”Each culture has its sayings and songs about the importance of home, and the comfort and security to be found there. Yet for many women, home is a place of pain and humiliation.”
‘Violence against women is both a consequence and a cause of gender inequality.’
NCADV says, ‘Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior perpetrated by an intimate partner against another. It is an epidemic affecting individuals in every community, regardless of age, economic status, race, religion, nationality or educational background. Violence against women is often accompanied by emotionally abusive and controlling behavior, and thus is part of a systematic pattern of dominance and control. Domestic violence results in physical injury, psychological trauma, and sometimes death. The consequences of domestic violence can cross generations and truly last a lifetime.’
WHO says ‘Violence against women has a far deeper impact than the immediate harm caused. It has devastating consequences for the women who experience it, and a traumatic effect on those who witness it, particularly children. It shames states that fail to prevent it and societies that tolerate it. Violence against women is a violation of basic human rights that must be eliminated through political will, and by legal and civil action in all sectors of society.’
1 in 4 women experience domestic violence over their lifetimes.
Different research organizations’ reports: ‘In the USA, domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women—more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined. Nearly 1 in 5 teenage girls who have been in a relationship said a boyfriend threatened violence if presented with a breakup.Every 9 seconds in the USA a woman is assaulted or beaten. Everyday in the USA, more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends.
In the USA, 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year. 85% of domestic violence victims are women. Historically, females have been most often victimized by someone they knew. Most cases of domestic violence are never reported to the police.’
‘In the USA, Almost one-third of female homicide victims that are reported in police records are killed by an intimate partner. 70-80% of intimate partner homicides, no matter which partner was killed, the man physically abused the woman before the murder. Less than one-fifth of victims reporting an injury from intimate partner violence sought medical treatment following the injury. Intimate partner violence results in more than 18.5 million mental health care visits each year.
The cost of intimate partner violence exceeds $5.8 billion each year, $4.1 billion of which is for direct medical and mental health services.Victims of intimate partner violence lost almost 8 million days of paid work because of the violence perpetrated against them by current or former husbands, boyfriends and dates. This loss is the equivalent of more than 32,000 full-time jobs and almost 5.6 million days of household productivity as a result of violence. There are 16,800 homicides and $2.2 million (medically treated) injuries due to intimate partner violence annually, which costs $37 billion. Domestic violence is one of the most chronically underreported crimes. Only approximately one-quarter of all physical assaults, one-fifth of all rapes, and one-half of all stalkings perpetuated against females by intimate partners are reported to the police.’
‘Partner violence accounts for a high proportion of homicides of women internationally: between 40% – 70% of female murder victims (depending on the country) were killed by their partners/former partners.Domestic violence is internationally acknowledged to be one of the health inequalities affecting women particularly, and forms a significant obstacle to their receiving effective health care. Violence against women has serious consequences for their physical and mental health, and women who have experienced abuse from her partner may suffer from or chronic health problems of various kinds. Abused women are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety,psychosomatic systems, eating problems and sexual dysfunction. Violence may also affect their reproductive health. Violence has indirect effects on the society. It represents a drain on the economically productive workforce and generates a climate of fear and insecurity.’
Now the question is how can violence against women by male intimate partners be stopped?
There are two solutions.1.simple. 2.non-simple.
Non-simple
1.Educate men, empower women.
2.Seek support from family, friends, doctors and community legal centers. Seek protection from the police and the legal system.
3. Women should have access to housing, jobs, and economic supports for their families.These benefits and supports will remove barriers that keep many women trapped in abusive relationships.
3.Leave the abusive relationship NOW. etc.
Simple
Men decide to stop violence against women and they stop violence against women.
I prefer the simple one.
I always thought that males in the underdeveloped countries torture women physically and mentally. Now I know after reading this article that even in the most powerful country like America males involve in domestic violence against women. What a shame!
women are mostly responsible for this domestic violence as they don’t prefer to accept a peaceful humble men as their partner rather than prefer to be with filths. this violences mostly leaded for their unlimited demand and it is well known that women are impossible to please.
It is a shame but lets not forget that in America, research has shown that women perpetrate domestic violence against men just as often as the reverse and use weapons more.
Carroll, men who are abused by women can get help as well as women. I don’t believe the number of assaults on men are equal at all.
Misogyny is prevalent in every country among rich & poor.
