This paper discusses the domestic abuse and its characteristics. Types of intimate partner violence are listed. The consequences of such behaviour and the way it affects society are also discussed. Peer-reviewed articles and literature were used during the research. This is a major problem of a modern society that is still not understood by many individuals and health professionals. It causes many psychical, psychological and other problems. Numerous incidents happen every day, some resulting in death. Overall, there are different kinds of domestic violence, and it may cause some serious complications.
Domestic abuse is a serious global problem of today that should be discussed. Kenney (2011) states that “it is a type of violence that occurs between family members and intimate partners when one person tries to control another” (p. 11). Differently put, it occurs between close ones.
Sometimes it is hard to understand the reasoning behind such brutal behaviour. It is believed that the offender seeks to gain complete control over the partner. There are such characteristics of family violence as harassment, public humiliation, intimidation, threatening and others. Possession of weapons is especially dangerous because one of the partners may be severely wounded during an incident.
There are such types of domestic violence as physical, sexual, psychological, emotional and economic. First two are especially dangerous because such behaviour may cause serious harm. Psychological abuse is also hard for many to handle because it is nearly impossible to live in constant fear. There are also some other typologies that identify such types of domestic violence as intimate terrorism and mutual violent resistance (Johnson, 2008). The second one is worrying because it implies that both partners are brutal towards each other. Additionally, there are such factors that should be considered as poverty, social values, and substance abuse that increase the risk of domestic violence (Cefrey, 2008).
Injuries and wounds that are inflicted during an assault may lead to long-term implications and severe health conditions such as chronic pain, kidney infections, joint diseases, cardiovascular problems and others. Depression and posttraumatic stress disorder are also very common among those who suffered from abuse. They often start to abuse alcohol and drugs. It should be noted that their behaviour also changes, and they are more likely to lead an unhealthy life. It is especially worrying that there are many instances of murder as a result of domestic violence.
This problem has a tremendous impact on the society as a whole. Some victims of abuse lose their jobs because it is hard to show up in the workplace with visible signs of violence such as bruises or a black eye (LaVan, Lopez, Katz, & Martin, 2012). Those who suffer from abuse lose a lot of money each year to treat their injuries, and many require psychological help. Victims should be offered consultations and counselling. The economic impact of this issue is enormous. Healthcare system spends millions each year to treat those who suffered from family violence. It is also very expensive for the criminal justice system. Shipway (2004) states that “some staff continue to consider domestic abuse as a private matter and therefore unless the woman directly asks for help believe that it is not their business” (p. 165). In other words, some health-care providers are not informed about the importance of this subject matter. Overall, it should be reported if one suspects that there is a case of intimate partner violence because some incidents are preventable (Gibbons, 2011).
In conclusion, it is a serious issue that should be resolved. Also, it needs to be said that one of the biggest problems is that children are often affected, and it may damage their psyches. Violent behaviour should not be tolerated, and the cases of abuse need to be reported. Many issues are still associated with this problem. Overall, necessary measures should be taken to prevent such incidents.
References
Cefrey, H. (2008). Domestic violence. New York, NY: Rosen Publishing Group.
Gibbons, L. (2011). Dealing with the effects of domestic violence. Emergency Nurse 19(4), 12-16.
Johnson, M. (2008). A typology of domestic violence. Boston, MA: Northeastern University Press.
Kenney, K. L. (2012). Domestic violence. Edina, MN: ABDO Publishing Company.
LaVan, H., Lopez, Y., Katz, M., & Martin, W. (2012). The impact of domestic violence in the workplace. Employment Relations Today, 39(3), 51-63.
Shipway, L. (2004). Domestic violence: A handbook for health professionals. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.