Domestic Violence and its Impact on Women

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND IMPACT ON WOMEN
Name
Course
Date
Institution
Content Page TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Abstract PAGEREF _Toc76489014 \h 3Introduction PAGEREF _Toc76489015 \h 4Research Questions PAGEREF _Toc76489016 \h 4Background and Literature PAGEREF _Toc76489017 \h 5Psychological Insights into Causes of Violence PAGEREF _Toc76489018 \h 7Harmful Masculinity PAGEREF _Toc76489019 \h 8Personal and Relationship Factors PAGEREF _Toc76489020 \h 8Community Factors PAGEREF _Toc76489021 \h 10Methodology PAGEREF _Toc76489022 \h 11External Desk Research PAGEREF _Toc76489023 \h 11Findings PAGEREF _Toc76489024 \h 13Causes Theme PAGEREF _Toc76489025 \h 13Impacts Theme PAGEREF _Toc76489026 \h 14Discussion PAGEREF _Toc76489027 \h 14Impacts PAGEREF _Toc76489028 \h 18Interventions PAGEREF _Toc76489029 \h 21The Social Learning Theory PAGEREF _Toc76489030 \h 22Reference List PAGEREF _Toc76489031 \h 24
Abstract
Intimate relationships are becoming increasingly debatable by scholars in social sciences considering the breakup statistics. A major reason for breakups in contemporary society happens to be domestic violence. Domestic violence is an issue that is rampant in every population with women as the biggest victims. The worrisome fact is that the statistics only capture a small percentage of the victims, with many deciding to remain silent in the pain. This study takes an in-depth look on the topic of domestic violence to showcase how the same impacts the lives of women. Further, it assesses the factors, triggers or influences that lead to men abusing their partners. The study is founded on two theories, namely the social learning theory. This theory helps to further explain how an issue like domestic violence happens to be a problem in society today.
Introduction
Intimate relationships in contemporary society are becoming increasingly questionable considering the number of people who are regretting having indulged in such. According to Briggs (2012), more people are unhappy in their relationships and are hoping to quit. Others quit, thereby leading to questions on whether engaging in intimate relationships is a mistake. One reason why there is an increase in the number of relationships that break is domestic violence. People are becoming more susceptible to domestic violence cases every single day. Domestic violence is an issue that is rampant in every demographic segment. However, women have been the biggest victims. More women than men are subjected to violence with their intimate partners. The gulf between men and women in that respect is so high, and nothing is poised to change, going by the prevalent statistics. This study delves deeper into domestic violence and its impacts on women. To better understand the prospects, the paper will explore social learning theory to ground its findings. An explorative understanding of the nature, causes, and impacts of domestic violence on women should help in developing strategies to mitigate the ills from individualistic and collective lenses.
Research Questions
This study domestic violence and its impacts on women. The following are the research questions that the study aims to explore:
1 What constitutes domestic violence?
2 What are the impacts of domestic violence on women?
3 Which strategies are necessary in mitigating the impacts of domestic violence on women?
Background and Literature
The domestic violence cases in the U.K. presently are escalating, going by the content of available data. In the U.K., 1 in 5 women experiences sexual assault during their lifetime. At the same time, 1 in 4 women experiences domestic violence in her lifetime. The Crime Survey of England and Wales indicates that since the age of 16, 20% of women have experienced some element of violence (Crime Survey of England and Wales, 2021). That number translates to 3.4 million female victims. Also worth noting is the understanding that 5 in 6 victims of domestic violence or any kind of gender-based violence did not report their ordeal to law enforcement authorities. That number translates to 83% of gender-based violence cases that go unreported (Crime Survey of England and Wales, 2021). Such numbers render more women into intense losses.
There is an increasing concern about the escalating cases of domestic violence. The Crime Survey for England and Wales confirmed that women are the biggest victims of domestic violence, with 1.6 million victims as opposed to 757,000 victims among men (Crime Survey of England and Wales, 2021). With the advancements in security, one would expect the number of cases concerning domestic violence to reduce, which is not the case. In 2020, police recorded an increase of 9% in domestic abuse-related crimes to hit 758,941 cases (Crime Survey of England and Wales, 2021). Positively, the increase in numbers could also be cited to increased police investigations in matters of domestic violence. However, it is also notable that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recorded a fall in charging decisions from 98,470 to 79,965. That translates to a 19% fall in the charged cases. In 2018, the charging rate for domestic violence cases stood at 76%, a number that dropped to 74% in 2019 and eventually 73% in 2020 (Crime Survey of England and Wales, 2021). The decrease in the charging rates renders stakeholders concerns about whether the law enforcement authorities are not motivated enough to eliminate domestic violence in the U.K.
The coronavirus pandemic period has come with even more disadvantages on matters of domestic violence. With the enforcement of coronavirus restrictions that demanded people to stay at home as much as possible, more couples were forced to spend more time together (Gainsbury, Fenton, & Jones, 2020). That opened grounds for more cases of domestic violence against women bearing the number of people who sought help from various service categories. According to Dryden-Edwards (2021)., the number of calls to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline increased by 65% in the second quarter of 2020 as compared to the first three months. There was also a witnessed increase in the number of visits to the victim websites. For instance, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline website indicated a 700% increase in traffic in the second quarter of 2020 (Dryden-Edwards, 2021). While such numbers showcase an increase in the number of people experiencing domestic violence, it could also imply an increase in the severity of the ills. Also, more people are unable to execute the usual coping mechanisms, such as leaving home in the wake of violence.
British sociologist Robert Burgess and his American counterpart Ronald Akers explored the inputs of social learning in criminology (Briggs, 2012). Burgess and Akers noted that people learn criminal behaviors in social and nonsocial situations. Various factors can be employed individually or collectively to fuel learning of some behaviors in particular contexts. Akers and Burgess noted that one or a combination of observation, explicit instruction, vicarious reinforcement, or direct reinforcement can aid individuals in learning new behaviors (Turner, 2019). The nature of reinforcement and the probability of exposure to certain behaviors are dependent on context norms.
Burgess and Akers noted that media violence is a vital component in the execution of various social learning prospects (Gainsbury, Fenton, & Jones, 2020). The media remains a primary influence in most populations. People who watch television shows or read newspaper articles can learn. The fact that media targets a wide range of consumers means that their content can often land in the hands of the wrong users. According to Burgess and Akers, experienced or observed positive rewards and lack of punishment for aggressive behaviors reinforce aggression (Briggs, 2012). Different studies and meta-analyses have since been developed to initiate the relationship between aggressive media content and aggressive behaviors among consumers. In this sense, viewing television shows with domestic violence as the theme, especially for children, can steer such children into aggressive behaviors when they become adults. Observational learning through aspects such as video games and television shows must be gauged to ascertain its value to the behaviors of the consumers.