It is the attitude regarding women & their place in the world.
Women are not valued the same as men.
This isn’t about male bashing, this is a huge problem that must be solved by men & women who want a better life for their families.
Children learn behaviors from their surroundings.
We can all benefit from the end of violence, but especially the end of violence against women & children.
In the USA today, women are treated as less than men, from their pay checks to their place in government.
When women are not equal, everyone eventually looses.
Having been a volunteer for PA and a child shelter, I have to say violence against children is a separate subject from violence against women. A lot of the abusers of children ARE women.
Most child abusers are women.
Only technically. Women are the primary caregivers for children, men are not. If you look at it proportionate to the amount of time spent with children, men do it at a far higher rate. Also abuse is not just that directly directed at children, being in ab abusive environment causes harms.
It’s certainly true that women can also be violent, what is true is that the violence men experience is more often perpretrated by other men. It’s more complex than you would think, so don’t focus on the wrong target. http://www.xyonline.net/content/claims-about-husband-battering
“Women are the primary caregivers for children, men are not. If you look at it proportionate to the amount of time spent with children, men do it at a far higher rate.”
Somehow I don’t think this is going to matter to a kid who is being knocked around by either a man or woman. The kid will just want it to stop.
Societal pressure deters men from reporting or seeking help for domestic violence because they risk ridicule. Multiple studies show that men are such victims at equal numbers.
Men’s income in the U.S. is no higher than women’s for the same work. Men just work more hours and tend more to go into fields thay pay more and are often more hazardous. That is why work related deaths are far higher for men. Unequal results don’t equate to unequal opportunities. Plus women benifit from affermative action and other legal advantages.
Caroll, you’re kind of completely full of shit. Hazardous jobs actually pay much less. Do you think men make more than women because men dominate fields like coal mining and farm work? Give me a break.
Men make a lot more than women after adjusting for number of hours worked. You really don’t think researchers are aware of that possibility and control for it?
Have you just not bothered to actually read the methodology section of ANY research on the subject, and hope we won’t notice your regurgitation of some assertion-laden evidence-free article you half-remember reading on a men’s rights blog?
Actually, modern day coal miners a paid well. Unlike the past, men have more options and are not forced to work in coal mines to make a living. Thus, higher pay accompanies such an undesireable job. Oil rig workers commonly make six figures. Electricians make good money. Also, men are more willing to take jobs that require travel and surveys indicate that men prioritize income more than women while women prioritize job comfort. Men are more likely to go into technical fields. Single men and single women who work 50 hours a week make the same money. Here are good reads:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/04/16/its-time-that-we-end-the-equal-pay-myth/
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/05/opinion/05farrell.html
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-06-07/news/ct-oped-0607-chapman-20120607_1_wage-gap-paycheck-fairness-act-part-time-work
http://unitedfamiliesinternational.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/myth-buster-monday-men-earn-more-than-women-for-the-same-job/
Yes, I suppose if you count self-defense using weapons to level the playing field against someone who has beaten you for years and will kill you if you try to leave, it would look like there was some equivalence.
There isn’t, of course.
Such stats refer to initiated violence, not self defense.
Do you have a cite for that? Because I’ve never heard that statistic before.
Here in Brazil we have a law from 2006 that institutes more severe penalties to cases of domestic violence against woman and preventive prison to the offender.
It’s called “Maria da Penha Law” based on a woman that had two attempts of murder from her husband and ended paraplegic from the attacks, he was latter sent to prison but the sentence was notoriously small (8 years reduced to 2). She is now a woman’s wrights leader.
Couldn’t find sources in English so here’s a Google Translate of the Wikipedia page of the Law. The “autolink” of the blog breaks midway so copy&paste the line bellow.
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=pt-BR&langpair=pt|en&u=http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lei_Maria_da_Penha
If something in the auto-translate doesn’t make sense feel free to ask.
Murder is the leading cause of death in pregnancy.
In the USA, with it’s appalling maternal mortality rates from illness/complications. this is staggering information.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_pregnant_women
Wow. “what about teh menz!” already at comment 2. Usually it takes a little longer…
I have a girlfriend. We’ve been together for almost 6 years, and, although we’ve had a couple of arguments the mere thought of enacting physical or psychological violence against her makes me literally nauseous.
