(ThyBlackMan.com) Has the face of domestic violence changed? Or are we still fighting the same old battles? Here are some of the latest statistics in the fight against domestic abuse.
What Exactly Is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior that’s used by an individual to establish and maintain control over another person. Usually, tactics like fear are employed first, but then actual violence develops to “back up” the threats.
Abuse may happen on any level and can include men, women, and children. Both men and women can be the abuser or victim.
How Often Does Domestic Violence Occur?
Domestic violence and abuse can happen to anyone but women are the stereotypical targets, with 1 in 4 women being abused during her lifetime.
A good Personal Injury Lawyer is often necessary in instances like these, to help the female pay for injuries and to obtain compensation, financially, for injuries.
How Many Men Are Victims?
Women aren’t the only victims. Men are victims of nearly 3 million physical assaults in the U.S.A.
Why Does It Happen?
Abuse can happen for a multitude of reasons. However, the primary reason is psychological – the abuser wants control over his or her victim. There is no other known cause or explanation.
When Does It Happen?
Most assaults and instances of domestic violence take place between 6 PM and 6 AM. And, more than 60 percent of domestic violence cases happen in the home.
What Happens?
Domestic violence victims sometimes become homeless, with abuse being the third leading cause of homelessness among families, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Roughly 1/3 of families housed in New York City’s family shelter system are homeless because of some kind of domestic violence.
More Statistics
Women between the ages of 18 and 34 are a high-risk group for domestic violence, while more than 4 million women are either assaulted or raped by their partners.
Unbelievably, about 1 in 3 female homicides are murdered by either a current or former partner each year.
What Are The Long-Term Effects?
The long-term effects of domestic abuse are horrific. More than 3 million children witness acts of domestic violence each year and these children not only witness abuse but often become victims themselves.
Children who are abused, or are exposed to abuse (e.g. watching a family member being abused) are more likely to have long-term health problems. For example, children who witness abuse have a higher risk of being sick more often, having frequent headaches or stomachaches, or feeling more tied or exhausted.
Children are also, unfortunately, more likely to intervene when they witness severe abuse against a parent – making them more likely that they will be abused themselves. Sometimes, injuries sustained in a violent assault lead to serious injury or the child’s death.
What About Mental Health?
Domestic abuse isn’t just about physical abuse. It can take its toll psychologically as well. Domestic violence victims often have high rates of depression, anxiety, flashbacks, sleep problems, and other forms of emotional stress.
They may also suffer from overall poor mental health or physical health and disease.
They may develop psychologically-induced physical illness like heart disease or gastrointestinal disorders.
What Is The Economic Cost Of Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence is expensive, costing more than $37 billion a year. These costs include law enforcement, legal work, medical treatments, and mental health treatments. It also includes lost productivity at work.
The personal costs can also be overwhelming because many women who are treated for abuse have limited financial and social resources.
They don’t know who to turn to, and they may not have access to their paychecks or savings. It’s common for abusers to assume control over finances and the victim’s social life.
This creates isolation, making it difficult for the victim to leave the abuser. This, in turn, reduces the probability that the victim will speak out for fear of “losing everything.”
What Happens If Victims Don’t Get Help?
This is possibly the saddest part of the picture. Without help, girls who witness abuse are more vulnerable to abuse as teens and adults. Boys who witness abuse are more likely to become abusers.
This perpetuates the cycle of violence, meaning future generations become victims and abusers.
Victims of domestic violence should not be afraid to speak out and get help, however. Breaking the cycle of violence can not only save the victim’s life, but the life of his or her children.
Staff Writer; Michael Poole