Domestic Violence - Research Proposal

Introduction

Domestic violence is among the significant social issues across the world that many people ignore. In most cases, domestic violence happens between spouses. Domestic abuse takes the form of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Physical violence consists of kicking, slapping, or whatever action intended to harm the other person physically. Emotional abuse is when one's spouse consistently does or says things to emotionally hurt another while sexual abuse may include forcing someone to have sex against their will. Just because somebody is your spouse doesn't mean that you will have sex with them at any time you want even when they do not feel like it. All these forms of violence are detrimental in their ways.

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Causes of Domestic Violence

Mostly, men cause domestic violence because of their large physical advantage. Domestic violence can start as verbal slander and transform into physical violence with time. The first significant question to look into is about the causes of domestic violence. Stress is one leading cause of domestic violence. Unemployment, drug abuse, alcoholism, or financial issues can cause a lot of stress to a person, which can lead to abuse. Statistics indicate that many persons who encounter domestic violence in their childhood turn into abusers themselves.

Not a single theory explains the causes of domestic violence. The social exchange theory argues that the interactions of human beings result from pursuing rewards and avoidance of costs and punishment, and domestic violence happens when the costs offset the benefits. The social learning theory asserts that the rewards that people receive after engaging in a violent act reinforce their behavior, which many call modeling. The feminist theory views domestic violence as emanating from the patriarchal system where males feel in control of females. The ecological theoretical framework believes that it is a combination of all the viewpoints that causes domestic violence.

Signs of Domestic Violence

The other question is concerning the signs of domestic violence. When people recognize the signs of domestic violence, they can quickly tell when their partners start exhibiting unusual patterns of behavior and can avert this negative behavior early. The abuser begins by reporting stress and later becomes easily agitated. The abuser then gradually becomes extra abusive and severe occasions of abuse start occurring in the family. The next stage of the violence cycle is the physical ferocity and battery. The perpetrator loses control as well as becomes exceedingly violent towards the victim. The third phase of the violence cycle is when the outbursts of violence stop and the abuser becomes remorseful, usually asking for forgiveness, and assures the victim that they will not do it again. In this stage, the victim forgives the perpetrator of violence, in which circumstance the violence cycle commences typically again. The victim often feels afraid to leave their abusers due to victims feeling as dependent on the abuser. I believe that focusing on the causes and the signs of domestic violence will save many people from the bondage of violence at home.

Bibliography

Danis, Fran S. The criminalization of domestic violence: What social workers need to know. (2003). Social Work, April 1, 2003.

Johnson, Michael P. "Domestic violence: it's not about gender-or is it?" Journal of marriage and family 67, no. 5 (2005): 1126-1130.

Kishor, Sunita, and Kiersten Johnson. "Profiling domestic violence: a multi-country study." (2004).