The Impact of Learning on Perceptions of Family Violence Issues

This essay delves into the understanding of domestic violence, highlighting the writer's evolving perceptions shaped by in-depth learning. Initially viewing domestic violence as primarily physical and anger-driven, the writer's understanding expanded to encompass various forms of abuse, including psychological and emotional, and recognized the driving force as the need for power and control rather than mere anger. The essay explores attachment and exchange theories to understand perpetrator behaviors and the cycle of violence. It emphasizes that domestic violence is a pervasive issue often shielded by silence, and victims face significant barriers to leaving abusive situations, including emotional manipulation, fear, and economic dependence. The writer reflects on actions to support survivors, promote awareness, and challenge behaviors that enable violence, underscoring the importance of understanding the deep-rooted traumas of both abusers and victims. This document is available on Desklib, where students can find a wide array of academic resources and study tools.

FAMILY AND DOMESTIC
VOILANCE
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Learning through domestic violence
Domestic violence refers to the violence committed by a person with another person or
persons. It can take form of physical, psychological, emotional, religious, verbal or sexual abuse.
Domestic violence is abuse in a domestic setting such as cohabitation or marriage. It also
involves the abuse against children, parents, elders or teenagers (Sharma & Borah, 2020).
Before getting the proper knowledge, I always through that domestic violence is
considered when it is between two partners or a family and have physical and verbal form. In my
opinion at that time domestic violence was by men driven through their anger and distress, who
were unable to control their anger and who take it out on their family or loved ones. This was my
extension of domestic violence. But during my learning, I learned that domestic violence can
take any form from physical to phycological and can be between non-cohabitation family
members too. I learned that domestic violence is not driven by anger or distress rather it is driven
by the need or sense of power and control. I always wondered that people with such need to have
control and power must reveal that on their work and social lives. But, this is not true at all.
There are people who are abusers at home, but in the communities they show their personalities
as normal and good people (Sharma & Borah, 2020).
As I learned more about the nature of domestic violence, the more it made sense that why
people are driven by such behaviours. For enhancing my knowledge of domestic violence I
considered some theories of domestic violence. The first theory I analysed was the attachment
theory. In this theory, perpetrator behaviours are explained. It describes that how a childhood
experience can lead to a certain way of experiencing close relationships. However, this theory
explains that domestic violence is not a sole result of social conditioning (Johnson, 2020). It
explains the importance of social change as violence cannot be stopped unless biological factors
and psychological factors are reduced. Another theory I studied was the exchange theory of
family violence. This theory explains that the individuals use force as violence in their
relationships and family because they believe that rewards of violence denominate costs of such
behaviours (Salahub, Gottsbacher & De Boer, 2018). Through this theory I learned that the goal
of individual through violence is to maintain or gain control over the relationships by their
abusive behaviour.
After learning about domestic violence in details, my knowledge about violence was
completely reshaped. I always through violence was a private matter, but it is not a private
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matter because violence is often protected by silence of victims. I also learned that domestic
violence is more common than we realize. Most of the incidents of domestic violence goes
unreported because the victims do not find the strength to stand up against the violence. I
realized that domestic violence starts subtly not only just physically but through other forms such
as mentally, verbally or emotionally which can be deadly for a reason. I have always wondered
that why people stay with the people who abuse them. Why don't they just leave. But I learned
that leaving might be more difficult for the person as it increases the risk. The reasons for not
leaving might be effects of emotional manipulation, isolation, fear and economic dependence.
Victims, once at the time of abuse plans to escape but the risks of threats, staking, violence and
follow through and even murder increases (Herron & Javier, 2018). I learned that victims are
traumatically, emotionally or are socially connected to their abusers somehow. These points
made my thinking clear about why people do not leave their partners or family when they are
being abused.
Learning about domestic violence has re-shaped my thinking about domestic violence.
Additionally, it has contributed a lot in the overall practice of knowledge. Through my learning I
have been able to identify the signs of an abuser and recognize the silence of victims. In my
learning, I also understood the importance of learning or observing behaviours of people i9n
order to understand them. The knowledge has also taught me the importance of standing up
against those abusers and domestic violence. The theories of domestic violence have made me
understand that abusers have strong reasons behind their abusive behaviours. Every abuser is
been through a childhood trauma or incident which have made them feel or sense the need to
have control or power on others who are in their lives (Goodmark, 2017). They are constantly in
trauma and are unable to come out of it. This leads them to drive their anger or suppressed fears
turn into abuse. I also understood that abusive behaviour is repetitive and cannot be stopped
easily. Prior gaining any deep knowledge about domestic abuse and the deep root of reason
behind abusive behaviours, I was completely unaware of the trauma which an abuser might have
gone through. It made me understood the behaviours of both the abusers and victims.
Through the knowledge of domestic or family violence I have taken some actions into
consideration which I will follow during my future social practices. I have understood and will
try to support and trust the survivors of domestic abuse, even when they are still in the abusive
relationships. I have understood that how important it is to for each of us to examine and change
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the ways in which our own behaviour contribute, enable, ignore, or excuse all such forms of
violence. I will try to spread awareness about domestic violence and the signs which a victim can
give when they are experiencing abuse. I will try to spread the importance of showing and
expressing concerns for the survivors without any judgement.
After considering all the discussion above, it can be concluded that domestic violence is
an offensive crime and can be very dangerous. Victims are usually silent about the abusive
because of the reasons such as economic dependency and emotional factors in their lives. So it is
the responsibility of every individual to understand the signs and take appropriate actions when
they realize any kind of violence.
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REFERENCES:
Books and journals:
Goodmark, L. (2017). Should domestic violence be decriminalized. Harv. Women's LJ. 40. (53).
Goodmark, L. (2018). Decriminalizing domestic violence. University of California Press.
Herron, W. G., & Javier, R. A. (2018). Overview-Aggression, Domestic Violence, and Risk
Factors. Understanding Domestic Violence: Theories, Challenges, and Remedies. 49.
Johnson, M. P. (2020). 16. Domestic Violence: The Intersection of Gender and Control. In
Gender Violence, 3rd Edition (pp. 249-260). New York University Press.
Salahub, J. E., Gottsbacher, M., & De Boer, J. (Eds.). (2018). Social theories of urban violence
in the Global South: Towards safe and inclusive cities. Routledge.
Sharma, A., & Borah, S. B. (2020). Covid-19 and domestic violence: an indirect path to social
and economic crisis. Journal of family violence. 1-7.
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