Domestic violence or violence that is expressed using intimate acts is unfortunately as timeless as history. Rape and other sexual exploitation have been used to demoralize groups of people as in German concentration camps, on North America-bound slave ships, and in World War II Japanese brothels filled with "comfort women." Society-sanctioned forms of violence against women include infibulation (fastening or buckling together, as in binding of feet, or of the female genitalia in an effort to render less able to walk or render unable to have sexual intercourse, respectively) and female genital cutting, also known as female circumcision. Virtually all the world's societies
view or have viewed women as less valuable than men. From "honor" killings of
women for being rape victims or having premarital sex in some countries, to women being omitted from serving on juries in the United States until
1701 and prevented from voting until 1920, the view that women are somehow
second-class citizens encourages mistreatment of women.
What are the effects of domestic abuse?
Domestic abuse has major health and public-health consequences. Between 25%-50% of homeless families have lost their homes as a result of intimate
partner abuse. Such victimization is also associated with nearly $6 billion
in health-care costs and lost work productivity per year. Although psychological
abuse can be harder to define than overt physical abuse, it has been found to
cause at least as much damage.
Partner abuse of pregnant women has been associated with preterm deliveries
of low-birth-weight babies. Domestic partner abuse puts children of the couple at
risk for lower intellectual functioning, being victims of child abuse as
children, and of intimate partner violence as adults. This form of family violence also puts children at higher risk of having emotional problems and engaging in drug abuse. Given such risks, the presence of intimate partner abuse in a family should be an important consideration in child custody issues.
Domestic violence results in homicide as well. Victims who live in a
household where weapons are present and drugs are used have a greater risk of
being killed by their abuser.
Alcoholism is a disease that includes alcohol craving and continued drinking despite repeated alcohol-related problems, such as losing a job or getting into trouble with the law.
Drug addiction is a chronic disease that causes drug-seeking behavior and drug use despite negative consequences to the user and those around him. Though the initial decision to use drugs is voluntary, changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self-control and ability to make the right decisions and increase the urge to take drugs. Drug abuse and addiction are preventable.
Child abuse falls into four categories: neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. There are certain risk factors that predispose a child to being abused and an adult to abusing a child. Risk factors for children are age, children with learning disabilities, adopted and foster children, children with congenital abnormalities, and a past history of abuse. Parental risk factors include young or single parents, those who suffered abuse themselves, adults with substance-abuse problems or psychiatric disease, and those who didn't graduate from high school.
Compulsive gambling is a disorder that affects millions in the U.S. Symptoms and signs include a preoccupation with gambling, lying to family or loved ones to hide gambling, committing crimes to finance gambling, and risking importance relationships and employment due to gambling. Treatment may incorporate participation in Gamblers' Anonymous, psychotherapy, and medications like carbamazepine, topiramate, lithium, naltrexone, antidepressants, clomipramine, and fluvoxamine.
There are many forms of sexual assault, including rape, attempted rape, child molestation, sexual intercourse that you say no to, inappropriate touching, and vaginal, anal, or oral penetration. Sexual assault can also be anything that forces someone to join in unwanted sexual contact or attention, such as voyeurism, exhibitionism, incest, and sexual harassment.