Such appaling mistreatment of someone you’re supposed to love is inexcusable. A steaming pile of cow dung is much more deserving of my respect than men who hit their partners.
You know, I used to think that women were strong enough to fight back and be able to fend this kind of abuse off. I always thought of myself as being one of those kind of people who would be too strong-willed to be abused and would throw too much of a fit for the abuser to find it worth the effort. I was wrong. Yes, I through one hell of a fit, but the abuse didn’t stop at just him. I told over a dozen people on the first day that it happened, looking for help. Both men and women alike both called me a liar. You would be amazed how many people would turn their backs on a victim if they decided that they didn’t want to believe it. I was told that if I took him to court, that everyone would testify against me and that they would file charges of false accusations. Of course that relationship had ended the moment that the incident happened, but it took 4 years before I could walk through a walmart without ducking behind shelves to avoid someone who would cause a scene in the store. They still call me a liar.
It’s a good thing you don’t face ridicule for reporting abuse like men do. You can never understand their pain.
/End sarcasm
I’m really, really sorry you went through that. I hope it’s gotten better since then.
The NCADV document you linked contains the statement: “Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior perpetrated by an intimate partner against another.”
I find it telling that you found this perfectly reasonable statement to be sufficiently incompatible with your narrative that you felt the need to take the liberty of inserting gender against the author’s apparent intent.
Is your narrative simply “Women are Victims; Men are Perpetrators” or is there more to it than this?
My experience has been that the abuser gets a slap on the wrist and told, “Now don’t do that again, k?” The victim is just patted on the head and told, “Stop being hysterical. If you just stop provoking* him, he won’t hit you.”
*by which is meant “don’t even breathe without his permission.”
We all agree that domestic violence is appalling. However, were the author honest and well informed, she would have pointed out that domestic violence among same sex couples occurs at roughly the same rate as in heterosexual couples – and yes, that includes lesbian couples.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/06/lgbt_domestic_violence.html
Please read the title again. It is not about Domestic Violence in general or violence among same sex couples.
The title is:
Violence against women by male intimate partners
If you want respect, you must give respect. I respectably submitted that the the nature of intimate partners begets violence, such that it occurs in every type of intimate relationship. Your response was discourteous and completely ignored the obvious point of the nature of violence.
I realize that your pathetic blog has only one theme: women are nothing but victims, and it’s all the fault of men.
What a sad and wretched life you must lead.
My blog is about the truth you can not deny, so that you pathetic people call it ‘pathetic’.
Speaking of sad and pathetic. Trolling a blog about the overwhelming problems women face as second class citizens worldwide to whine about teh poor, poor menz.
You’re full of shit and you know it.
My suggestion to all the MRA trolls here is to get your own blog and write all you want about the oppression of men and allow Taslima to write about the subjects that she feels are important.
You trolls are no different than the men who belittle and demean their wives, girlfriends and lovers. Your behavior is appalling.
Separating domestic violence out by sex, gay/straight, ect. actually hinders the problem. The real solutions include good comprehensive community outreach. While women ARE the majority of reported cases, and most likely the majority of all cases, the incidence against men is not so insignificant as to be completely disregarded. The conservative estimates are that 30% of all domestic violence incidents are against men. Thats not really my point though, if we want to do something about domestic violence we have to go after the whole problem, not just some of it. As part of my BSN nursing program, I did a community outreach fair at a high risk school here in Shreveport. My group’s topic was domestic violence, and in talking to the boys there, there were a few things that came up pretty quickly. One a lot of them had personally seen domestic violence against men in their own families or in their neighbors, and two knowing that it happened to men they tuned us out if we didnt talk about that fact and only talked about how it affected women.
This comment highlights the problem a lot of men have in getting behind the feminist movement IMO, especially the brand of feminism Taslima advocates. We’re basically being told “Your issues don’t matter! Only women’s issues matter! You’re not allowed to point out how any of the women’s issues we are talking about also adversely affect men! If you do you are a dudebro MRA douche mansplainer!”
And then the people telling us this get offended when we fail to get excited about an ideology that marginalizes our experience in the same way they complain we are doing to them.
Violence, discrimination, intimidation, denial of agency–these are HUMAN ISSUES. Addressing them wherever they occur and in whatever form they take will make life better for EVERY HUMAN.
we mustn’t underestimate psychological abuse either, a relationship doesn’t have to turn physically violent to be violent