Socioeconomic factors and domestic violence
Domestic violence is an entrenched social and public health issue that cuts across all nations both the developing and the developed states. The report of the World Health Organization in 2010 defined domestic abuse and violence as a behavior in a close relationship that results in psychological, physical or sexual harm, and it includes the acts of; controlling behavior, sexual coercion, physical aggression and psychological abuse. There has been an advancement in the understanding and recognition of the possible health outcomes of domestic abuse and violence in association to both chronic and acute health effects past the cases of physical distress as observed in the acute care departments of primary care and hospital settings. There has been increased studies on the associations amongst domestic violence and the socioeconomic factors as well as mental and physical health through a large variety of disciplines. Domestic abuse cases are related to increased mental health threats, however, very few individuals affected by domestic abuse fail to discuss the issue with the public. For this reason, very little is known of the mental health issue of the domestic violence and abuse (DVA) survivors, seeking support from the domestic abuse incidences. The essay inspects how the psychological and the socioeconomic factors affect the domestic violence incidence.
Socioeconomic factors are the components of an individual’s lifestyle, they include measurements of social standing and financial viability. The factors include; subjective sensitivities of social class and level, financial security, and educational attainment. The socioeconomic factors can comprise the life quality attributes and the privileges as well as opportunities that a person affords in the society. Therefore, there are various socioeconomic aspects that affect the social and behavioral science of people (Kishor, and Johnson, 2014).
Acquisition of higher education in women is a significant predictor of the attitudes of the women towards domestic abuse and violence. Attainment of education in the women have positively backed the lowering of the acceptance percentage of domestic abuse. Therefore, interventions that focus on improving educational standards in women result in the reduction of the cases of domestic violence due to the changed attitudes of the women towards violence (Michau, Horn, Bank, Dutt, and Zimmerman, 2015). However, in most developing nations such as Bangladesh, the women are barred from attaining higher education levels than men due to religious and cultural beliefs, this establishes a subordinate position for the women and keeps the women away from empowerment (Koenig, Ahmed, Hossain, and Mozumder, 2005).
Educational attainment
The economic status of women plays a significant role in determining the women’s position in the society. Occupationally engaged women are usually more rewarded for participating in the expenditure of the family than those who do not have an occupation. Less dependency of the working women makes them less vulnerable in the family, therefore, reducing their chances of being abused. On the other hand, the women who are not working tend to depend greatly on the family expenditure, therefore, they are more vulnerable to domestic abuse and violence (Worell, and Remer, 2012).
The spousal-age gap plays a major role in indicating the vulnerability of women towards domestic violence. In most communities, since the man is the family’s head, the husband is usually older than the wife. However, most men, particularly in the developing countries, take the age gap aspect for granted in cases of decision-making and they dictate every aspect in the family while the women are denied of the same opportunities. The husbands may even batter the wives as a way of indicating their superiority. In most third world nations, early marriages are common, therefore the spousal age gap is a factor promoting domestic abuse and violence (Kaukinen, Meyer, and Akers, 2013).
The socioeconomic status level is described as an individual’s position in the society. Low level of socioeconomic status is found to be a promoter to domestic violence. The correlates of low socioeconomic status such as poor health and poverty ultimately affect the family and the society as well. Low SES results in poor health especially in pregnant women as they are unable to attain the required health care during the pregnancy and even at childbirth. In the developing republics, there has been an increase in the physical harm to pregnant women and even psychological stress due to inability to attain appropriate medical attendance during pregnancy and at childbirth (Garcia-Moreno, Jansen, Ellsberg, Heise, and Watts, 2006). According to the 2010 WHO report that defines domestic violence as any behavior in a close relationship that results in psychological, physical or sexual harm, low SES is an indirect promoter to domestic abuse to pregnant women, as they are unable to attain the relevant medical attendance thus poor health and this might lead to psychological distress. Psychological distress might affect a woman’s pregnancy and this disturbs the mental development of the infant and even that of the young children, and this is a form of domestic violence to the children (Matthews, Gallo, and Taylor, 2010).
Occupational Status
Poverty in another aspect of low socioeconomic status that influences domestic violence. Poverty is usually characterized by a number of psychosocial and physical stressors. Poverty determines the lifestyle lived, including psychological and physical health. Most of the families in the third world states have low-income levels and therefore are prone to poverty. Income acts as an indicator of the socio-economic position of the women in the family. Income level determines the social class of the wife in the family after marriage, low-income level increases the vulnerability of the women to domestic violence. Therefore, poor families tend to be more prone to domestic abuse that stable families (Abramsky et al., 2011).
There are various cultures that allow domestic violence as a normal way of living. The aspect allows men, especially in the African countries, to freely abuse the wives as it is acceptable. Formal dowry practices which are also associated with cultural arrangements might promote domestic abuse and violence. Women whose dowry has been paid feel more entitled and some might behave assertively in their homes of marriage and this behavior attracts violent responses from their husbands (Koenig, Stephenson, Ahmed, Jejeebhoy, and Campbell, 2006).
