What is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence is a violence which is committed by someone who is in a close circle of the victim. This close circle may include victim’s partner, ex-partner, friends, some family members, and other relatives and family friends.
The term domestic violence will be used for only that violence where there is a close relationship between the victim and the offender. Domestic violence can be of following types:-
- Physical violence
- Sexual violence
- Psychological violence
The largest group of victim of domestic violence are women. However, in some cases men, children, and some elderly people are also becoming victim of domestic violence. Domestic violence occurs in all population groups and at all level of society.
Types of Domestic Violence
Domestic violence if of following types-
- Physical Abuse
When an individual hears the words “Domestic Violence”, the primary thing which comes to mind about violence is physical abuse. Generally speaking, physical abuse occurs to gain control over the victim in any relationship. Some examples of physical abuse are:-
- Pushing
- Kicking
- Slapping
- Strangling
- Biting
- Throwing objects at partner
- Threatening a partner with any weapon
- Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse is the most difficult aspect of domestic violence to discuss and also to identify. Most women go through a tremendous amount of sexual violence during their lifetime, and many of them find it difficult to identify it as an abuse. Just as physical abuse is used to gain control, in the same manner, sexual abuse is also used as a mechanism to gain control over the partner. Some examples of sexual abuse are:-
- Forcing a partner to strip
- Birth control sabotage
- Reproductive coercion
- Forcing the victim to participate in unwanted sexual activity
- Assaulting a partner sexually
- Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is also as harmful as physical abuse. Physical abuse can be seen easily, but emotional abuse is not seen to the naked eyes. It is also a very harmful abuse as the victim can heal from a bruise, but not from damage to self-esteem. Some examples of emotional abuse are:-
- Ignoring the victim’s feelings
- Continuously shouting or criticizing the victim
- Humiliating the victim in public or even in private place
- Not allowing access to the basic necessary needs
- Abandoning someone in some dangerous place
- Manipulating the victim with lies and contradictions
- Financial Abuse
Financial abuse is very common abuse and is often not known to the victim. Financial abuse occurs when the partner takes control of the financial independence and freedom of the other partner. Some examples of financial abuse are:-
- Spending money of the victim on non essential items without the victim’s permission
- Restricting the access of victim on money
- Limiting the access of victim to the family funds
- Preventing the victim to do any job
- Psychological Abuse
Just as emotional abuse, psychological abuse is also very harmful and is not easily visible to the naked eyes. Generally speaking, a one-time event won’t bring domestic violence action, unless it is especially severe. Some examples of psychological abuse are:-
- Preventing the victim from talking to anyone without permission
- Preventing the victim to leave the house without permission
- Threatening with violence
- Emotionally blackmailing the victim to do something which they don’t won’t to do
- Creating fear in the mind of victim by doing something (such as driving dangerously, giving angry looks, having possession of some weapon)
- Destroying some valued possession
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