violence instead of supporting reform to help women leave abusive relationships (Criminal Justice, 2020). During the early history of domestic violence, crimes were abundant, and punishments were public. It has been suggested that as crime rates increase, so does the violence toward humans, especially the vulnerable, including women and children. Healthcare Consideration: Social media platforms have emerged as significant channels, empowering numerous individuals affected by domestic violence to share their stories and experiences. Through these platforms, abused individuals find a voice, fostering awareness and generating conversations around domestic violence. The accessibility and reach of social media provide an opportunity to amplify the voices of survivors, break the silence surrounding domestic violence, and promote support and resources for those in need.
In Greece, early laws allowed men to rule as they saw best, which meant they could do anything to their wives. In early Rome, beatings were commonplace, and only women from the upper class could request a divorce. It is written that Constantine the Great, who was later canonized as a saint in the Catholic Church, executed his wife by boiling her alive for the suspicion of adultery (Criminal Justice, 2020). Under English Law, the “rule of thumb” limited the beatings that men could give their wives—they could use a stick no larger in diameter than their thumb to perform the beating. The Constitution did not include women’s rights in the early United States. Women could not own property, vote, or have a say in the political arena. Religious views also contributed to domestic violence against women as people interpreted biblical commands literally, such as women obeying and submitting to their husbands. Even today, courts often require family counseling in cases of domestic
RISK FACTORS FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
● They are fearful or angry. ● They commonly use defensive mechanisms to cope. The one theme that most people agree upon is that anger is not the reason people are abusive. When police are called to a home for a report of domestic violence, the abuser can talk normally without any form of physical violence. If anger were the culprit, the emotion could not be turned off that easily. The Duluth Model: Power and Control Wheel reveals how people who abuse can control and dominate their partner (Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs, 2017). Please see the following link for the Domestic Abuse and Intervention Project Wheel: https://nnedv.org/wp-content/ uploads/2019/07/Library_General_Power_and_Control_ Wheel.pdf Healthcare Consideration: Being aware of the risk factors associated with domestic and sexual violence enables early screening and proactive interventions to support the well- being of individuals experiencing abuse. By recognizing these risk factors, healthcare professionals can take prompt action, providing necessary resources and assistance to those affected. This proactive approach contributes to promoting the overall health and safety of survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2019) identified risk factors associated with developing violence and domestic violence. The authors looked specifically at factors associated with social learning and developmental perspectives, adult psychopathology, and marital relationship problems. Risk factors for domestic violence or IPV include the following: ● Growing up in a home where a person was maltreated when a child ● Increased marital strain ● Prior history of being physically abused ● Belief in strict gender roles ● Attitudes accepting or justifying IPV ● Depression ● Alcohol and substance abuse Hammond (2020) identified 13 reasons people abuse their partners. Some examples include the following: ● They have a disorder, such as antisocial personality disorder. ● They were abused in their childhood. ● They were exposed to movies, videos, or TV shows that glorify abuse. ● They grew up in a home environment with an abusive/ angry addict. ● They do not understand boundaries. ● They lack empathy.
Table 1: Types of Domestic Violence Form of Violence Behaviors Physical
Hitting; slapping; abandonment; forcing drug/alcohol use; preventing daily activities, such as bathing, eating, or sleeping Making derogatory remarks, forcing sexual acts, forcible rape, forcing someone to watch pornography, and purposely trying to infect someone with a sexually transmitted disease Threatening, ridiculing, isolation, blaming someone for acts, constant surveillance, and acting possessively Providing little or no monies to a person, taking a paycheck away, preventing a partner from working, and overspending credit limits Refusing to use contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancies, monitoring someone’s menstrual cycles, and forcing an abortion Denying social media access, sending fearful or threatening texts, sending explicit photos to someone, demanding explicit photos in return, and using technology to monitor a person
Sexual
Emotional
Financial
Reproductive coercion Digital abuse
From Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs, 2017
EliteLearning.com/Massage-Therapy
Book Code: MIL1224
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