Say No to Domestic Violence

Domestic violence (also named domestic abuse, battering , or family violence ) is a pattern of behavior which involves violence or other abuse by one person against another in a domestic setting, such as in marriage or cohabitation . Intimate partner violence is violence by a spouse or partner in an intimate relationship against the other spouse or partner. Domestic violence can take place in heterosexual and same-sex family relationships, and can involve violence against children in the family. Domestic violence can take a number of forms, including physical, verbal, emotional, economic, religious, and sexual abuse, which can range from subtle, coercive forms to marital rape and to violent physical abuse such as female genital mutilation and acid throwing that results in disfigurement or death. Domestic murders include stoning , bride burning , honor killings, and dowry deaths.

Globally, the victims of domestic violence are overwhelmingly women, and women tend to experience more severe forms of violence. 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. Lack of adequate legislation which criminalizes domestic violence, or, alternatively legislation which prohibits consensual behaviors, hinders the progress in regard to reducing the incidence of domestic violence. However, of the most important factors in domestic violence is a belief that abuse, whether physical or verbal, is acceptable. Other factors include substance abuse, unemployment, mental health problems, lack of coping skills, isolation, and excessive dependence on the abuser. The ability of victims of domestic violence to leave the relationship is crucial for preventing further abuse but it is quite disheartening that in traditional communities, divorced women often feel rejected and ostracized and in order to avoid this stigma, many women prefer to remain in the marriage and endure the abuse.

Conclusively, my advice to any one suffering from recurrent domestic violence is that irrespective of societal rejection, they should take it up as a challenge to walkaway rather than enduring the hardship since it may result to untimely death. #Say No to Domestic Violence.