The impact of social and economic factors on domestic violence
Domestic violence is a global issue that cuts across people from various economic and social backgrounds. According to Kutin, Russell and Reid (2017), the acts of violence at home are a visible and an insidious infringement of human rights and freedoms. The proliferation of violence among families has severe effects on the victim’s wellbeing and exerts substantial psychological and physical effects on the subjects (Ogi?ska-Bulik, 2017). Social and economic factors drive perpetrators of violence to become hostiles against their spouses and family members. Indeed, the world health organisation admits that domestic violence is a severe epidemic bearing a critical implication on the victims and it is a public health concern around the world (Pallitto et al., 2013). Violence occurs from both the male and female spouses although male-caused violence is prevalent than the latter. Australia is not immune to acts of violence with 39% of women in the country aged over eighteen years having experienced violence from a man since they were fifteen years (Phillips & Vandenbroek, 2014). Moreover, the prevalence of violence against children from their parents is not an exemption where the spread of children negligence is alarming. The proliferation of violence in the modern society calls for careful examination of the social and economic factors instigating its rise and the psychological implications the violence makes among the victims.
Social factors play a significant role in mediating violence across the world. Cultural issues appear to be among leading determinants of domestic violence. In the words of Trinh et al. (2016), some cultures based on patriarchal beliefs encourage vehemence towards women and children by men. A study conducted in Nigeria revealed that men acted in vehemence against women to assert their position as heads of family (Oladepo, Yusuf & Arulogun, 2013). Therefore, women are seen as objects that are subject to the decisions made by their husbands. Children are not left behind as they belong to the property base of the family head making them workers at their home. Consequently, any resistance from women and their children is met with punishment and beating. The role of drugs and substance abuse by husbands is also a facilitating factor in domestic violence. In another research by Koopmans (2015), Muslim women reported experiencing more violence compared to their Christian counterparts eliciting the religious element in augmenting violence against women. The doctrines enshrined in religious beliefs have sometimes been misinterpreted to favour the power of men over women. Notably, the social perception that men are superior to women places them at a social advantage to exercise dominion over their spouses and children.
Cultural issues and domestic violence
Australia is not isolated in the issue of domestic violence and social influence. According to Fisher (2013), the country is made up of the culturally diverse population, and the cultural values have increased the complexities involved in violence against women and children. Kutin et al. (2017), argues that women from English speaking nations residing in Australia experience more acts of violence compared to those from non-English speaking backgrounds. Notably, personal, language, religious, and cultural factors are vital factors that influence the possibility that a woman will experience violence in Australia (Phillips & Vandenbroek, 2014). Moreover, the proliferation of drug and substance abuse plays a significant part in increasing brutality against women and children in the Australian society. Therefore, women and children are at a danger of experiencing violence meted by men, although sometimes men have also reported being victimised by their wives and it would be unfortunate to neglect this type of abuse (Webster et al., 2014). Consequently, violence is violence, and regardless of who practices it, it should be condemned across the world for safe and secure families and society.
Another important element that contributes to domestic violence is economic issues. According to Trinh et al. (2016), the current trend of intimate partner violence depends on education, household income, and status. The emergence of economic disparities between men and women creates a situation of misunderstanding that ignites a state of insecurity among couples. Thus, the economic state of the family determines whether a family is likely to engage in violence or not. According to ABS data, women working in government jobs are more likely to experience violence from their spouses (Krnjacki et al., 2016). A study conducted by Heath (2014), revealed that there is a relationship between the levels of income with the victimisation of individuals in a family. In a study conducted by Anderberg et al. (2016), families from impoverished backgrounds have more possibility to engage in violence because of stress and lack of means to the make ends meet and psychological deprivation. The existence of financial security in marriage helps the spouses to feel more secure and reduces the possibility of engaging in violence against each other.
