Domestic Violence Essay Examples

What is domestic violence?

“Black eyes, broken bones, but usually he hit me in the head, back and legs where it wouldn’t show, ended up in a different state, lost custody of my kids, couldn’t make it back to see them” (Anonymous, 2012). This quote is taken from a woman who was abused by her husband, which is known as intimate partner violence. It can also be known as spousal abuse or domestic abuse. Intimate partner violence/abuse is when a person in a relationship, whether married, sexually intimate, or cohabiting, and is being abused or treated in a violent way.

Spousal abuse is very common in the United States, many couples often experience at the least some form of spousal abuse. Spousal abuse can affect anyone, no matter what race, age, religion, etc. It has not been taken seriously, and often couples are left to work out their problems themselves. Thankfully, we now live in a society where violent behavior is unacceptable toward women. Spousal abuse can have a huge effect on women through emotions, injury and psychological effects. Emotions play a huge role in intimate violence; it affects every person in the household.

How does domestic violence affect children?

Those who experience intimate partner violence may come away with emotional problems as a result of the violence they endure. For example victims may experience psychological problems, children who witness violence may become traumatized and victims themselves, which can lead to depression, anxiety, and externalizing problems, and often have harder times communicating with others. “Studies to date suggest that IPV is associated with both behavioral and physiological aspects of emotion regulation” ( (Katz & Rigterink, 2012). When children are exposed to any type of violence or stress in the family it can be very harmful while the child is developing.

“One-third of the children who witness the battering of their mothers demonstrate significant behavioral and/or emotional problems, including psychosomatic disorders, stuttering, anxiety and fears, sleep disruption, excessive crying and school problems” (Stewart). Children have a greater risk of being exposed to many different types of issues; research shows that psychological maltreatment is very heterogeneous. A study was conducted in which to see if the buildup of different subtypes of psychological maltreatment had a greater impact on the child’s psychopathology and functional impairment.

Research on the impact of violence on children

The study included one hundred and sixty-eight children and adolescents aged between 4 and 17 all of which the mothers had been exposed to intimate partner violence. The results showed that “the greater the number of PM subtypes suffered by children, the greater the adverse effects in psychopathology and functioning. When a child suffers four PM subtypes, the number of DSM disorders is, on average, twice as high compared with children who are suffering only one PM subtype” (Ariadna de la Vega, 2013).

It is the parents responsibility to keep children safe and out of harm’s way. A child having to witness their parents being abused is going to have multiple effects and this is just one of them. This can affect the child enormously, in school and in just everyday life. One of families’ top priorities should be to make sure the child is protected in every way possible to avoid any and or all of these affects. Violence between partners is now seen as a topic that needs special attention, especially those who are being abused while bearing a child.

How are women affected by domestic violence?

Violence between partners is now seen as a topic that needs special attention, especially those who are being abused while bearing a child. The World Health Organization along with other organizations have made it their duty to help and support women who are carrying children to help them make choices that will lead their child to have a better life.

If a woman is being abused while pregnant she is susceptible to complications with the pregnancy. For the women going to the doctors to get checked can be their one chance for freedom, it gives healthcare personnel a chance to assess the patient and women a chance to speak up of any abuse. “Pregnant women and their unborn infants are vulnerable populations who should be treated as such, yet some reports show that death rates among pregnant women have escalated in recent years (Clements ET al. 2011).

Abuse can also cause premature birth, injury to the baby, and effect the mother’s mental and physical health. This can affect society in every way possible, without children how can our society continue to grow? Children are what we need to continue life working the way it does. It is very important that we make sure that pregnant women continue to be safe while with children to avoid any consequences. Not only does intimate partner violence affect children it also causes issues for the victims.

A major cause of injury to women is in fact battering. Many of the battering cases are due to domestic violence or spousal abuse, which can also lead to more serious incidents, like rapes. It can also be the start of medical difficulties because of the abuse. Some of the medical difficulties reported have been arthritis, hypertension, and heart disease. More seriously are those who are left with emotional and psychological injuries. Some victims say they have lost their jobs because of being absent as a result of violence. There is enough evidence showing convincing relations with intimate partner violence and post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders. It is said that most women who have to be subject to relational trauma in their lives have a greater risk of getting these effects.