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Community Problem Report: Domestic Violence Against Women

The University of Texas at El Paso

ENG 1301

April 18, 2017

Melissa Trevizo
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Abstract

Domestic violence against women is a real and very serious problem that is

worldwide, affecting millions of womens even though is considering a minor social

problem. The result for violence against women can have fatal outcomes for the victim.

Domestic violence breaks down in two major abuse it can be verbal or physical. Also

they are a lot of unreported cases of domestic violence because women are afraid to talk

about it. For more specific cases in countries like Cambodia, Bangladesh, Nicaragua,

India and western countries that suffers this violence with different ideas and cultures.

But changing norms and with the creations of programs for the support and creating

conscience in people.

Introduction

Is a problem that a lot of people ignores and also very common in all cultures,

domestic violence also known as intimate partner violence that can occur in many forms.

It is a global issue that is increasing through out the years, reaching across national

boundaries but also is a socio economic, cultural, racial and class distinctions. They are a

lot reasons why domestic violence happens and brings a lot of very serious consequences

for the victims. Violence is a pattern of repeated behaviors that the abuser uses to gain the

respect, power and control over the victim. People needs to see this problem in a serious

way and do not be afraid, the three main violence that a victim can suffer is physical,

sexual and psychological. This report will cover the cause, statistics, health consequences

and preventions.
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Cause of Domestic violence against women

An estimated that about 25% of women experience domestic violence or also known as

intimate partner violence over their lifetime. Women suffer any kind of abuse during

childhood, adolescence or adulthood. This is a silently problem why? Because people

tend to see domestic violence especially against women like something common that idea

comes with inequality. Reason of why this violence happens most of the time is because

of a man, it can be the husband, boyfriend, stranger and etc. but also family can create

violence towards woman how? For example

psychological. Physical and sexual abuse is the

most common ones and also the worst ones.

Sexual abuse includes rape or also known as

physical forced or coerced penetration of the

vulva or anus with the penis, other body part and

even an object. Another important fact is that the abuse also starts when the partner in this

case the abuser needs to control and dominate the women because low self-esteem,

jealousy, divorce, alcohol, marital problems, and anger or just feeling inferior of the

victim. With the time the abuser creates fear in the victim making the abuse to be seeing

like something normal or just to not cause more conflict. In other cases the victim in this

case women sacrifices for her childrens she prefer to be physical abused and not her

childrens and basically she receives all the anger that the abuser wants to relief. The

victim never has to justify the actions of the abuser but she needs to do something about

it and solve the problem.

Statistics

The domestic violence in Bangladesh varies with 30% and 50%; women were

verbally abused 66.8% and by other family 23.7% also verbal abuse was frequent during

pregnancy 47.9% and women were physical hitting by husband were injured for almost

78.3% of the cases. In Nicaragua especially in Leon and Managua focused specifically in

this two places and the studies were higher in Leon was 52% and in Managua the study

was 69% noticing that the violence against women start increasing. 25% of women

experience violence in western countries and most of the cases are unreported. In this

case India has been studied

extensively, violence

especially in the village of

Karnataka 88% of the woman

suffer the domestic

violence and they accepted

because they have a different cultural norms that are extremely wrong. The last one is in

Cambodia is incredible how 2,074 married women experience abuse especially physical

and psychological violence, and very interesting fact is that in Cambodia women

experience domestic violence since early life making a cycle their father beating their

mother and now their husband beating her making it a cycle that never ends.
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Health Consequences

Domestic violence or intimate partner and sexual violence have serious short and

long term it can be physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health problems for the

victims. Sexual violence can lead to unwanted pregnancy, abortions and sexual

transmitted infections. Intimate partner violence in case of pregnancy increases

miscarriage and low birth weight

babies. All these forms of

violence can lead a women in

depression, post traumatic stress

and other anxiety disorders like

eating disorders and also suicide

attempt sometimes they have a

problem with alcohol. Health effects can also includes headaches, back pain, abdominal

pain, chronic pelvic pain and poor overall health. Sexual violence in particular in

childhood can lead the increase of smoking, drug and alcohol later in life.

Preventions

Creating campaign against domestic violence and preventions programs. Making

conscience in people but first in the victims including primary prevention, stopping it

from happening in the first place. Promoting communication and relationship programs

with couples to work out problems. Reduce access to, and harmful use of alcohol and

also try to change cultural gender norms for the benefit of women. End with

discrimination against women and develop gender equality and support women.
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Conclusion

In conclusion, women need to start speaking off if they are suffering of any kind

of violence especially domestic violence that breaks down in sexual, physical and

psychological. Because is a problem that already is consider worldwide and that is not the

only problem here also that is increasingly a lot, so this mean more and more women are

suffering of abuse. The statistics are very high even though there are a lot of cases

unreported. Domestic violence is not only womens issue is also a community problem.

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