Initmate Partner Violence

Emily Markstrom

Intimate Partner Violence

            Women have struggled with all types of violence. Many of them walk around wounded and chances are you know at least one woman who has experienced some sort violence in her lifetime. Intimate partner violence is experienced by women all around the world and knows no race or age. Intimate partner violence can be interchangeable with Domestic Violence as women experience violence physically or emotionally by a husband/ex-husband or boyfriend/ex-boyfriend. Women can also be abusers but in most cases a man is the one inflicting violence (Womenshealth.gov). This essay will discuss women all over the world, discussing in which countries are more prevalent and also comparing all of them to the United States.

            Just in the United States, more than 5 million women are abused by an intimate partner (Women’shealth.gov). Take into consideration that a lot of cases are un-reported as many women are in danger if they were to speak up. Domestic violence/Intimate partner violence can include: Physical abuse, such as, hitting, shoving, biting or thrown objects; Emotional abuse includes: yelling, controlling what you do, or threatening; Sexual abuse, where you are forced into sexual acts without consent (Womenshealth.gov). In 50-60% of homes where there is physical violence against an adult, there also exists physical violence against children (Boston Public Health). Unfortunately, because it happens so much in homes, domestic abuse or IPV is becoming more prevalent in teens. All over the country many young girls experiences all of these types of abuses by their partner. A comparison of IPV with teens and adults shows that teens are more at risk. “In addition to physical and emotional harm, dating violence against adolescent girls is associated with increased risk of substance use, unhealthy weight-control behaviors, sexual risk behaviors, pregnancy, and suicidal thinking” (Boston Public Health). Not only does it affect them physically and emotionally, it interferes with their entire life.

            Starting in the United States IPV(Intimate Partner Violence) serves as a public health problem. Nearly 3/10 women have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner. Remember that violent crimes such as IPV are under-reported (CDC). In 2007, more than 2,000 deaths resulted from IPV, 70% of those deaths were women. “The medical care, mental health services, and lost productivity (time away from work) cost of IPV was an estimated $5.8 billion in 1995. Updated to 2003 dollars is over 8 billion, now consider what that number is in 2012 (CDC). The CDC provides information on how to prevent IPV. The strategy to prevent IPV is to promote healthy dating in young adults (CDC). The CDC has an award winning project to promote healthy relationships. Choose Respect is an initiative that helps teens form healthy relationships to prevent dating violence before it starts. This national effort helps parents, caregivers, older teens, educators, and other caring adults motivate teens to challenge harmful beliefs about dating violence and take steps to form healthy and respectful relationships” (CDC). Many women suffer from low self esteem or strive to fit in, especially in middle school and high school. Teaching these girls that they are beautiful inside and out and instilling confidence and independence will help prevent these girls from being victims of all types of violence, as a lot of women experience violence because they are perceived as “weak and vulnerable” it is not just about sex.

Many women are often trapped when they are experiencing domestic abuse. The abuser often threatens to hurt them or children (if involved) to harm or kill if they were to ever tell. Some are physically trapped, they are not allowed to leave their home or talk to any of their loved ones, this is why it is important to recognize signs of Domestic Abuse early. There are many resources to get help. There is a National Domestic Violence Hotline that women can go to and has a SAFE button to exit right away if they feel they are in danger of their partner finding out. Also, most universities including, Minnesota State University Mankato, offer ways to get help. MSU has a counseling center and Women’s Center to get help and information. There is an event called “Take Back the Night” which invites women to share their experience and advice and come together as survivors not victims.

            Intimate partner violence is a global problem and is very prevalent everywhere. Rates of IPV vary from region to region, however, that could be from limited availability for help and under-report. Developing nations “face particular challenges” (FuturesWithoutViolence). “Intimate partner violence against women has serious consequences for maternal mortality and child survival in addition to having detrimental effects on a nation’s social and economic growth (Futures Without Violence). Not only do these women suffer immediate physical and emotional pain, many women will never be able to have children due the severity of the violence thrusted upon them or may not live long enough to have children. A 2005 study done by the World Health Organization (WHO) found a range from 15 percent in Japan to 71 percent in Ethiopia where women had experienced physical or sexual intimate partner violence. 1in 5 of those women had said they had never told anyone before.

