Domestic Violence Against Women

Domestic violence is a kind of violence or abuse that is committed by someone in a person’s domestic circle or domestic setting. Domestic violence is mainly caused by persons with whom the victim is sharing any kind of relationship. It includes persons like family members, other relatives, friends, family friends, partners, and ex-partners. Due to this close relationship between the offender and the victim, such kind of violence is called Domestic Violence.

In early times, women were treated badly and abused for dowry by their in-laws. But now the situation has changed under several initiatives of the government. In girls boarding schools in Dehradun, girls are educated to make them self-dependent.

Domestic violence often occurs with the support of someone else apart from the main victim. It is committed when the offender starts to feel that their actions are acceptable or condoned. Domestic violence is committed by people having a wicked mentality or one who believes that their deeds are acceptable, justified, or unlikely to be reported. Both men and women are the victims of domestic violence all over the world as it is among the most underrated crimes.

But globally, there are more cases of domestic violence against women than men. All around the world women are considered to be weaker than men, and as a result, they tend to experience more frequent and severe forms of domestic violence. This happens because of gender discrimination, and, in some countries, domestic violence is often considered to be justified.

Therefore, domestic violence mainly depends on gender equality in a country because higher gender equality will result in a fewer number of cases of domestic violence.

Although domestic violence is a category of violence in itself, it also has different types. There are several categories of this type of violence that are different from each other but, done within a victim’s domestic circle.

So, here are some types of domestic violence that have devastating consequences:

Physical Violence — Physical violence refers to any kind of aggressive behavior that causes physical damage to a person. Physical violence also includes a threat of physical abuse and withholding someone of their physical needs. Physical assault like punching, kicking, beating, kicking, biting, slapping, stabbing, hitting with an object, use of a weapon, and many other activities that are committed intentionally to harm a person, is considered physical violence.

Sexual Abuse — Sexual violence may be both physical or verbal, where the victim is unwillingly or forced to get involved in sexual practices. Often the offender of the crime uses force, coercion, guilt, or manipulation to victimize a person of sexual assault. Sometimes sexual abuse takes place when the victim is not mentally aware or informed about the situation like during sleep, intoxicated, drugged, disabled, or being too young or too old.

Interacting with someone in a nonconsensual way and making fun of someone’s sexuality or body are considered as sexual abuse. Controlling someone or withholding sex from a victim is also considered as sexual abuse.

Gender violence — In the case of women, they fall victim to violence as they are considered weak, or sometimes they do not get their rights. Men also suffer from violence because sometimes, even if they are not found guilty for any act, they are held responsible for it.

Verbal Abuse — Verbal abuse is a kind of abuse that leads to harassment, depression, stress, or mental illness to the victim. It may include threats, blackmail, coercion, or the use of any information in the form of abuse.

Cyber Abuse — Cyber abuse is very common in this digital age as the information available online can be used for many devastating purposes. Often the information gets leaked and is used against the victim.

Religious or cultural violence — Domestic violence that happens in the form of forced or child marriage can be considered under this category. Any kind of violence that takes place due to any kind of religious or cultural practice is also considered.

Cathy Young, C. Brian Smith, Emily J. Barnick, Andrea González-Ramírez, Aviva Stahl, Glenna Gill, Ruth Stewart, The Lily News, Iva Ursano, Michelle Brown