Psychological Insights into Causes of Violence
Inappropriate attempts to handle emotions are the most common motivation for violence. People who resort to violence against their partners use it as a medium to showcase their discontent or frustrations (Ferrari et al., 2016). On other occasions, such emotions can be used as a ploy to influence people into doing what they would reject if approached differently. Still, violence is used as a form of revenge for some bad experiences in a relationship. Some people use retaliation as a means to settle scores in arguments or fights (Sohal et al., 2020). Psychological factors such as peer pressure or influence from observed behaviors have been found to fuel violent behaviors among married couples.
Harmful Masculinity
There have been connections between masculinity and the culture of domestic violence. The socialization of masculine ideals begins when an individual is young. In western cultures, the ideals of masculinity were understood to constitute toughness, lack of emotional sensitivity, self-sufficient attitudes, heterosexism, connectedness, and stoicism (Sohal et al., 2020). Boys learn to be men through the behaviors of men in their lives, personal experiences, and from the inputs of the cultural context. In most cases, boys are pressured to showcase gender-appropriate behaviors and operate within the ideals of male codes. From such interactive contexts, people can learn that aggressive behaviors can not only develop at the early stages of a man but can also persist deep into adulthood (Sohal et al., 2020). Gender roles in the propulsion of domestic violence are not construed as a biological phenomenon. Instead, it is socially and psychologically constructed ideals that are susceptible to changes.
There are notable connections between some masculine behaviors and the eventual manifestation of aggressive behaviors against women. In early childhood, aggression is used to express distress or emotions (Sohal et al., 2020). Over time, aggression in males shifts to a tool of asserting power, especially when masculinity is threatened. Ideals of masculinity such as restrictions on emotional expression can be used later in life to conform to elements of dominance or aggression such as physical and verbal aggression, assault, and bullying. In the contemporary cultural inputs, masculinity remains a challenge when it comes to fueling aggressive behaviors as individuals develop through their adulthood.
Personal and Relationship Factors
There are personal characteristics that can fuel aggressive behaviors among men. First among such factors are mental illnesses. Illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder or ADHD in the early stages of development can trigger traces of aggressive behaviors as an individual interacts with more people (Lupu, 2011). Individuals can also develop aggressive behaviors due to drug and alcohol abuse. The challenges can grow bigger in situations where the partners are opposed to the behaviors and use wrong techniques to discourage the men (Dryden-Edwards, 2021). Other individual factors that can steer aggressive behaviors in relationships include low self-esteem, low academic achievements, aggressive or delinquent behaviors among youths, lack of non-violent problem-solving skills, traits associated with borderline personality disorders, poor anger management skills, hostility towards women, the desire of power and control in relationships, and being victims of physical or emotional abuse in early stages of development (Aldridge, 2013). The above personal factors can occur independently or collectively to steer individuals into aggression against their intimate partners.
There are also relationship factors worth exploring in matters concerning domestic violence. Economic stress is one of the most challenging factors in present relationships. Families that still operate in traditional economic structures are more challenged than modern families (Aldridge, 2013). In traditional families, the father has the responsibility to take care of the family. The man should, hence, have a stable job and be able to control the economic prospects. Men who believe that they must provide for their families or that they must make more income than their wives are more likely to fall into domestic violence if they cannot meet the targets (Briggs, 2012). Also, men can develop aggression due to economic frustrations caused by general poverty or loss of jobs. Other relationship factors that can trigger domestic violence include dominance and control of the relationship by one partner, lack of education, frustrations from other intimate relationships, jealousy, possessiveness, and negative emotions within the relationship (Gainsbury, Fenton, & Jones, 2020). If not managed properly, relationship factors can easily fuel aggressive behaviors in one of the partners.
Community Factors
The community is the last factor that fuels domestic violence. How a community is structured socially, economically, or politically can influence people into indulging in aggressive behaviors (Aldridge, 2013). Poverty-associated factors such as high unemployment rates and overcrowding can trigger frustrations that culminate in domestic violence. Also, communities should have a high social capital or institutions that shape perceptions of sexual relationships. It is also necessary that communities are enabled to sanction behaviors such as domestic violence. Communities that are willing to intervene through neighbors or social platforms are less likely to experience cases of domestic violence. Conversely, communities that seem to encourage and cheer partner violence incidences can become the platforms for such ill behaviors (Sohal et al., 2020). It is also worth remarking that ills such as drug and alcohol sales in some communities reinforce behaviors such as domestic violence.
There are societal factors that can trigger men into some aggressive behaviors. Every society deserves a strong input in factors such as health and education or social policies (Aldridge, 2013). Without such structures, individuals are highly likely to develop aggressive behaviors against their partners. There are also cultural norms such as the perception that wives must be disciplined in some traditional societies that enable men to engage in aggressive behaviors against their partners. Ultimately, traditional gender norms such as the understanding that women should stay submissive, men should make family decisions, and women should stay at home can all contribute to aggressive behaviors among men.
Methodology
External Desk Research
This study was conducted using an external desk research. Desk research is the study technique that is majorly completed with the researcher confined in a specific area such as an office desk. In this technique, the researcher collects data that is published already. This technique was efficient for this study because it is cheap and the main costs involved include telephone charges and the cost of seeking information on online platforms. For this study, a desk research was appropriate as it allowed the researcher to find a wide range of sources that are relevant to the study. The study majorly emphasized external desk research to reach the data threshold for the set themes.
External research was conducted through two platforms. The first platform was the online desk research in which emphasis was put on websites to seek data. There are credible data that are available on various internet outlets. The researcher, using this technique, has the liberty to choose strategies and websites that can offer credible information relevant to the research questions. The tools included in this study accommodated online libraries including Google scholar, ProQuest, and government databases to seek the relevant data on trends of domestic violence and its impacts on the health, physical, social, and economic productivity in women.
The data collection process encompassed development of key phrases and using the key terms to seek information. The following table shows the key phrases and the number of articles throughout the primary search:
Key Phrase

