This order's topic is the approaches to resolve this domestic violence which leads to poverty
Running head: ASSIGNMENT
ASSIGNMENT 2
Speech
Rui Wang
Domestic Violence as the Root Cause of Poverty
Domestic violence is a daily reality experienced in every town, every city, and every country throughout the world. Domestic violence comes in different forms. It can be in the form of physical violence where physical force is used against another person — for example, shoving, choking, burning, or biting (Richman, 2002). It may or may not lead to physical injury that requires medical attention. It might as well be in the form of psychological abuse characterized by threats, intimidation, or isolation. For example, misuse of spiritual beliefs or scriptures to exert power over your children or an intimate partner for the sake of justifying the abuse (Richman, 2002). Domestic violence can also occur in the form of emotional abuse where an individual’s self-worth is undermined through constant criticism, mocking, embarrassing, or humiliating. Sexual abuse is a common form of domestic violence, which involves the violation of an individual’s bodily integrity — for example, coercing sexual contact or unwelcoming sexual behavior. Economic abuse will be the main form of domestic violence used to explain my topic (Richman, 2002). It involves making the victims more financially dependent on the abuser. This might be through preventing the victim from accessing employment or gaining an education, as well as controlling their financial resources or limiting their access to some of the vital economic resources.
The connection between poverty and domestic violence has remained to be a subject of debate despite the international recognition between poor people an increased vulnerability to domestic abuse (Hetling and Zhang, 2010). How domestic violence relates to poverty is a complex phenomenon usually explained best using women and girls who are at a higher risk compared to their male counterparts. It is estimated that one in three women experience physical or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime, mostly perpetuated with husbands, boyfriends, or intimate partners. Currently, sixty-three percent of welfare recipients in Michigan have experienced physical abuse, while fifty-one percent have experienced severe physical abuse at least once in their lifetime. 51% of African women are physically abused by their husbands for either going out without permission, refusing to have sex, or arguing back, according to the latest statistics (Hetling, and Zhang, 2010). Another startling fact is that over a million women in England and Wales alone have experienced domestic violence between 2013/14. In other words, domestic violence remains to be a global challenge (Hetling and Zhang, 2010).
So, is there a link between poverty and domestic violence? Yes. Internationally existing analyses have consistently found economic strain, low income, and benefit of receipt to be associated with vulnerability to domestic violence (Houltberg, Henry and Morris, 2012). Based on the UK Poverty and Social Exclusion Survey analysis in 2012, poverty was found to have links with increased vulnerability to violence. It was clear from the survey that the prevalence of experiencing controlling behavior and poor respondents registered higher rates of physical abuse compared to their rich counterparts. These findings are somehow similar to those of American and European regions, where evidence on the connection between domestic violence and poverty was drawn from random sample population studies, practitioners caseloads, and community-based samples (Houltberg, Henry and Morris, 2012).
Domestic violence and violence, in general limits women’s life opportunities. In terms of education, violence leads to lower school enrolment, poor performance, high drop-out rates, and absenteeism (Williams and Mickelson, 2004). According to UNESCO, about 116 million women who represent a quarter of the global population of women not completed primary education, most of who are from the developing countries. This implies, they lack the necessary skills and knowledge to secure employment or the confidence to defend their positions and rights in society. Women and girls who have acquired education not only compete with men in terms of income but also tend to have lower rates of early marriages. According to UNESCO, early or child marriages will be reduced by two-thirds if every girl can attain secondary education. Since parents who engage in early marriages are at a higher risk of living in poverty, their children are likely to suffer the same fate due to inadequate education.
Domestic violence tends to keep people poor. Women and children experiencing violence at the hands of their partners or parents have their behaviors controlled. Therefore, they are less likely to be creative or find work (Williams and Mickelson, 2004). There is also the possibility of them missing work days and other opportunities probably due to injuries sustained during the violence. Sometimes, violence is used to oppress and control women in abusive marriages. According to Williams and Mickelson (2004), over half of all women in the world have experienced violence either at home or while at work. Such physical and psychological harm can cause women to miss some days of work or leave their jobs. This might also deter them from seeking job promotions or any form of compensation. As a result, women will lack economic opportunities leading to poverty.
Domestic violence comes at a huge social and economic cost. Other than resulting in lasting physical and psychological damage, many governments around the world have struggled to fund workable solutions for these cases (Goodman et al., 2009). As much as it is not easy to measure, it is estimated that countries are using billions of dollars for direct and indirect policing as well as courts and health care facilities when handling domestic violence cases. All these costs would have been channeled to other poverty-eradicating projects that might increase employment opportunities and levels of income.
Studies have shown that income can act as a protective mechanism against violence and this represents an additional mechanism linking domestic violence to poverty. There are multiple reasons that expose women to greater violence (Williams and Mickelson, 2004). First is the bargaining house models which influences violence. In other words, as the woman’s income is lowered so as her bargaining power, thereby resulting in greater levels of intimate partner violence. The vice versa is true, domestic violence against women declines as her income increases. Also, poor women have increased exposure to violence as they are likely to live in high crime, violent neighborhoods (Gonzales de Olarte and Llosa, 1999). As discussed earlier, poor women and girls are more reliant to their abusive partners for financial support and have less opportunity to flee. This is the most obvious reason why domestic violence is considered a major cause of poverty in society today.
References
Evans, S. (2005). Beyond gender: Class, poverty and domestic violence. Australian Social Work, 58(1), 36-43.
Williams, S. L., & Mickelson, K. D. (2004). The nexus of domestic violence and poverty: Resilience in women’s anxiety. Violence Against Women, 10(3), 283-293.
Goodman, L. A., Smyth, K. F., Borges, A. M., & Singer, R. (2009). When crises collide: How intimate partner violence and poverty intersect to shape women’s mental health and coping?. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 10(4), 306-329.
Houltberg, B. J., Henry, C. S., & Morris, A. S. (2012). Family interactions, exposure to violence, and emotion regulation: Perceptions of children and early adolescents at risk. Family Relations, 61(2), 283-296.
Richman, K. D. (2002). Women, poverty, and domestic violence: Perceptions of court and legal aid effectiveness. Sociological Inquiry, 72(2), 318-344.
Hetling, A., & Zhang, H. (2010). Domestic violence, poverty, and social services: Does location matter?. Social Science Quarterly, 91(5), 1144-1163