            Although the United States has high rate of prevalence of violence against women including IPV, there are many advocacy programs and laws to help protect them (although the system has some flaws). Women of Russia, however, are not as fortunate. Even despite the high prevalence of violence against women, Russia has no systematic legal reform on violence against women. Russia lacks “specific budget items for initiatives to combat violence against women” (Russian Federation). With this lack of effort to prevent violence against women or to punish the offender offers the opportunity for it to keep rising. Since there is no certain law against, men may find it easy and O.K. to do this to their girlfriend/wife/partner. “Women constitute 40% of all murder victims and 51% of that number were also domestic violence victims” (Russian Federation). The existing laws fail to protect women as victims of domestic violence, which again gives many men the opportunity to keep committing this crime, which keeps the rates of IPV on the rise.

            China is another country where there is no specific law against domestic violence. China Law Institute estimates that 1/3 of Chinese families have experienced domestic abuse (Kathleen E. Mclaughlin). However, statistics vary, China’s society have few people that are willing to talk about domestic abuse. “It’s unusual to discuss one’s private problems outside the home, and domestic violence is still largely considered a family affair” Kathleen E. Mclaughlin). Like many victims of IPV, women in this society feel very ashamed that this had happened to them and since it’s a “family matter” many cases go unnoticed. China’s rates of domestic violence have always been high and can be considered a normal thing (since it’s more rooted that men are superior to women) that happens in the home because of how often it occurs, which is another reason why women don’t speak up. Wang Xingjuan, a women’s rights activist from Beijing, opened China’s first help center many years ago. It now operates as a domestic abuse hotline which appears to get busier as China becomes wealthier and more developed (Kathleen E. Mclaughlin).

            Whether a woman’s country has certain laws protecting them against violence, they all experience the similar problems when they do speak up about it. Although many countries such as the United States are working towards equality with men and women, men are still considered superior to women, which is a consistent thought in most societies. Men in a lot of these cases are backed up by everyone. A lot of abusers are wealthy, good looking, charming men, qualities that make abusing their wives or girlfriends easier to get away with. Sure, it’s harder to hide bruises or cuts, but part of IPV is emotional and psychological. These men are believed to be innocent and could not possibly be guilty of such a horrible crime. The wives or girlfriends of these men often find themselves stuck. They are too ashamed or too scared to tell anyone because of the threats that they are given.

            It’s great to see such an effort by countries or organizations to be advocates for women’s rights and health. Children should be learning how to be respectful to one another when they are in school and to use it for the rest of their lives. However, many countries are not exactly advocates and that comes with the region. I think depending on where you are and how “developed” the country is with women’s rights and health says a lot on the rates of domestic violence in their country. A lot of countries still consider women as objects and not as human beings. For example, some countries, more than others, have a huge sex trafficking industry. These women are sold, used and beaten. In some of those cases it is to pay off her family’s debt. If these countries learned to respect and treat women as an actual human, IPV would not still be a huge issue all over the world.

Women everywhere suffer from domestic violence or IPV. The results are devastating. Women are often emotionally and psychologically scarred and suffer a lifetime of recovering. Although regions differ in prevalence and some are advocates for violence against women, IPV and domestic violence is still a huge problem. No matter what country a woman lives in or how poor or wealthy she is, they can all experience similar effects. Women are trapped and scarred and since they are so emotionally hurt, they start to believe this is ok. Every country, every city should adopt ways to stop the violence. We need to support women and know men and women are equal. Children and young adults need to be taught healthy relationship qualities and ways to prevent violence, both girls and boys.

                                               

Works Cited

"Fact Sheet Intimate Partner Violence and Teen Dating Violence." Boston Public Health Committee. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. <http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=intimate%20partner%20violence%20in%20teens&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bphc.org%2Fprograms%2FFact%2520Sheets%2FDomestic%2520Violence%2FTDV%2520Fact%2520Sheet%2520%282%29.doc&ei=oqeQT4eyE9KatwfE4MTJBA&usg=AFQjCNFcnW8PoZnudvflkMkqqPGrcjHuJw&cad=rja>.

"The Facts on Internation Gebder-Based Violence." Futures Without Violence. Web. 04 Apr. 2012. <http://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/userfiles/file/Children_and_Families/International.pdf>.

McClaughlin, Kathleen E. "China's Domestic Violence Problem - GlobalPost - Salon.com." Salon.com. 14 Sept. 2011. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. <http://www.salon.com/2011/09/14/china_domestic_violence/>.

"Stop Violence Against Women Website." Home. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. <http://www.theadvocatesforhumanrights.org/Stop_Violence_Against_Women_Website_Project.html>.

"Understanding Intimate Partner Violence." Center for Disease Control. Web. 04 Apr. 2012. <http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pdf/IPV_Factsheet-a.pdf>.