Domestic brawls lead to significant implication on children. Children are at the centre of violence meted against them by their parents. Notably, separation of families implies that children miss an opportunity to nourish their psychological wellbeing under the care of their parents (Kutin et al., 2017). Therefore, single-family children experience mental deprivation. According to a study conducted in Australia, single mother kids are more likely to miss gender orientation creating an identity crisis in their adulthood. According to Ogi?ska-Bulik (2017), single parent children also suffer trauma and anxiety in cases where their parents may have experienced physical harm or torture. In the words of Oladepo et al. (2013), the rising cases of single women are a result of fear because they witnessed violence or they were victims at certain time in their lives. The situation of children and domestic violence raises the aspect of the future of our society. Indeed, parents have failed to protect the kids and become the prey making the loose hope in life something that leads to darkened future of their kids and the society.
The role of drug and substance abuse in domestic violence
Evidence suggests that women who suffer violence from the spouses have substantially high danger of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The stress associated by pressure indicted to a victim is a danger to the psychological well-being of a domestic violence victim (Ogi?ska-Bulik, 2017). Trauma arising from beating and insults involved in violence leads to a reduction of self-esteem among women and men who experience violence from their partners. In a study conducted by Phillips and Vandenbroek (2014), women under abusive relationships have no reprieve in cases of abuse from the partners increasing their possibility of developing depression. Notably, the social perception that women should fight to retain their families makes it difficult for them to raise alarm (Devries et al., 2013). Therefore, they do not get help in time making their situation worse, and once they get into PTSD situation, a condition that is almost irreversible driving them to life-threatening circumstances. Stress becomes severe when children are involved in a violent case because they cannot manage depression, sometimes making them lose hope for life and run away from their families. In a study conducted in Nairobi among street kids, some of them said that they ended up in the streets because there were brawls between their parents and the only refuge they could find was away from home (Grant et al., 2013). Therefore, depression and trauma are some of the most adverse consequences of domestic violence that drive the victims to critical conditions of mental and physiological health.
The experience of harrowing event activates the cognitive system and instigates victims of brutality to demonstrate fear and anxiety. The stimulus of domestic hostility is threating and once recorded in the brains create a permanent situation of distress (Ogi?ska-Bulik, 2017)). Sometimes, victims exhibit significant challenge that triggers off their cognitive process leading to the change of mental schemata. The lapse in the cognitive schemata engages the victim’s brain in the process or repairing the psychological state. However, because of the situation of the victim, it sometimes becomes difficult to complete the recuperation process, and they end up accepting the reality of the problems and becoming mentally disillusioned (Ozgoli et al., 2016). The mind plays a critical function in an individual’s life and controlling the reality of violence involves several steps. Velea, Tru?escu and Curc? (2015), agree that victims can regain their psychological state after the traumatising incidence. However, the success of the exercise is subject to the available support and environment. Therefore, domestic violence victims require therapy services to help them construct new mental structures that will help the reinvigorate their thoughts and become less prone to further cognitive destruction.
The relationship between economic issues and domestic violence
Conclusion
Domestic violence is a real problem in the contemporary world. Socioeconomic factors instigate the incidence of the brutality towards women and children. Unfortunately, the thriving of the dominion idea of men over women undergirded by patriarchal thoughts makes the situation of cruelty against women and children worse. However, men also receive forms of abuse from their wives although the rate is negligible compared to one meted on women. There economic situation of the family determines whether they are likely to engage in brawls with more stable families cherishing peace. The impact of violence on victims elicits a concern as they have sometimes found themselves in severe physical and psychological state. Notably, children are at the receiving end in the case of the destabilisation of families. Indeed, kids are at a tender age and recuperating from the stress and managing to live under a single parent proves problematic affecting their growth and development in the future. Women also face profound consequences of violence from abusive spouses. The trauma and depression arising from the stressing experiences of abusive spouses are hard to recover for a victim. However, with the help of a psychiatric, victim of domestic violence may reduce the effects of trauma and reduce their cognitive destruction.
References
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