Domestic violence exists in several ways but in all cultures throughout the world. It was accepted in dominant culture until the 20th century. In recent times, domestic violence has not been tolerated, and perpetrators are punished by the law. Research has shown that in the United States, domestic violence is common among couples, and women usually suffer the most. There are different aspects of domestic violence, and according to Waechter and Van (15), the nature of domestic violence ranges from psychological abuse to sexual assault and physical assault. Studies have shown that 60% of the domestic violence which takes place in the United States is against women. Women are usually being beaten by their partners to get attention. Therefore, the nature of domestic violence in the United States occurs through psychological torture, physical abuse, sexual assault and financial abuse as well.
Several studies have indicated that physical is one of the common forms of domestic violence in the United States. It mostly occurs when either partner in the relationship is beaten up, kicked, punched and even strangled and bitten. Though there are some incidents where men have been physically assaulted, most cases of physical assault are against women. According to a non-profit organization, Women Against Violence (WAV), 60% of reported cases are usually about women who have been physically assaulted in their marriages (Mercy, Etienne and Dahlberg 23). Research has also established that a number of cases of domestic violence usually go unreported, and therefore, women remain to suffer in silence. This situation is present in several states across the United States. For instance, in the state of Alaska, the cases of domestic violence are 30% less than what actually occurs annually. It is, therefore, evident that women are usually physically assaulted, and some of them do not take any action.
It is estimated that sexual violence is one of the major causes of domestic violence that affects many women in the United States. According to a report from the Centre for Disease and Control (CDC), almost 19.9% of women in the United States have been rated or had forceful penetration (Waechter and Van 24). The vast majority of women report that they experience a rate before the age of 25 years, and it usually happens in college and at home. This makes sexual assault one of the leading forms of domestic violence against women. However, the law against rape and other sexual abuse has been enacted and has jailed several perpetrators for several years in jail. The sexual violence law act put a heavy punishment on sexual offenders, and over the last few years, several people have been jailed for life in prison due to sexual violence. Research has indicated that since the enactment of the sexual offenders law, the rate of rape and sexual violence has reduced though there are incidences where cases are not reported (Richard 21).
Studies have also established that psychological abuse is another common type of domestic violence which affects several families in the United States. It has been established that in most cases, partners usually subject each other to frustration, which can lead to suicide or to crime. According to Waechter and Van (25), most psychological abuse or violence is always against women and in these cases, women are the culprits of psychological abuse. However, to reduce cases of psychological abuse, a law was passed that put strict guidance and punishment on people who abuse women psychologically. This is because, according to the Center for Domestic Violence, several people have turned insane due to psychological abuse, and continuing to allow the same to proceed without strict laws might lead to the permanent torture of several women in society.
However, in order to curb domestic violence in the United States, Congress passed laws such as the Federal Domestic Violence Law to prevent cases of domestic violence. The law makes it easy and possible for law enforcement to investigate and prosecute cases of domestic violence. Prior to the enactment of the law, it was difficult for domestic violence to be prosecuted, and therefore, several cases used go unpunished. According to (), the Domestic Violence Act gives police officers, nurses in practice and other healthcare practitioners the power to register or report any kind of domestic violence, and therefore, it has made it difficult for cases to go without being punished. The cooperation between healthcare facilities and law enforcement has contributed to the decline in cases of domestic violence.
It is therefore recommended that the government implement strict measures to deal with criminal elements. Though the law has proven to be working, the sexual abuse against women in the workplace, in the field, and in colleges must be dealt with through the enactment of strict laws. It is, therefore, appropriate to enact a sexual offence law which properly defines sexual assault and also defines the kind of punishment which can be provided if one is found to be guilty of a sexual offence.
In conclusion, the nature of domestic violence in the United States is different, and violence which affects women in society is physical assault, which includes beating. Research has also indicated that sexual assault and psychological abuse are also the nature of domestic violence, which is being faced in several households in the United States. However, in order to reduce the number of criminal elements, laws have been introduced, such as federal domestic violence law, the Domestic Violence Act and others, to reduce cases of domestic violence, and it has proven to work compared to the early 20th century.
Works Cited
Mercy, James A., et al. “Violence and Health: The United States in a Global Perspective.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447726/ 25.12 (2013): 2-38.
Richard, Welbey. “Facts about sexual violence in the United States.” Journal of Resources
(2016): 2-38.
Waechter, Randall and Ma Van. “Sexual Violence in America: Public Funding and Social
Priority.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4638240/ (2015): 2-38.
Cite This Work
To export a reference to this article please select a referencing stye below:
