research about domestic violence in KSA and USA

In this research, incidences of domestic violence are examined and analyzed. The main issues featured at are the modes of domestic violence that take place, the victims—men, women, children, and the means by which the aggression is unreached, including tools of assault used during the incidences. Domestic violence is addressed with respect to its contribution to by aspects such as drug abuse, especially alcoholism, traditions, culture and religion, as well as societal settings and the legal rules by the governments of the countries where the research is based in—the United States of America (USA) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Both qualitative and quantitative methods of research are used where data is gathered from online surveys, analyzed and reported. Other data is obtained from online databases of the different governmental and non-governmental agencies. Various literature form scholarly and electronic sources are also discussed in the literature review part of this research.

Keywords:

What comes to mind when one hears the term domestic violence? In an attempt to answer this question, an illustrative example can be used where a man may come home, engage his wife in front of children in an aggressive behavior in terms of abuse towards the spouse. In many cases men are the perpetrators, their intimate partners automatically falling victims, while in other cases, women are the perpetrators and men become victims. Indeed, domestic violence has become a global issue as it has continued occurring more frequently, and complications related to it increasing day by day. Typically, domestic violence does not entirely relate to culture and economic development, as there are other issued believed to be causing the issue. In order for picking out other considerable factors this research focuses on, this research features two developed societies that are completely different in terms of legal laws and religion. These countries are the United States and Saudi Arabia. However, United States is more developed than Saudi Arabia in terms of technology. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) runs in a religion-based legal set of laws. On the other hand, the United States of America (USA) does not affiliate the legal and constitutional laws and rules of the land with religion in any way.

Domestic violence causes physical, emotional, and mental damage to direct and indirect victims. The direct victims are the individuals whom the aggression is directed towards. The indirect victims in most cases are children in the home, who witness the aggression. As a result of physical abuse in domestic violence, the victims in most cases sustain bruises, chronic fatigue, shortness of breath, broken bones and fractured muscles, pain, inability to eat properly, sexual dysfunction, involuntary body movements, wounds, among others. Mentally, the victims are found to suffer from anxiety, engage in suicidal thoughts and attempts, find themselves in prolonged sadness and depression, develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)—which include flashbacks, uncontrollable thoughts, nightmares, and severe anxiety. Also, due to stress, the individuals are found to engage in alcohol and drug abuse.

There is more prevalence of domestic violence in the USA than in KSA. However, women are not much empowered in the KSA than in the USA. But, the empowerment of women leads them to be involved in incidences of domestic violence with their spouse more frequently than in the KSA, where women are forced by the culture, traditions, and religion to submit to their husbands. With regard to governance and societal settings, incidences of domestic violence are more reported in the United States more than in KSA. But, the prevalence of the incidences in KSA can hardly be guessed of outcomes since there is low reporting. However, incident reporting is gradually increasing in this kingdom as women continue to get empowered. Sexual harassment is also associated with domestic violence, only that in most cases, the victims who report did not specify of sexual harassment. Technology is a key contributor to domestic violence, with prevalence being greater in the United States more than in KSA as technology in the US is more advanced and there are no restrictions by the law of the land from individuals engaging in obscene online activities. Children suffer indirectly from domestic violence where they can develop health complications such as PTSD among others. Domestic violence causes engagement in drug abuse for teens and victims and on the other hand, drug abuse, especially alcoholism leads to domestic violence.

Bibliography

Al Dosary, A. H. (2016). Health impact of domestic violence against Saudi women: cross sectional study. International journal of health sciences, 10(2), 165.

Bettinger-Lopez, C., Natelson, R., Brandt-Young, C., Carlson, K., Davis, G., Drew, M., Landy, R., Thomas, C., Soohoo, C., Rubenstein, J., Romes, A. and Park, S. (2011). Domestic Violence in the United States: A Preliminary Report prepared for Rashida Manjoo, U.N. Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women. [online] https://www.reproductiverights.org. Available at: https://www.reproductiverights.org/sites/crr.civicactions.net/files/newsletter/DV%20in%20the%20US_Br%20Paper%20to%20SR%20on%20VAW.pdf [Accessed 17 Feb. 2018].

Catalano, S. M. (2006). Intimate partner violence in the United States. Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, Office of Justice programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Chemtob, C. M., & Carlson, J. G. (2004). Psychological Effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Their Mothers. International Journal of Stress Management, 11(3), 209.