What causes domestic violence?

Introduction

This paper is being written in response to an article titled “Why batterers do what they do: Many see themselves as victims, but for most it's an issue of control”, written by Bill Ibelle. In this article, the author has elaborated on a story of a man, who was arrested on the charges of battering his wife (www.karatechick.com).

The notion of a “battered woman” derives from the criminal violation known as battery, or the willful or intentional touching of a person against that person's will by another person, or by an object or substance put in motion by that other person. Other terms that are currently used to refer to such activity include domestic violence, wife abuse, spousal abuse, family violence, and intimate partner violence (Kubany, 88).

Discussion

In the battering relationship, the physical violence may take many forms, including pushing, shoving, slapping, punching, kicking, choking, assault with a weapon, holding, tying down, restraining, or other efforts designed to restrict the woman's freedom, or refusing to help a woman who is sick or injured. However, physical violence in such relationships is usually preceded by various forms of coercion that give way to emotional abuse and sexual abuse as a means of controlling the woman through fear and degradation (Groves, 47).

Causes of Domestic Violence

As is the case for all complex social phenomena, there is no one single cause of domestic violence. The first-and perhaps the most important influence-is learning.

The dominant influence on male behavior is social expectation. Children learn the basics about how to relate to other people within the context of their own family. When they witness violence being used as a method for resolving problems, they learn violence as a fundamental intervention with other people (Campbell, 25).

Although substance abuse does not cause battering, it can play ...