Domestic violence, sometimes referred to as
domestic abuse, partner abuse, intimate partner violence, battering or family
violence is a pattern of behavior which involves violence or other abuse by one
person in a domestic context against another. It may occur within, but is not
confined to, marriage, cohabitation, forced marriage, friendship and familial
relationships, and can involve sibling, parental, grandparent, heterosexual or
same-sex relationships. It takes various forms, including physical abuse,
emotional, verbal, economic and sexual abuse, which may extend to rape.
Domestic violence over a period of time may lead to homicide.
Most commonly, victims are female but males can be victimised too, and it is thought that domestic violence against men may be under-reported because of the stigma attached to being victimised in this way. Couples may engage in reciprocal violence and abuse. Victims frequently experience post-traumatic stress disorder. They are often trapped in violent relationships through isolation, economic factors, fear, shame and learned helplessness. The consequences of domestic violence may produce physical disabilities, miscarriages, chronic health problems, mental illness and an inability to form relationships of any kind. Apart from direct victims, bystanders can be victimised and damaged by the presence of domestic violence in their homes. This is particularly salient with regard to children. Living in the presence of domestic abuse, as a direct or indirect victim, can lead to inter-generational cycles of abusive behaviour where violence is taken for granted as part of family life.
Within many societies, domestic violence is a staple ingredient of books, plays, films and other cultural phenomena, and media representations are a fruitful area of study.
Awareness, perception, definition and documentation of domestic violence differs widely from country to country, as does the prosecution, punishment, and attempts to reduce violent patterns of behaviour in domestic settings. In the so-called developed world, victims are encouraged to report abuse, and the police and courts have a duty to be more responsive to it than formerly. A wide variety of measures now exist to punish perpetrators and/or to persuade them into desistance from these violent patterns of behaviour. Nevertheless, implementation of action often falls far short of ideal. In some countries, there are huge cultural barriers to progressive responses from the police and the courts. and in many countries, domestic violence may be taken for granted and normalised through culture and traditional behavioural norms.
Most commonly, victims are female but males can be victimised too, and it is thought that domestic violence against men may be under-reported because of the stigma attached to being victimised in this way. Couples may engage in reciprocal violence and abuse. Victims frequently experience post-traumatic stress disorder. They are often trapped in violent relationships through isolation, economic factors, fear, shame and learned helplessness. The consequences of domestic violence may produce physical disabilities, miscarriages, chronic health problems, mental illness and an inability to form relationships of any kind. Apart from direct victims, bystanders can be victimised and damaged by the presence of domestic violence in their homes. This is particularly salient with regard to children. Living in the presence of domestic abuse, as a direct or indirect victim, can lead to inter-generational cycles of abusive behaviour where violence is taken for granted as part of family life.
Within many societies, domestic violence is a staple ingredient of books, plays, films and other cultural phenomena, and media representations are a fruitful area of study.
Awareness, perception, definition and documentation of domestic violence differs widely from country to country, as does the prosecution, punishment, and attempts to reduce violent patterns of behaviour in domestic settings. In the so-called developed world, victims are encouraged to report abuse, and the police and courts have a duty to be more responsive to it than formerly. A wide variety of measures now exist to punish perpetrators and/or to persuade them into desistance from these violent patterns of behaviour. Nevertheless, implementation of action often falls far short of ideal. In some countries, there are huge cultural barriers to progressive responses from the police and the courts. and in many countries, domestic violence may be taken for granted and normalised through culture and traditional behavioural norms.
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