The History of Domestic Abuse in the United States



The History of Domestic Abuse in the United States

Introduction

“There is, of course nothing wrong with a husband, faced with his wife's initial refusal to engage in intercourse, in attempting, in an acceptable way, to persuade her to change her mind, and that may involve a measure of rougher than usual handling” (Magazanik, 1993). Probably inadvertent, but statements like the above, made by people like Justice Bollen, only encourage abuse. A man of his position should be working actively to ensure that women get the rights that are promised to them. Bollen is in the perfect position to ensure that women are protected. Unfortunately, men like these let their personal, obtuse opinions get in the way of their profession and thus misconstrue what is right and what is wrong. Yes, any man that uses even the slightest, even 'acceptable', form of violence to persuade his loved one for intercourse or any other favor is a criminal and should be held accountable for his actions.

Unfortunately, violence that is expressed through the means of intimate gestures or act, or domestic violence, is just as old as recorded history. Women have been raped and sexually exploited countless times. Domestic abuse can be seen in ancient Rome, barbaric tribesman, and even as recent as America bound slave ships and Nazi concentration camps. The abuse continues to this day. There have been honor killings, women being forced into prostitution after the abuse they suffer at the hands of their lovers, rapes and purposeful transmission of STDs out of sheer hatred or vengeance. The depressing part is that many victims spend their life believing that the abuse they suffer is entirely their fault; that they deserve it. Such is not true. Any man abusing his wife is mentally upset and does not realize that this is no way to treat another human being. After all, it was a woman that gave birth to man; it was a woman that nurtured him when he was an infant (Bowen, 2000). When a child is scared, the first individual he wants to go to is his mother. Why is it that when that very little boy grows up, he feels that it is justified to abuse and hit another woman? She too will one day give birth to a child, care for it and watch it grow into a beautiful adult. Why should she suffer?

It was not until quite recently that women began to be considered as equals. It was not until 1701 that women were allowed to be a part of jury. Women were not even allowed to vote till the 1920s. Women were treated as second class citizens when they were not being treated as animals. Change has come about gradually. Today, they can stand shoulder to shoulder with any man. They are a part of our armies, our governments, the people that provide us medical aid and protection from criminals on the ...