due to power. The factors are grouped as; cultural, economical, legal and political. In cultural, the man will take it that he is the head and all the other people are subject to him. In cases where the females rule the families, the same takes place. She dominates and the husband must be subject to her.

At times, when the unexpected rises, the man uses violence to resolve that conflict. This is the method that has been employed by numerous men. He expects that the wife and the members of the family to subject to him and respect him in all cases even if he is wrong and if any the members proposes or presents a new idea, violence results. It becomes very difficult to assist such families where the father is the authority and do not accept any advice or proposal from anybody in the family. Economical cause involves money and economic dependence. In most cases the women do have very little access to the family cash as they are handled and controlled by the head of the house.

He gives out on necessity and fails at times to recognize the wife’s or other member’s requirements apart from the basic needs. This can also cause conflict which in the long run leads to violence. In some cases either the man or the woman have very little access to education and lacks proper arguments and so cannot solve any problem and when such takes places, violence is seen to be the most appropriate method. Violence can also as a result of disagreement between the two members of the family. Legal has everything to do with the legal status of woman. The status can either be written or in practice. The laws that are concerned with the matters like; child custody, divorce, inheritance, maintenance among others might bring violence when there comes a disagreement. The other possible reason that can cause violence is due to politics. This happens when women feel that they are under-represented in politics and other political fields. However, this rarely affects the family and so have very minimal chances of causing domestics violence. It also takes place when women are denied an opportunity to participate in any forum of political issue. Numerous conditions have led to women being victims of domestic violence. Some authorities (ether males or females in the family or government) do not have the ability of controlling their actions and they have not learned the way to react nonviolently to tension and when they are not satisfied or are not as per their expectations. Alcoholism or abuse of drugs is yet another factor. In most cases when an individual is drunk, the normal body function and standard reasoning is lost. At this stage, the victim is likely to commit things that he/she is not aware of. All his/her actions are controlled by the alcohol drunk. Yet another factor that has promoted domestic violence is the misunderstanding among the family members of any given family.

When the family members do not coincide on a particular issue there is a probability that the house be in mess. Normally the inferior persons are the mostly affected in this case. They are forced to submit to the head of that house but in cases where this does not take place, domestic violence results. The other factor that has affected communities and organizations is the unnecessary authority and power. When one individual wants to lead and control everything in any given organization or state without the support and advice of the other people, he/she will be isolated and will excise the authority to maintain his power and position.

Lack of manners and respect for human is yet another factor. Social deviance is another contributing issue. Social deviance may be looked at as an individual’s behavior or actions that do not conform to the established cultural norms as observed by social audiences. These violations may be formal or informal violations. The individual’s attitudes to wards all human being be it females or males should be uniform. Females should not be underrated and their dignity lowered in any circumstance. The other factor is lack of public awareness. Most females are not aware of their rights and it becomes very difficult for them to realize that they are being treated unfairly.

Effects of domestic violence

Regarding violence, there is sufficient evidence that is enlightening and irreversible that domestic violence has affected most of the concerned individuals. Domestic violence is frequently a cycle of insults that do repeats itself and comes periodically. Over the past domestic violence has led to numerous families breaking up. It is not true that females are the only people that domestic violence affects, but children and men as well. Domestic violence normally occurs in the family set-up. The fact is that the majorities are females and children but this does not eliminate men as being the victims of domestic violence. Women are generally considered as below men an there is no society that they are to be taken as being in the same position as men. Starting form their birth along up to their adulthood, the females are being insulted due to their gender. It is surprising that they too have taken this as facts and in return the vice has spread across the entire societies. This is the reason as to why they are majorly affected by any form of misuse, abuse and domestic violence. They are the people to be corrected in all circumstances.

Traditional practices as well as the system of patriarchal that directs the current societies, define females’ requirements in accordance to males’ and that females are subsidiary to them. This (as per the custom) eradicates the magnitude and definition of violence. One will fail to give definition to violence when the females are to be subjective to males and as well should be secondary. The physical violence has been considered as necessary correction to the females and psychological effects are not recognized in most cases. It is unseen and lucks evidence and hence its effects have been ignored or underrated. Several bodies have documented that violence against females acts as an impediment to equality, expansion and peace and that the chances that women have to achieve legal, political, public and economic equality are continually being restricted by domestic and communal violence. Domestic violence does not deserve secrecy .and is not confidential matter.

One can be victimized regardless of his/her age, the cultural or racial background, the educational background, and the amount of money one owns, religion, or any other factor. It is a common problem that affects everybody in the society and even abroad. Domestic violence is normally not one event and mostly becomes worse and recurrent over time. The same actions are repeated now and then. The affected individuals or the close relatives do suffer pain, bodily injuries and at times the memories of a given episode do not come out of their minds for ver. This is psychological effect and I s non-reversible. It permanently sticks top the mind and in case that any related evident presents itself, the memories become vivid and clear and at times affect the normal association of individuals either in the society or family members. There are known families that the domestic violence has resulted to members having long-life disabilities.

