Domestic violence

Domestic violence is violence between husband and wife (or cohabiting persons) and may also include all violence against children in the home. The late 1960s saw increased attention to assessing the extent and severity of domestic violence, much of which was and is hidden from public view. Psychological abuse and severe intimidation may also be used for this purpose. These behaviors are often combined with excessive jealousy, restrictions on movement, and control over spending. A comprehensive review of the literature on this topic is provided by Smith.

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Prevalence of domestic violence

Very few cases of domestic violence are reported to the police. Victims are too afraid or ashamed to report the violence, or they hope that the problem will resolve itself. When assessing prevalence, the question always arises: at what level of violence can specific actions be considered domestic violence. According to researchers from the United States, in 25% of marriages, at some point, one of the partners pushes, throws aside or grabs the other, although incidents of severe violence (punching, biting, kicking, hitting with an object, beating or threatening with a weapon) occur less often - in 13% of marriages. The most severe forms of violence (beating or using a weapon) are noted in 5% of marriages.

Such surveys also show that wives assault their husbands only slightly less often, but the violence is usually less severe and the wife's actions are more often provoked by her husband's violence. According to the British Crime Survey (BCS), the risk of violence is highest for young women (16-24 years old), with 2.3% of victims in 1997. Young men are second (1.6% in 1997). The risk of domestic violence was highest for those who were separated from their partner but not officially divorced. One third of perpetrators of violence admitted to being under the influence of alcohol, and 13% under the influence of drugs. In two thirds of cases, victims of domestic violence were punched and/or kicked. In 11% of cases, a weapon was used. According to the researchers, people are less willing to report domestic violence compared with other types of violence. It is likely that less severe cases of violence are not being reported to the researchers.

Causes of domestic violence

Domestic violence is considered to be the end product of a number of factors. Individual cases may include a history of domestic violence in the parental home (occurring in approximately 50% of cases of abuse against wives) and belonging to a family or culture that is characterized by male dominance and the use of violence in family conflicts. Additional factors include stress due to lack of paid employment, poverty (most men who abuse their wives come from low socioeconomic groups), work problems and frustration, and the effects of alcohol (as shown by the BIP). Violent episodes may occur due to the disinhibiting effect of alcohol on an angry and "on edge" husband, or as a result of antecedents such as trivial or imagined slights, jealousy, or "defiance." Studies of men who murder or assault their wives show a pattern of repeated violence, alcohol abuse, and the presence of neurotic and personality difficulties. Current mental illness is rare. It is not yet clear what the victim's role is in domestic violence, how much she contributes to it, and to what extent she accepts it.

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Classification of motives for domestic violence

Scott proposes the following classification of motives:

1. the suspect's desire to get rid of a dependent;
2. desire to alleviate suffering (mercy killing);
3. a motive directly arising from obvious mental illness;
4. taking out one’s own anger, frustration on the child, or using him as an instrument of payback/“retribution” (“Nothing will work out for him - if the children can’t stay with me, then he won’t see them either”);
5. the desire to stop the child's endlessly irritating and frustrating behavior at the moment, for example, incessant crying, screaming, the fact that he constantly gets everything dirty.

As with most crimes, there may be multiple motives, and they may reflect all aspects of human emotion - anger, pity, jealousy and resentment, and may also be the result of a mental disorder.

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Managing the situation

The main priority is prevention of this crime. The recommendations for recognising non-accidental injuries to children at risk include measures such as an effective register of children at risk, more health checks, better nurseries and childcare facilities, closer links between schools and primary care services, and greater community and professional attention. The legal aspects (Children Act 1989) include measures to protect the child and support his/her welfare through the use of various court orders (urgent child protection, medical examination of the child's condition, provision of assistance). Prosecution of those who incite domestic violence is also possible.

Examination of the accused

The conclusion about the damage to the child is based on the medical examination data. The decision to prosecute the perpetrators is made by the police. In order to form an opinion about the suspect, it is necessary to have the following:

• description of damage;
• recording interviews or statements from people who can provide descriptions of the children and their relationships with the suspects; and
• recording interviews with suspects.

Oliver noted how easy it is to be deceived into overlooking child abuse in so-called chaotic families, where abuse of this kind is passed down from generation to generation. Child abuse is usually associated with large, mobile, and less affluent families. Other factors that correlate with abuse include lack of employment, criminal history, early motherhood, and the presence of a substitute father.

Managing Domestic Violence Cases

In general, attempts to reduce the level of domestic violence come down to the following options:

1. Providing shelter to a battered spouse. Such shelters emerged as a voluntary initiative and are now widespread.
2. Providing psychological counselling and working with groups of men who beat their wives (with or without the participation of their wives). This option is widely offered, but few husbands take it up and there is a high drop-out rate, so little is known about the effectiveness of this approach.
3. Supporting police arrest of the person committing domestic violence and placing them in police custody (usually after a family visit). Research in Canada and the United States suggests that this approach may be the most effective way to suppress violence. It is not yet known whether court proceedings and harsh sentencing can increase the suppression of violence. There is some evidence that the effectiveness of the work is increased by the presence of a court order for mandatory attendance of a psychological counseling group, but this requires confirmation by other researchers.
4. A major problem is the rehabilitation of victims of domestic violence and children from families where it is practiced. According to the available information, support from other victims of violence, whether in a shelter or in a counseling group, helps a victim of domestic violence quite well. Particular attention should be paid to children: they need to be helped to put their individual experiences into a general context and break the vicious circle of transmission of the pattern of domestic violence from generation to generation. It is also necessary to deal with the emotional disturbances of such children and their feelings in connection with domestic violence (nervousness, distress, guilt).

Causing non-accidental injury to children

Non-accidental injuries include injuries caused to children as a result of violence. This concept is an extension of the battered baby syndrome.