Factors Influencing Domestic Violence Against Women

As per UN definition, any violence against women as any act of gender-based violence resulting in (or likely) physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats occurring in public or private life, falls under the preview of violence against women act. Eric Thole attorney at law, considers it a major public health problem and a violation of women’s human rights.

According to a 2018 survey conducted by WHO across 161 countries and areas, nearly 1 in 3, or 30% of women worldwide (aged 15-49 years), have encountered physical and/or sexual violence in the hands of an intimate partner /non-partner sexual violence or both. 

Intimate Partner Violence

It refers to behavior by an intimate partner or ex-partner causing physical, sexual, or psychological harm. It includes behaviors like controlling behaviors, physical aggression, sexual coercion, and psychological abuse.

Sexual Violence

It includes any sexual act, an attempt of a sexual act, or any other act directed against a person’s sexuality through coercion by any person, regardless of their relationship to the victim, in any setting. Sexual violence includes rape, attempted rape, unwanted sexual touching, and other non-contact forms.

The Violence Against Women Act

The specifically designed law, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), protects survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Eric Thole advises approaching the national domestic violence hotline for domestic abuse. He further urges everyone to be aware of some of the critical provisions under the VAWA.

Critical Provisions Under The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)

• Provides complete funding for rape kits and legal/court fees for domestic violence protection orders
• All state, tribal, and territorial jurisdictions within the US recognize and enforce the victim protection orders.
• Implements and funds special domestic violence crime units in local communities
• It makes it necessary for law enforcement officers to have, especially domestic violence and sexual violence training
• Empowers the ability of tribal courts to try non-Indian spouses or intimate partners of Indian women in domestic or dating violence cases
• Has provisions for undocumented immigrants as victims of domestic violence to apply for a green card in exchange for enabling law enforcement officials to prosecute their abusers

Factors Influencing Domestic Violence Against Women

Eric Thole states most domestic violence against women associated with intimate partner violence and sexual violence occurs due to various risk factors influencing the individual, family, community, and society levels.

Factors for both intimate partner violence and sexual violence

• Lower levels of education (perpetration and experience of sexual violence)
• History of exposure to child abuse/maltreatment (perpetration and experience)
• Witnessing family violence (perpetration and experience)
• Antisocial personality disorder (perpetration)
• Harmful use of alcohol (perpetration and experience)
• Destructive masculine behaviors, including having multiple partners or attitudes favoring violence (perpetration)
• Community norms entitling or ascribing higher status to men and lower status to women
• Low levels of access to paid employment by women
• Low level of gender equality like discriminatory laws, etc.,

Factors particularly associated with intimate partner violence

• Previous history of exposure to violence
• Marital discord and dissatisfaction
• Difficulties in communicating between partners
• Male controlling behaviors towards their partners

Factors particularly associated with sexual violence perpetration

• Beliefs in family honor and sexual purity
• Ideologies of male sexual entitlement
• Inadequate legal sanctions for sexual violence

Conclusion

Eric Thole highlights that domestic violence against women induces serious short- and long-term physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health problems for women. It results in fatal outcomes like homicides or suicides. It also affects the health and well-being of children growing up in families with violence, causing a range of behavioral and emotional disturbances. Eric Thole attorney at law, states gender inequality and norms on the acceptability of violence against women as the root of the problem and advises taking legal assistance to fight against domestic violence.