October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month; however, current statistics indicate  awareness for many of our nation's citizens is daily.

Many erroneously believe that domestic violence is defined as physical abuse and/or blatant verbal abuse but nothing could not be further from the truth.  There are many stealth psychological tactics abusers use in order to dominate and subjugate their victims.  Ultimately domestic violence is about control.

What is most alarming is that the 'most recent' studies on Domestic Violence date back to the late 90's and early 2000's; however there is little reason to suspect things have improved.  The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute for Justice in a survey released in 2000 found that one in four women (25%) have experienced domestic violence in their lifetime.  Nonetheless, it is important to note that Domestic Violence does not discriminate.  According to the American Bar Association's Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence:  835,000 men are physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the United States.

 

Photo Credit:  Wikimedia Commons

The true definition of Domestic Violence according to the Department of Justice Office on Violence of Crimes against Women defines Domestic Violence as follows:
"A pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner.  Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone."


Within the USDOJ's definition, Domestic Violence includes:

Physical Abuse: Hitting, slapping, shoving, grabbing, pinching, biting, hair pulling, etc are types of physical abuse. This type of abuse also includes denying a partner medical care or forcing alcohol and/or drug use upon him or her.

Sexual Abuse: Coercing or attempting to coerce any sexual contact or behavior without consent. Sexual abuse includes, but is certainly not limited to, marital rape, attacks on sexual parts of the body, forcing sex after physical violence has occurred, or treating one in a sexually demeaning manner.

Emotional Abuse: Undermining an individual's sense of self-worth and/or self-esteem is abusive. This may include, but is not limited to constant criticism, diminishing one's abilities, name-calling, or damaging one's relationship with his or her children.

Economic Abuse: Is defined as making or attempting to make an individual financially dependent by maintaining total control over financial resources, withholding one's access to money, or forbidding one's attendance at school or employment.

Psychological Abuse: Elements of psychological abuse include  - but are not limited to - causing fear by intimidation; threatening physical harm to self, partner, children, or partner's family or friends; destruction of pets and property; and forcing isolation from family, friends, or school and/or work.

The World Health Organization conducted a study on the global economic dimensions of interpersonal (Domestic) Violence and arrived at three key conclusions:

• The consequences of interpersonal violence are extremely costly.
• Prevention studies show evidence of cost effectiveness. 
• For most of the developing world and many developed countries there is not even descriptive information about the direct costs of treating the consequences of interpersonal violence.

Those involved in Domestic Violence Awareness understand that it is a pervasive challenge which erodes the foundation of any viable community from the inside out.  Failing to address these issues in terms of awareness, prevention and support for victims means that public health has failed to meet its obligations to promote health and safety for all.  It will take more than a village to eradicate not only the societal ill we know as "Domestic Violence" but to create effective campaigns whereby victims can access the help they need in order to recover, abusers can obtain therapeutic support services to  get to the root causes of their behavior and our youth is given the opportunity to learn of the red flags which often precipitate acts of Domestic Violence so that they are able to take protective measures for themselves BEFORE a relationship gets out of control.  None of this is easy; however, in this arena and each one teaches one.

If you are a victim or know someone who is in crisis there is help available. 
 

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