Jeena

Domestic violence or abuse has broadly been defined as “a pattern of abusive behaviour by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, friends or just the person you share the residence with” Abuse can come in many forms other than aggression, it can be done through threats, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, economic deprivation and though intimidation such as stalking. Domestic violence can happen to anyone regardless of their cultural background, faith or even gender. Many men also suffer from domestic abuse but it is not widely reported due to the stigma that comes with being a victim.
One of the main problems with quantifying the amount of abuse out there is that not many people will come forward. Many people will either be in complete denial about what is happening to them or they will be ashamed to admit it and how this knowledge will make them look to the wider community. People in denial have usually had to suffer with it for a long period of time, so long in fact that it’s a normal part of their day to day activities.
89% of people who suffer from domestic violence are women; this huge percentage can be attributed to the fact that historically women are thought of as unequal to their male counter parts. Violence of any kind is condemned by society, yet it is an everyday occurrence for some people. Not only does this kind of abuse physically damaging but it can also be very damaging to the person’s perception of themselves, some people will start to believe they did something to deserve it, not realising that it is the other individual who is in the wrong.
People suffering from abuse will often start to feel very isolated and cut off from the rest of the world and just suffer in silence. For women who decide to speak up, the consequences can be just as worse, because more often than none their voices will be ignored, and that is why it is up to us, as a society to pay more attention and to take it seriously.