Battered Women: The Cause Of Domestic Violence

The term battered women was established in the 1970’s as a legal defense for abused women. Battered women syndrome is described as a traumatic experience of persistent and severe violence against women by their partner. Battered Women and domestic violence go hand and hand. Domestic violence is described as the battering or abusive acts within an intimate relationship. Violence against women and children have increased in the last twenty years (Howard S. Harris, David C. Maloney, Franklyn M. Rother, 2004). Control takes on two different meanings when respondents describe the violence over time. First, repeated acts of violence are associated with attempts to control the women. The word control is understood as external in nature.Second, for …show more content…
The first is alcohol, according to Fitch and Papantonio, 1983, alcohol was the cause in atleast 60% of domestic violence. This is not to be taken that alcohol is the cause of domestic violence beause it is not but it is the mere excuse that most people use. The next source is power issues, most men are taught that they are the head of the household so many use that as a way to control every aspect of a relationship. Since most men are taught to be masculine, most women are taught to be helpless, dependent, and vulnerable. The next source is cultural norms and values, because of cultural values and family expectations men are encouraged to be abusers and women to be abused (Howard S. Harris, David C. Maloney, Franklyn M. Rother, 2004). When family members do know of the abuse they tend to keep it a secret because they do not want to cause shame to there family. The next source is cycle of intergenerational abuse, this is when the women that is being battered learned this behavior as being acceptable because of what her fathered may have done. Some families even see the abuse as being acceptable. Next is low self-esteem, the abuses usualy feels powerless in all aspects of life. The abuses then turns all his anger to his wife and take his frustration out on her. Next is economics, many battered women have no money of their own causing them to fully depend on there abuser. These women start to get …show more content…
Nobody deserves the right to abuse in any form. Many women experience pressure from family members to stay with there spouse regardless of the situation. Some family members believe that any father in the home is better than none regardless of how abusive he may be. This is why some family members never recognize the abuse because refuse to see it or believe the women is provoking the violence (Sherry Hamby, 2014). Sometimes the abuser threatens other relatives and that is why they tend not to get involved because they are afraid of what can happen to them. In reality these horrible things are happening and we not open our eyes and help the ones that may be suffering and are afraid to get