Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence

Introduction

Domestic violence is any action or omission starring the members who comprise the group family, this can be by marriage, blood or affiliation and transformed into aggressors relations between them causing damage to physical, psychological, sexual, economic or social one or several of them. In fact, Domestic violence is violence within the couple (Berry, 2000). It is an evolutionary process in which a partner engages, as part of a privileged relationship, domination expressed through physical aggression, psychological, sexual, economic or spiritual. Domestic violence has serious consequences for victims and for their children (Kurst-Swanger & Petcosky, 2003). It is well documented that the presence of violence against women in a household or society corresponds with an increased likelihood that children are also victims of violence, either directly or indirectly, through witnessing violence against women.

Discussion

A supportive environment is important to mitigating stressful times for parents. Violence between domestic partners threatens the abused parent's ability to cope, fundamentally increasing the risk of child maltreatment. The victim of domestic violence is often reluctant to leave the perpetrator, even for the sake of the children involved (Kurst-Swanger & Petcosky, 2003). If the perpetrator has not harmed the child in the past, the victim may resist the idea that child maltreatment is linked to domestic violence. A victim may believe that staying with the perpetrator is best for both the victim and the child, especially if the perpetrator controls the household's finances. When there is violence in the home, there are frequently other problems, such as substance abuse, mental illness, poverty, and sexual abuse. A combination of stressors can place children at a higher risk for maltreatment.

Family Dynamics

The family dynamics of maltreating families vary by types of maltreatment. In neglectful families, the child may take on the role of the adult. When a child is physically abused in a family that experiences domestic violence regularly, the child may have taken on the role of protector of the mother (Kurst-Swanger & Petcosky, 2003). The social problems already mentioned may also be factors in families in which there is sexual abuse. Research findings on the causes of sexual abuse, however, are more complex than those on other maltreatment typologies.

Impact on Children

Child maltreatment is associated with adverse effects and trauma in children as they develop and grow into adulthood. While signs of developmental delays or other difficulties do not always indicate that a child has been maltreated, ...