Violence Against Women Crimes Against the Minority Majority

Table of Contents Those affected by violence Causes for violent behavior Violence by the numbers -IPV for men and women -Forms of violence -An expensive problem Options for resolution Conclusion

Those Affected by Violence Women of lower socioeconomic status are at a greater risk for physical violence. Women of higher education and socioeconomic status are at a higher risk for emotional abuse. Most cases of violence occur in intimate partner relationships. Ex: Husband, common law husband, boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend. Women who have no economic freedom and no social security are at the greatest risk.

Causes for Violent Behavior Social learning models that shape men’s ideas of masculinity. Mental disorders Substance abuse Exposure to violence or trauma Hormonal influx or an imbalance of serotonin * * * Most researchers believe it is the interaction of biological, developmental, and environmental factors.

Mostly Men … It is usually men who carry out crimes of violence against women. Almost always, these men are people that the woman is intimately involved with, which is why it is referred to as “Intimate Partner Violence”, or IPV. HOWEVER, IPV also occurs in lesbian relationships, daughter- mother relationships, roommates, and any other relationship where two women are involved.

By The Numbers 85% of all domestic violence victims are women. Approximately 1.3 million women are victims of IPV every year. Only one quarter of all physical assaults are reported to authorities. Domestic Violence Victims

IPV for Men and Women by Year Per 1,000 population age 12+ Progress is being made as the years go by, but there is still a disproportionate amount of women to men who are victims of violence.

Other Forms of Violence Rape 17.6% of women in the US are victims of rape 21.6% of all rape victims are under the age of 12 32.4% of rape victims are between the ages of 12-17 Stalking 78% of stalking victims are women Women are 60% more likely than men to be stalked by an intimate partner 76% of all female homicide victims were stalked prior to their murder People who act out violently against women Are trying to show their dominance in any given situation

An Expensive Problem Annual Losses Health related costs due to IPV is estimated at $5.8 Billion annually. Of that total, $4.1 billion is from direct medical expenses. $1.8 billion is from lost wages. $1.8 Billion Annual Losses This annual loss is the equivalent to 32,000 full-time jobs. IPV results in 18.5 million mental health care visits every year. $4.1 Billion

Options For Resolution EDUCATION IS THE SOLUTION More education needs to be implemented to start reconstructing dominate cultural roles. More supervised half way homes for abusers need to be established. If the abuser is able to keep their job, they will still have the opportunity to provide for their families. Empowering women is the number one way to resolve the problem. Educating the society as a whole comes in a close second. Providing victims with a variety of different services to rehabilitate. Ex: legal assistance, transitional housing and supervised visitations. Allowing more involvement of the community and authorities. Violence against woman is a macro sociological issue. EDUCATION IS THE SOLUTION

“The first resistance to social change is to say it's not necessary.” Conclusion Abuse is a social problem that affects millions in the United States. Not only do the individuals suffer from the abuse, but her family, children and community suffer from a disturbance of peace. This is a larger scale issue that deserves serious attention. Through education, women can start to find their way to a safe place in their lives and men can start leaving behind the outdated social models of what it means to be a man. “The first resistance to social change is to say it's not necessary.” -Gloria Steinem

Works Cited Domestic Violence Resource Center. http://www.dvrc-or.org/domestic/violence/resources/C61/ . National statistics. Web. 2012 The National Academies Press. http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=5127&page=49 . Causes and consequences of violence. Web. 2012 Violence Against Women: The Perspective of Academic Women. Kalaca and Dunder BMC Public Health. 2010. Academic journal. www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/490 Violence Against Women ACT. Congressional Digest Jan. 1, 2012. Periodical. www.congressionaldigest.com January 2012. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. http://www.ncadv.org/files/DomesticViolenceFactSheet(National).pdf . Domestic violence facts. Web. 2012 Onislam. http://www.onislam.net/english/reading-islam/living-islam/islam-day-to-day/family/455599-blame-flawed-character-unhappy-childhood.html . Stop abuse image. Web. 2012 It’s all About Power and Control. http://violenceagainstwomeninternational.wordpress.com/ . Woman Image. Web. 2011