Domestic violence

Domestic violence (also named domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse in a domestic setting, such as in marriage or cohabitation. Domestic violence is often used as a synonym for intimate partner violence, which is committed by a spouse or partner in an intimate relationship against the other spouse or partner, and can take place in heterosexual or same-sex relationships, or between former spouses or partners. In its broadest sense, domestic violence also involves violence against children, parents, or the elderly. It takes a number of forms, including physical, verbal, emotional, economic, religious, reproductive, and sexual abuse, which can range from subtle, coercive forms to marital rape and to violent physical abuse such as choking, beating, female genital mutilation, and acid throwing that results in disfigurement or death. Domestic murders include stoning, bride burning, honor killings, and dowry deaths (which sometimes involve non-cohabitating family members).

Globally, the victims of domestic violence are overwhelmingly women, and women tend to experience more severe forms of violence. They are also likelier than men to use intimate partner violence in self-defense.In some countries, domestic violence is often seen as justified, particularly in cases of actual or suspected infidelity on the part of the woman, and is legally permitted. Research has established that there exists a direct and significant correlation between a country's level of gender equality and rates of domestic violence, where countries with less gender equality experience higher rates of domestic violence. Domestic violence is among the most underreported crimes worldwide for both men and women. Due to social stigmas regarding male victimization, men who are victims of domestic violence face an increased likelihood of being overlooked by healthcare providers.

Domestic violence often occurs when the abuser believes that abuse is an entitlement, acceptable, justified, or unlikely to be reported. It may produce an intergenerational cycle of abuse in children and other family members, who may feel that such violence is acceptable or condoned. Many people do not recognize themselves as abusers or victims because they may consider their experiences as family conflicts that got out of control. Awareness, perception, definition and documentation of domestic violence differs widely from country to country. Domestic violence often happens in the context of forced or child marriage.

In abusive relationships, there may be a cycle of abuse during which tensions rise and an act of violence is committed, followed by a period of reconciliation and calm. Victims of domestic violence may be trapped in domestic violent situations through isolation, power and control, traumatic bonding to the abuser,cultural acceptance, lack of financial resources, fear, shame, or to protect children. As a result of abuse, victims may experience physical disabilities, dysregulated aggression, chronic health problems, mental illness, limited finances, and a poor ability to create healthy relationships. Victims may experience severe psychological disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder. Children who live in a household with violence often show psychological problems from an early age, such as avoidance, hypervigilance to threats, and dysregulated aggression which may contribute to vicarious traumatization. 

6 WAYS YOU CAN HELP PREVENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR

Woman's face

Domestic Violence Awareness month is coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean our efforts should stop in October. Domestic and sexual violence are serious issues 365 days a year.

Here are six things you can do every month to spread awareness and help break the cycle of violence!

1. Share resources.

FUTURES offers a wide variety of safety cards that cover topics from teen dating abuse, to sexual assault on college campuses. Leave these discrete cards in libraries, schools, health care settings, and more to provide educate the community about intimate partner violence.

2. Learn more about the movement.

From landmark pieces of legislation to prevent domestic violence, to understanding the key players in the movement, understanding the history of domestic violence prevention will help pave the way for change in the future. Start by watching FUTURES Founder & President Esta Soler’s TED Talk!

3. Promote healthy relationships and respect in your community.

In fact, you can start right now. Enter the RESPECT! Challenge by telling us who you’d like to thank for teaching you respect.

4. Ask your workplace if they have a domestic violence program in place.  

If they don’t, ask your HR to put one in place by visiting Workplaces Respond to Domestic and Sexual Violence. Domestic violence is a lose-lose situation for everyone involved. Not only does it cause immense suffering for those directly experiencing the abuse and their families, it also impacts the safety, productivity, and costs of doing business.

5. Be a changemaker in your community.

There are many ways to become an ambassador in your community and help prevent violence before it starts. Here are a few ideas:

Teens: Become a That’s Not Cool Ambassador, and help educate your peers about digital dating abuse.

Coaches: Become part of the Coaching Boys into Men program and teach your high school-aged athletes about the importance of respect and non-violence.

Parents: Ensure that the university your child is attending (or could be attending in the future) is doing enough to prevent sexual assault on campus. Send an email to the college president now and take action.

Health care professionals: Whether you’re a nurse, a doctor, a social worker, or advocate, we have a variety of resources to educate the community about the health impacts of domestic violence.

College students: Educate yourself about the prevalence of sexual assault on your campus. Know your rights, and explore clubs and advocacy groups on campus to educate other students about the issue. Email your college president to ensue they’re doing enough to protect your safety.

Educators: Visit our Start Strong toolkit to implement a school-based program that promotes healthy relationships for middle schoolers.

6. Know the facts and share them widely!

Get familiar with our fact sheets and hover over the stats below to share them on social media.