Domestic violence, or family violence, is violent, abusive or intimidating behaviour in a relationship. There are many types of domestic violence, including emotional, sexual, social, financial, spiritual and physical abuse.
Domestic Violence (Bạo lực gia đình) What is domestic violence? Domestic violence, or family violence, is violent, abusive or intimidating behaviour in a relationship There are many types of domestic violence, including emotional, sexual, social, financial, spiritual and physical abuse Emotional abuse Emotional abuse often goes unrecognised, but it can be very hurtful Someone who is emotionally abusive towards you wants to chip away at your feelings of self-worth and independence Read more here about what emotional abuse is and where to get support for it Sexual abuse The term ‘sexual abuse’ covers rape, indecent assault and a wide range of other unwanted sexual behaviours used by offenders as a way to control their victims Read more here about the different kinds of sexual assault Social abuse Social domestic violence occurs when someone insults or humiliates you in front of other people, keeps you isolated from family and friends, or controls what you and where you go Financial abuse If someone close to you controls your finances and access to money, and keeps you financially dependent on them so that you always have to ask them for money, this is a form of domestic violence Spiritual abuse Spiritual domestic violence involves preventing you from having your own opinions about religion, cultural beliefs and values It may also involve causing you to doubt your thoughts on spirituality in order to make you feel powerless Attempting to cause shame is a large part of spiritual abuse, as is preventing people from practising their religious or cultural beliefs 6 Physical abuse If you are in a relationship where you are being hurt or threatened, it’s important to know that you don’t have to stay and you don’t have to deal with it on your own Lots of different kinds of support are available to help you Click here to find out more about physical abuse and where to get support Figures - Men: Data from Home Office statistical bulletins and the British Crime Survey show that men made up about 40% of domestic violence victims each year between 2004-05 and 2008-09, the last year for which figures are available In 2006-07 men made up 43.4% of all those who had suffered partner abuse in the previous year, which rose to 45.5% in 2007-08 but fell to 37.7% in 2008-09 Similar or slightly larger numbers of men were subjected to severe force in an incident with their partner, according to the same documents The figure stood at 48.6% in 2006-07, 48.3% the next year and 37.5% in 2008-09, Home Office statistics show - Women: It is estimated that of the 87,000 women who were intentionally killed in 2017 globally, more than half (50,000- 58 per cent) were killed by intimate partners or family members, meaning that 137 women across the world are killed by a member of their own family every day Approximately 15 million adolescent girls (aged 15 to 19) worldwide have experienced forced sex (forced sexual intercourse or other sexual acts) at some point in their life In the vast majority of countries, adolescent girls are most at risk of forced sex by a current/former husband, partner or boyfriend Based on data from 30 countries, only one per cent ever sought professional help What Causes Domestic Violence? Abusers may feel this need to control their partner because of low self-esteem, extreme jealousy, difficulties in regulating anger and other strong emotions, or when they feel inferior to the other partner in education and socioeconomic background - Some people with very traditional beliefs may think they have the right to control their partner, and that women aren’t equal to men Others may have an undiagnosed personality disorder or psychological disorder Still others may have learned this behavior from growing up in a household where domestic violence was accepted as a normal part of being raised in their family - Children who witness or are the victims of violence may learn to believe that violence is a reasonable way to resolve conflict between people Boys who learn that women are not to be valued or respected and who see violence directed against women are more likely to abuse women when they grow up Girls who witness domestic violence in their families of origin are more likely to be victimized by their own husbands Although women are most often the victim of domestic violence, the gender roles can and are reversed sometimes - Alcohol and drugs may contribute to violent behavior A drunk or high person will be less likely to control his or her violent impulses toward their partner, so keeping such drinking or drug use episodes to a minimum may be valuable for a person living in a domestic violence situation No cause of domestic violence, however, justifies the actions of the abuser, nor should it be used as a rationale for their behavior These possible causes are only to better understand why an abuser believes it is acceptable to abuse their partner physically, sexually, psychologically or emotionally The consequences of domestic violence - Domestic violence is the most common cause of injury for women, leading to even more injuries than car accidents Violence not only causes physical injury, it also undermines the social, economic, psychological, spiritual and emotional well being of the victims, the perpetrator and the society as a whole Domestic violence is a major contributor to the ill health of victims It has serious consequences on women's mental and physical health, including their reproductive and sexual health These include injuries, gynecological problems, temporary or permanent disabilities, depression and suicide, amongst others These physical and mental health outcomes have social and emotional sequelae for the individual, the family, the community and the society at large How can you keep yourself safe? It’s very important to protect yourself from harm if you feel that you’re being abused You never have to this alone It’s really important that you have support - Get support Making a decision to leave a situation where you feel unsafe may be hard and scary If possible, talk to someone you trust, such as a friend, counsellor or youth worker - Go to a refuge A shelter or refuge is a place where you can seek temporary accommodation They will help you with a plan for longer-term accommodation There are also usually other services available in refuges, including legal advice, emotional support, practical help (such as food and clothing), and good security - Stay with family or a friend Ask a trusted family member or friend if you can stay with them while you work out what to next - Talk to emergency services or the police If you’ve been injured or sexually assaulted, contact emergency services or visit your nearest hospital emergency department You can access counselling from a sexual assault counsellor to support you through this process If you feel unsafe, talk to the police They’re there to protect you - Know your worth If someone is hurting you, or threatening to hurt you, it can be hard to maintain your selfconfidence or feelings of self-worth You might even want to blame yourself Remember that it’s never okay for someone to hurt you or threaten to hurt you The best thing you can in this situation is to get some support to help you plan a path to safety Reconnecting with friends or family can remind you of who you are and how much other people love and care for you Questions - Have you been a victim of domestic violence? If so, what did you do? References - https://au.reachout.com/articles/domestic-violence-and-what-you-can-doabout-it - - https://psychcentral.com/lib/what-causes-domestic-violence/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2784629/#:~:text=Domestic %20violence%20is%20a%20major,depression%20and%20suicide%2C %20amongst%20others https://www.theguardian.com/society/2010/sep/05/men-victims-domesticviolence https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/domestic-violence https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-againstwomen/facts-and-figures ... of domestic violence? If so, what did you do? References - https://au.reachout.com/articles /domestic- violence- and-what-you-can-doabout-it - - https://psychcentral.com/lib/what-causes -domestic- violence/ ... emotionally The consequences of domestic violence - Domestic violence is the most common cause of injury for women, leading to even more injuries than car accidents Violence not only causes physical... household where domestic violence was accepted as a normal part of being raised in their family - Children who witness or are the victims of violence may learn to believe that violence is a reasonable