The exposure of individuals to violence affects their thinking and eventually their occupational, educational and income levels are affected. Violence exposure tends to affect groups from all the SES levels. The exposure also affects any age group; children, adults and youths, however, young individuals from lower levels of the SES backgrounds are more affected by this aspect and they tend to suffer most in the future. Youth exposure to violence has indicated lasting consequences. For instance, physically abused adolescents have lower odds of being married as they are mainly depressed and for the fear of being hurt again (Holt, Buckley, and Whelan, 2008). If the adolescents happen to get married, they tend to have a negative aspect towards marriage and this notion attracts violence in their marriages. The adolescents usually have limited educational attainment chances as they are usually less interested in schooling, therefore, they tend to acquire lower grades and this might force them to drop out of the school. Lower educational level, especially in women, is said to be associated with increased domestic violence behaviors as the women tend to have an accepting attitude towards domestic abuse (Repetti, Taylor, and Seeman, 2012).
Depression which is a serious and common medical illness is known to be a promoter of intimate partner violence. Depression might be as a result of previous cases of domestic violence of an individual’s parents and thus are affected mentally. For example, youths who have grown in homes where domestic violence is constant experience depressive symptoms in their lifetime, this ultimately affects their future studies and marriages too. Due to depression, some girls tend to drop out of school and might end up in early marriages and these lead to problems that come around because of spousal-age difference, thus promoting intimate partner violence behaviors (Cook et al., 2017). On the other hand, boys who have been brought up in families where domestic abuse and violence is common tend to carry on the behavior into their marriages. Depression can also affect a woman’s pregnancy and this disturbs the mental development of the infant and even that of the young children, and this is a form of domestic violence to the children (Matthews, Gallo, and Taylor, 2010).
Age Difference Status
Conclusion
Domestic violence is an ingrained social and public health concern that cuts across all states both the developing and the developed nations. There are various factors that promote intimate partner abuse these factors include psychological and socioeconomic factors. To reduce the cases of domestic abuses in families, it is important for the society to ensure provision of equal and quality education to both girls and boys, there is also the need to raise awareness campaigning for gender equality especially in the third world countries (Michau, Horn, Bank, Dutt, and Zimmerman, 2015). Communities should also avoid exposure of the young individuals to any form of violence to avoid the mental stress of the young adults.
References
Abramsky, T., Watts, C. H., Garcia-Moreno, C., Devries, K., Kiss, L., Ellsberg, M., & Heise, L. (2011). What factors are associated with recent intimate partner violence? Findings from the WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence. BMC public health, 11(1), 109.
Cook, A., Spinazzola, J., Ford, J., Lanktree, C., Blaustein, M., Cloitre, M., & Mallah, K. (2017). Complex trauma in children and adolescents. Psychiatric annals, 35(5), 390-398.
Garcia-Moreno, C., Jansen, H. A., Ellsberg, M., Heise, L., & Watts, C. H. (2006). Prevalence of intimate partner violence: findings from the WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence. The lancet, 368(9543), 1260-1269.
Holt, S., Buckley, H., & Whelan, S. (2008). The impact of exposure to domestic violence on children and young people: A review of the literature. Child abuse & neglect, 32(8), 797-810.
Kaukinen, C. E., Meyer, S., & Akers, C. (2013). Status compatibility and help-seeking behaviors among female intimate partner violence victims. Journal of interpersonal violence, 28(3), 577-601.
Kishor, S., & Johnson, K. (2014). Profiling domestic violence: a multi-country study. John Wiley & Sons.
Koenig, M. A., Ahmed, S., Hossain, M. B., & Mozumder, A. K. A. (2003). Women’s status and domestic violence in rural Bangladesh: individual-and community-level effects. Demography, 40(2), 269-288.
Koenig, M. A., Stephenson, R., Ahmed, S., Jejeebhoy, S. J., & Campbell, J. (2006). Individual and contextual determinants of domestic violence in North India. American journal of public health, 96(1), 132-138.
Matthews, K. A., Gallo, L. C., & Taylor, S. E. (2010). Are psychosocial factors mediators of socioeconomic status and health connections? Annals of the New York academy of sciences, 1186(1), 146-173.
Michau, L., Horn, J., Bank, A., Dutt, M. and Zimmerman, C., (2015). Prevention of violence against women and girls: lessons from practice. The Lancet, 385(9978), pp.1672-1684.
Repetti, R. L., Taylor, S. E., & Seeman, T. E. (2012). Risky families: family social environments and the mental and physical health of offspring. Psychological bulletin, 128(2), 330.
Worell, J., & Remer, P. (2012). Feminist perspectives in therapy: Empowering diverse women. John Wiley & Sons.
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