Intro
It is common knowledge that domestic violence happens either within the family setting or in the societal setting. There are quite several behaviors that can be termed domestic violence (Bonar, 2006). Though not commonly spoken about, domestic violence is a subject that causes great tension, discomfort and ultimately some cultures have chosen to keep it as a taboo, and thus a complete silence on the whole issue.
Domestic Violence
Generally, domestic violence can be defined as an abuse of power by mostly men against women who could either be in a relationship or are in separation (Carrington, 2006). But due to differences in this world of diversity, different cultures have different opinions and definitions of the term “domestic violence” thus making it cumbersome to define it. Domestic violence can be carried out either in the form of physical abuse, sexual violence, emotional abuse, social abuse, or financial withdrawal. It can also be referred to as family violence since it includes all forms of violence which include intimate and family relationships (Carrington, 2006)
The extent of this violence can be prevented by women seeking help from the relevant authorities. This is so because if a woman gains access to assistance and support groups in the early stages of domestic violence, she is less likely to suffer the consequences which may even result in her death (Bonar, 2006).
Therefore, it is a rational idea for the victims to identify the family issues that result in domestic violence before seeking help. But due to indifferences, many families tend to conceal information that relates to domestic violence. There is therefore no observed research available about the nature of violence and its extent and thus affecting the accuracy of statistics collected for domestic violence. The other factor that can limit the data collection analysis may include underreporting of domestic violence incidents. This is because incidents committed by strangers are more likely to be reported to the respective authorities than the incidents committed by intimate partners (Carrington, 2006). This is normally due to fear of revenge from these intimate partners. It is, therefore, worthwhile to come up with a reliable hypothesis for this issue which will help us to come up with a sound conclusion about handling domestic violence.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis formed is from an experiment of whether it pays for the victims to report domestic violence to the police or the relevant authorities. This argument should be put in place since many women were not likely to report any incidents of domestic violence since they perceive these services to be unresponsive, or fail to understand their situations (Carrington, 2006).
If they do get a response, it might be the one that could endanger or put their lives in jeopardy within their communities. This may include even being chased away from their home by their husbands or other members of their family (Carrington, 2006). In turn, this could result in difficult situations for the women, and especially if they face unfavorable positions such as being in a state of unemployment. Therefore, even though women are educated about their rights, they have no options but to remain with their abusive husbands and the abusive members of society without taking measures.
However, critics say that using positive messages builds harmony which results in a healthy relationship (Carrington, 2006). They also outline the communication strategies as well as the guiding principles for conducting awareness in the community. This would work better than confronting and using aggressive language that shuns men. Promoting harmony within a family can be extended to churches, which is preferred than enforcing it through the police or the relevant authorities since the main purpose is to prevent domestic violence (Bonar, 2006).
Conclusion
Relationships are always characterized by complexities and are vulnerable if not handled properly. According to this research, quite a several people claim that more domestic violence is bound to happen if the initial one is poorly handled. This is what has resulted in low statistical information due to victims’ fear of whether they are taking the correct measures. Therefore, greater experimental attention needs to be taken, as the understanding of it would very much assist in preventing the dangerous effects which result from violence within the domestic scene (Bonar, 2006).
References
Bonar, M. and Roberts, D. (2006) A review of literature relating to family & domestic violence in culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Australia, Sidney: Department of community development.
Carrington, K. (2006) Domestic Violence in Australia—an Overview of the Issues, Parliament of Australia, Web.