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Domestic violence has been a problem for centuries,
affecting different spheres of public life. Despite society's efforts to
spread ideas of tolerance, open-mindedness, and mutual respect, the world
still cannot deal with this mundane issue. Intimate partner violence is a
severe problem, with more than 10 million adults experiencing domestic
violence every year in the US alone. The number of intimate partner violence
victimizations increased by 42% from 2016 through 2018, and domestic
violence accounted for 21% of all violent crimes from 2003 to 2012.
Domestic violence is often considered relatively harmless compared to other
types of crime. However, statistics show that 12.8% of homicides are
committed by family members, and about 1 in 5 homicide victims are killed by
an intimate partner. A minor domestic violence case can have no large-scale
consequences, but there are still risks that it will lead to a homicide in
the future. Therefore, more attention should be paid to domestic violence
and its victims, including their relationship with the violator and other
family members.
The limitations connected with the pandemic have contributed to the
explosion of the problem. The number of domestic violence incidents in the
US increased by 8.1% after lockdown orders. The potential for the
development of this issue is vast and probably even more prominent than
expected. These numbers have shown the importance and rareness of home being
a safe space for people.
The worst thing about domestic violence is that a large part of assaults
stays unreported. Only 25% of physical assaults perpetrated against women
are reported to the police annually, according to the National Violence
Against Women Survey. People may fear triggering an attacker's anger, facing
a complicated financial situation, or becoming homeless. Consequently, all
the assessment attempts are nonobjective and do not reflect the actual
numbers of intimate partners' violence cases.
Media representation also affects the public's perception of domestic
violence. For example, NFL players are thought to be more disposed to behave
violently than other people, which is not accurate. In fact, NFL players
have much lower arrest rates than average. However, people continue to
believe that NFL layers are especially dangerous. This example portrays how
media can affect the perception of information by the public.
Domestic violence is correlated with a wide range of social problems, making
people's lives more complicated. Only 34% of people injured by intimate
partners receive medical care, which can lead to serious diseases and
discomfort in social interactions. Domestic victimization is strongly
connected with a higher rate of depression and suicidal behavior,
potentially resulting in an increase in crime in general.
The appropriateness of the penalty for domestic violence varies depending on
the state. Community service or fines are not enough to discipline and
redeem the convict, while termination of parental rights may be too strict
in some cases. Therefore, the penalty should be strongly connected with the
exact kind of domestic violence case, and punishment should be proper. |
