Domestic Abuse: Causes and Solutions

Domestic abuse, also known as domestic violence, occurs when a spouse exerts power and irrational control over the other. Domestic abuse happens to all regardless of gender, race, religion, or tribe.  In the United States, over 10 million individuals are abused yearly by their partners.  In this article, our primary focus is abuse against women. According to a 2016 NIBRS victims report, over 71% of women are victims of domestic violence. Reports show that more than 27% of women between ages 15-47 have been subjected to abuse by their partners. This article focuses on the causes of abuse, solutions, and how to support victims of abuse.

Causes of Domestic Abuse

After thorough research, we have collated common factors that cause domestic violence in relationships. They include:

1. Cultural and Societal Factors: We live in a patriarchal society where it is permitted and “okay” to beat and abuse women. Looking back at history, all societal structures were patriarchal, enabling men to hold high positions while women were seen as subordinates or subjects and were confined to domestic roles. In the Igbo culture where men are demanded to pay a high price before marriage is found to be an enabling factor for domestic abuse. Some men equate paying a high bride price to “purchasing” a woman and thus think it permits them the right to abuse their women.

 

2. Environmental Factors: Men who grew up in abusive homes, environment, or experienced abuse in their childhood tend to become abusive partners in their adulthood. Individuals with such exposure see violence in relationships as the norm or turn to violence as a coping mechanism.

 

3. Legal Factors: There are no effective laws that protect women from domestic abuse. Most times, law enforcement agencies handle issues of domestic abuse as a family issue, resolving the women to handle the issues privately rather than a criminal issue. It is only addressed as a criminal issue when it results in death.  In many cultures, women are ostracized for attempting to seek legal help as it is seen as “washing your dirty linen in public” and they often face severe backlash for reporting abuse. This discourages women from speaking up against their abuser because the law is never in their favour.

 

4. Psychological Factors: Abusive men see violence as a means of asserting and establishing authority over their partners to control them. Men with psychological behaviours tend to be jealous, possessive, paranoid, and exert violence as a means to assert dominance.

 

5. Economic Factors: Women who depend on their partners financially have higher chances of being abused. Poverty and unemployment can increase household tensions and can be associated with abuse. Women who rely on their abusive husbands for financial support are less likely to leave as they have no financial backing and fear the economic repercussions.

 

6. Substance Abuse: Men who take excess alcohol and drugs tend to be violent, especially when they are under the influence. Drugs and alcohol impair judgment and can exacerbate aggression.

Solutions to Domestic Abuse

Finding a solution to domestic abuse requires a holistic approach to addressing the problem from every angle. Some of these include more legal intervention, education and awareness, support services for victims, and so on.

1. Strengthen Legal Protection

Protection laws should be put in place for victims of domestic abuse, and perpetrators must be punished. Aside from restriction orders, culprits should be allowed to serve jail time to serve as a lesson to other abusive men. Furthermore, women should have access to legal assistance at little to no cost when the need arises.

2. Support Services for Victims

Safe houses and shelters should be established for women to seek refuge. These shelter houses should cater to other amenities such as food, clothing, financial support counselling, and therapy until they are fit to stand independently. To make things easy and accessible there should be helplines that can be accessed 24/7 so that women call for help when they are in trouble.

3. Education and Awareness

Educate children from a young age about domestic abuse and teach them the importance of cultivating healthy relationships, gender equality, and healthy marriages. The public should also be enlightened on the implications of domestic violence and what can be done to help victims of domestic violence. Regular awareness campaigns to change the societal perspective of domestic violence and why it shouldn’t be tolerated. Finally, as part of the campaign, people should speak up and support women in abusive marriages or relationships.

4. Economic Empowerment

Most women are scared of leaving their abusive relationships because of financial gains. Providing jobs and employment opportunities for women who have experienced domestic abuse gives them the power to leave their abusive marriages. Also, financial support programs that can assist these women get back on their feet and rebuild their lives should be implemented.

5. Mental Health and Counselling Services

Counselling services should be available for free to victims of domestic violence to help them get over their trauma. For abusers, they should be sent to rehabilitation centers to address issues such as anger management, substance abuse, and any other disorder present to prevent a recurrence of abuse. 6. Community Involvement All communities in urban and rural regions should network together and provide help to victims of domestic violence. Examples include emotional support, providing a safe place to stay, trauma care, and job opportunities for financially dependent victims. Finally,  communities should implement watch programs where some members are delegated to watch and report signs of domestic abuse happening in their communities. READ ALSO: Spousal Abuse: Causes And Solutions

Conclusion

Addressing domestic violence or spouse abuse against women requires tackling the problem from the roots. There are a lot of factors that contribute to domestic violence, from psychological, economic, societal, legal to cultural factors. As a woman, you should know that it’s your right to speak up when being abused and seek help immediately. Finally, the legal system should be redressed to incorporate arresting and charging abusers and protect the victims. In doing this, we create a safe world for women.