Stop Domestic Violence in Australia

Domestic violence

Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence and intimate partner violence) is a pattern of behaviour which involves violence or other abuse by one person against another in a domestic context, such as in marriage or cohabitation.

Intimate partner violence is domestic violence against a spouse or other intimate partner. Domestic violence can take place in heterosexual or same-sex relationships.

Domestic violence can take a number of forms including physical, emotional, verbal, economic and sexual abuse, which can range from subtle, coercive forms to marital rape and to violent physical abuse those results in disfigurement or death. Globally, a wife or female partner is more commonly the victim of domestic violence, though the victim can also be the male partner, or both partners may engage in abusive or violent behaviour, or the victim may act in self-defence or retaliation.

Domestic violence often occurs because the perpetrator believes that abuse is justified and acceptable, and may produce intergenerational cycles of abuse that condone violence. Awareness, perception, definition and documentation of domestic violence differ widely from country to country. 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, insufficient financial resources, fear, shame or to protect children. As a result of abuse, victims may experience physical disabilities, chronic health problems, mental illness, limited finances, and poor ability to create healthy relationships. Victims may experience post-traumatic stress disorder. Children who live in a household with violence may continue the legacy of abuse when they reach adulthood. Domestic violence often happens in the context of forced and child marriage.

Alcohol consumption and mental illness can be co-morbid with abuse, and present additional challenges in eliminating domestic violence. Management of domestic violence may take place through medical services, law enforcement, counselling, and other forms of prevention and intervention.

Form of abuse & Characteristics of behaviour

Physical abuse
Threatening or physically assaults, including punching, choking, hitting, pushing and shoving, throwing objects, smashing objects, damaging property, assaulting children and injuring pets.

Sexual abuse
Any unwanted sexual contact, including rape.

Psychological abuse
Emotional and verbal abuse such as humiliation, threats, insults, swearing, harassment or constant criticism and put downs.

Social abuse
Isolating partner from friends and/or family, denying partner access to the telephone, controlling and restricting partner's movements when going out.

Economic abuse
Exerting control over household or family income by preventing the other person's access to finances and financial independence.

Spiritual abuse
Denying or manipulating religious beliefs of practices to force victims into subordinate roles or to justify other forms of abuse.

Main issues of domestic violence
This has been an issue that has lasted through the centuries, and has continued to plague modern society. In Australia for instance, 23% of women either married, or in a de-facto relationship have suffered from violence from their partner (Mulroney, 2003). This is a shocking statistic, as it means that nearly 1 in 4 women will have at some stage been exposed to violence or been the victim of it. Domestic violence is the act of either physically, emotionally, spiritually or sexually abusing a partner, is it male or female, for the abuser’s own self-gratification (Heldman, 2013). Domestic violence is a world issue, with Men and Women from many different religions and cultures being either exposed, or victims to domestic violence.

Domestic violence in countries that follow ‘Sharia Law’ for example, have a much more tolerant view towards domestic and family violence, with some extremist Muslims even going as far to condone domestic violence (Rauf, 2005). This demonstrates the barriers that need to be overcome in some countries to put the issue of domestic violence to rest. However, with such a heavy emphasis on religion in these Islamic countries, strengthening community action in regards to domestic violence is a very difficult issue to overcome.