Google Scholar (Number of sources retrieved)

ProQuest (Number of relevant sources retrieved)

Domestic violence

101

79

Domestic violence against women

97

31

Impacts of domestic violence

105

17

Impacts of domestic violence on women

79

28

Causes of domestic violence

98

39

The entire search delivered a total number of 480 sources from Google Scholar and another 194 sources from ProQuest. In total, the search delivered 674 sources. Bearing the bulk of the available data. The sources were further subjected to further scrutiny. Some of the tenets used to eliminate sources included the year of publication, whether the source is peer-reviewed, and the type of methodologies used in the study. The final number of sources following the scrutiny would be 20 sources.
The study focused on specific themes in data collection and eventual analysis. The primary theme was on causes of domestic violence. Different studies manifested varying findings on factors that cause domestic violence against women. The study further explored the theme of impacts with specific emphasis on social, economic, and health impacts of domestic violence on women. The third theme explored interventions in which different studies were reviewed based on their inputs on the interventions that could address domestic violence.
Conducting a desk research comes with a range of benefits to the researcher that were important to this study. Primarily, the researcher can collect a wide array of data relating to the research question. With more data, the researcher increases the relevance and accuracy of the study findings. A desk research also enhances transparency of the methodology especially with emphasis on comparative analyses of different studies. Limiting bias in a study must be a priority for studies such as this that intend to create changes to occurrences in society. Ultimately, a desk research is rigorous and accords the researcher the necessary tools to seek, access, and use data. However, data analysis and accuracy can be challenging considering the vast amount of data that must be collected to complete the study.
Conducting a desk study is accompanied by ethical concerns that researchers must assess. Primarily, the study must eliminate plagiarism. All the information sought from external sources should be cited accordingly to eliminate plagiarism. The researcher must also ensure that the findings bear educative value to society. A study that intends to address a challenge in society should emphasize the interventions that will likely transform the negative incidences. Hence, the data should not be...