Introduction
Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior in a relationship that is used to create or maintain power over an intimate partner, this type of abuse could be emotional, physical, sexual, or psychological. In the United States, research from the CDC (Center for Disease Control) states that 1 out of 4 women and 1 out of 7 men will experience physical violence by their partner at some point in their lifetime domestic violence affects nearly 10 million people a year in the United States. As we research the topic we will clarify definitions of domestic violence, and prevention and response protocols.
Defining Criminal Domestic Violence
Since domestic violence is a severe problem, it is necessary to describe it at first. This term refers to “any behavior within an adult intimate relationship that causes physical, psychological, or sexual harm” (Ragavan et al., 2018, p. 250). For example, it happens when husbands beat their wives, mothers verbally abuse or threaten their children, parents limit their children’s abilities and opportunities, and others. This information means that people of all genders and ages can be subject to domestic violence. Various signs indicate that people are in an abusive relationship, and they include the cases when individuals are afraid of their partners, experience humiliation and criticism, see that their opinions are ignored and many others. That is why one can say that the topic under consideration is a universal problem, and the information below will prove this claim.
Domestic Violence Global Rates
Even though many people believe that this problem is only typical for developing countries, citizens of developed nations also suffer from the violence of this type. Pathak et al. (2016) state that 14.7% of men and 28.3% of women experience domestic abuse in the UK, while more than 5 million cases happen in the USA every year (p. 175). It demonstrates that the occurrence of domestic violence does not depend on the nation’s economic development or geographical location. Based on the figures above, one can suppose that the problem under consideration is familiar to a significant part of the world population, which makes it challenging to combat domestic abuse.
Possible Causes and Outcomes Explained
The present section will explain what makes people engage in this criminal behavior and what dangerous outcomes can emerge in this case. When it comes to possible causes, it is necessary to emphasize that both victim and perpetrator’s characteristic features can contribute to domestic abuse. According to Idris et al. (2018), victims’ low levels of education and weak participation in generating income as well as perpetrators’ hot temper and alcohol abuse are the most popular sources of the problem. Domestic violence also results in adverse outcomes for both victims and offenders. For example, the affected individuals can have issues with their physical and mental health, while the perpetrators can experience law issues.
Biblical Worldview Aggravates the Situation with Domestic Violence
Even though domestic abuse is an adverse phenomenon that is caused by harmful factors and implies destructive outcomes, it is impossible to state that religion unanimously criticizes this behavior. Indeed, a biblical worldview stipulates that it is generally a sin to hurt others, but various interpretations can arise when it comes to domestic abuse. It is even more surprising that a significant part of abusers is religious people, and this fact does not prevent them from acting illegally. Consequently, the sections below will comment on what thoughts, traditions, and beliefs make people beat or humiliate their family members.
Disadvantages of the Conservative World Order
Even though domestic violence is illegal in the modern world, it was a typical case that husbands could hit their wives a few decades ago. This fact was explained by the physical and social dominance of men over women in numerous world cultures. This information refers to a biblical worldview because more than 50% of Evangelical Christians and 35% of Catholics admit that they support the conservative world order (Robinett, 2019, para. 27). As a result, the idea of male dominance and freedom of action toward women and children is widespread among religious individuals. In addition to that, misinterpretation of some biblical texts aggravates the current situation with domestic violence.
Biblical View on Domestic Abuse
It is possible to mention that a biblical worldview contributes to a higher prevalence of domestic abuse. Firstly, Robinett (2019) draws attention to the New Testament and explains that this text states that authorities should be obeyed, which justifies the punishment of wrongdoers. Secondly, Christianity entrusts suffering from specific importance, meaning that it is justified because people should get what they deserve in their lives. Thirdly, when it comes to religious wives, they are more subject to abuse because their conservative beliefs do not allow them to go against their husbands. That is why it is possible to conclude that having a biblical worldview can expose individuals to the dangerous consequences of domestic violence.
Addressing Domestic Abuse
The information above stipulates that domestic violence is a significant problem that is rooted in modern society. That is why it is reasonable to consider some useful steps to address this negative phenomenon and reduce its occurrence rate. One should emphasize that it is challenging to liquidate the problem, but a comprehensive approach is sufficient to cope with the task, and the following sections will demonstrate it. On the one hand, the paper will comment on how it is possible to prevent domestic abuse cases from happening. On the other hand, if these steps fail to end family violence entirely, the given paper will explain how to respond to such situations to mitigate their adverse consequences.
Preventive Measures
One should state that developing and implementing a preventive strategy is a multi-task activity. Firstly, it is reasonable to encourage community-based organizations to provide training to individuals and advocate the values of healthy and respectful relationships. Secondly, it is rational to invest in the education of both adults and teenagers, and special attention should be drawn to children who have already witnessed domestic violence in their families. Thirdly, Prenzler and Fardell (2017) admit that the ways to reduce repeat domestic violence include “GPS tracking, shelter security, home security, duress alarms, and combined home security and duress alarms” (p. 51). Thus, the steps above are sufficient to minimize the amount of domestic abuse in society.
Response Protocol
It is sad to say that preventive measures cannot wholly end domestic violence, and that is why it is rational to comment on the available response protocol, which implies a few essential steps. Firstly, it is necessary to recognize the problem and encourage victims to disclose it. This disclosure can be a challenging activity for the victims because they are ashamed and afraid to reveal the truth about their relationship. Secondly, Pathak et al. (2016) explain that a victim should be “offered a referral to local and/or national specialist domestic violence and abuse advocacy services” (p. 176). Finally, it is significant to monitor these individuals as to whether they will be witnessing violence or abuse in the future.
Concluding Thoughts
Domestic violence is a universal problem that affects people of various ages, genders, backgrounds, and nationalities. This illegal behavior occurs in both developed and developing countries, and that is why the paper has analyzed its causes. They include the victims’ poor education and low participation in income-generating activities as well as the offenders’ temper and use of alcohol or drugs. In addition to that, following a religious lifestyle is another fact that contributes to domestic abuse increased rates. Even though a biblical worldview should prevent people from hurting others, they find the justification of domestic violence in religious texts and traditions. It is not a surprise that this illegal behavior leads to adverse outcomes, including worsened physical and mental health of the victims.
Based on this information, the given paper offers useful ways of how it is possible to stop domestic violence. On the one hand, it relates to several preventive measures that can enhance people’s education and reduce the rate of repeat domestic violence cases. On the other hand, the paper also describes how it is reasonable to respond to domestic abuse because it is almost impossible to stop the given behavior at once. Finally, the paper demonstrates that domestic violence is a severe problem that is preventable if addressed adequately.
References
Idris, M. A. M., Aziz, N. N. A., Khalid, R. K. R. M., Nizar, N. F. M., Rasip, K. A., & Ayub, W. (2018). Causes and effects of domestic violence: A conceptual model on the performance at work. International Journal for Studies on Children, Women, Elderly, and Disabled, 4, 199-207.
Pathak, N., Sohal, A., & Feder, G. S. (2016). How to inquire and respond to domestic violence and abuse in sexual health settings. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 93(3), 175-178.
Prenzler, T., & Fardell, L. (2017). Situational prevention of domestic violence: A review of security-based programs. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 34, 51-58.
Ragavan, M. I., Fikre, T., Millner, U., & Bair-Merritt, M. (2018). The impact of domestic violence exposure on South Asian children in the United States: Perspectives of domestic violence agency staff. Child Abuse & Neglect, 76, 250-260.
Robinett, T. L. (2019). The impact of a conservative worldview on women and children’s health. Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health, 3.