Many kids have been psychologically affected due to domestic violence. The effects that domestic violence brings are normally overwhelming. They include as well bodily effects. The people who are found victims of domestic violence normally lose the connections tat they had with their family members or even the relatives. This is caused when the people who persecute them do so in levels that the victims feel they are isolated or the black sheep of that particular family. In the end, the self-esteem of the affected member goes down. This is after experiencing domestic violence. In most cases we get that even the people of the family that are not directly affected in the long run become affected. These injuries may result to one losing his/her job or decrease in the performance and consequence in firing. Apart from physical violence, ‘superiors’ may use verbal and emotional insult, separation, and bullying so that they may hold authority and completely rule their partners. The other members will have flashbacks or nightmares about the member of the family that is directly affected. The characters of that individual and family member in the long run will be altered after that incidence. Sleeping and eating habits may vary. The person as well as the inferior members of the family or society will feel desperate and depressed and may lose interest in the things that they formerly participated in or were their hobbies. The flashback and feeling of being unsafe dominates their minds and later, their perception life will automatically change. The emotional and bodily suffering one experience might seem to utilize entire energy one has.

Possible Remedies to domestic violence

The remedies that should or can be applied to reduce domestic violence are numerous. All depends on the cause and effects that it has on the family and people that relate with that family. And so there fails to be a general method or procedure to be used in all cases. The cause and the effects are best understood by the victims. However, various bodies have proposed various methods in some known cases. When should no allow him/herself to be a victim of this vice ‘domestic violence’. All campaigns should be carried out to eradicate and reduce domestic violence with all the effects possible. One should not forget that in the fight against domestic violence, he/she is not alone. Hope should not be lost in any circumstance. This has been the reason as to why organizations like Supporting People Programs (SPP) have provided support. It has provided the counseling services support especially the housing. The domestic violence is tied to the human right commission. There have been various committees that have dealt with the issue though unsatisfactorily. An example is seen in the early 1992 when CEDAW was formed (Elimination of Discrimination against Women).

The organization had made great move ion the fight against violence against females. It emphasized that domestic violence as well as violence that is against females contributes to the violation of the rights of humans. It went further and stated that at times the states also contribute to the act as they do not take into consideration the human rights with violence emphasized. They do not make efforts to prevent human rights violation or investigating and arrest the abusers of the rights. We can borrow as well from the committee, being geared by their concern and effort, the measures that can be employed in solving domestic violence against women. The organization stated that:

Efficient lawful measures that are aimed at protecting the females against every form of violence, including sexual assault, abuse and violence in the family, and even sexual harassment in the workplace should be monitored and necessary actions taken.

Necessary and control measures like informing the public about violence (work and domestic) and education programs should be put in place to alter the opinions that public have as far as the status and roles females and males in the community and family setup in concerned.

The affected members should be given protection, advice, support and necessary assistance like rehabilitation or offering them places when the home condition becomes worse.

The government should re-enforce very tough laws that deals with human rights especially violation and the victims of this law-breakers be taken actions. The government should as well make all necessary efforts to educate the public on maters related to violence.

The other organization that has been known for its continued support to the people affected by domestic violence is SPP (Supporting People Program). It has aided in the fight and reduction of domestic violence and its side effects on the concerned individuals and has managed this by providing housing services to the people who are fleeing domestic violence. The targets that SPP has placed are:

To assist people who have difficulties in learning

Aid the individuals who are evacuating the hospitals due to severe mental illness. These people are given necessary support and care once that are out of the hospital.

Their aim was also to identify the women who were fleeing domestic violence from their respective homes. The women were given care and provided with houses to accommodate them. The elderly people were as well provided with shelter.

Conclusion

All human beings are equal and should be considered so. Anybody who infringes into another’s rights should be persecuted. This will uphold the human dignity and freedom. It will result to a community where every individual have the same right and are subjected to similar laws. Women needs protection and such laws will aid in achieving this objective. They as well should stand out and monitor that that they are not violated. The fight against domestic violence especially that affects women will be easy when the women aid in the fight. No one should be left out in this as if it does not directly affect you then it indirectly. In a nut shell all are affected. The consequences are spread to all the family members when one becomes affected due to domestic or workplace violence. Necessary efforts should be employed to certain that all the factors that might promote domestic violence against women are discouraged as much as possible. This is the best remedy as the biologist say that prevention is better than cure and so the theory can be used in this circumstance. When an individual has been affected, the memories takes time to be erased from the mind and at times end up affecting him/her in the whole of his/her life. All the consequences of bodily violence are as well irreversible. The disabilities that are caused cannot be rectified. The best example is when one loses and eye or an arm. Apart from the listed disadvantages of domestic violence against women, there are very many demerits that it is associated with as well. The solutions are never one and so all effects should be taken as well with the family member to come into one agreement in any issue that affects them. This is also vital as it reduces the chances of conflicts that cause violence. Women should as well understand their husbands and never impose anything that directly or indirectly affects their partners. The loophole would have been blocked and probability reduced. The organizations that aid in fight against violence should be encouraged as and powered by both the individuals and the government. Then organizations will provide support and education to the family members and the affected people. This will give them support and they won’t feel as if they are neglected or rejected somehow. A good example has been illustrated by SPP and other organizations. Though it becomes very difficult to identify and monitor all domestic violence that are taking place but the move should be encouraged. It is very difficult identify that a given woman in a given home was molested or violated. At organization level like SPP, it is not possible to solve all the violence but the bester solution is normally obtained when the two concerned people come together. This is the most appropriate solution for domestic violence against women.

With all this in place and other bodies that assist formed too, the level of domestic violence against women will be reduced. After all would have been accomplished and in place, we shall be able and have confidence in saying that all are subjected to equal rights and opportunities to access public goods and violence is a thing of the past. The family breakups will be very minimal and once again the real happiness that a given family members should have will be revived. It is therefore recommended that all people fight against violence and maintain peaceful community and country.

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