An Analysis of Violence: Psychological Effects on Women

This essay delves into the psychological effects of violence against girls, women, and older women, highlighting the detrimental impacts on their mental health. It explores various forms of violence, including physical abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking, and their contribution to issues such as depression, PTSD, and suicidal ideation. The essay emphasizes the vulnerability of girls, the exploitation of women through trafficking, and the challenges faced by older women, including forced suicide in some communities. It underscores the importance of providing mental and emotional support to victims and advocates for reporting incidents of violence to ensure appropriate help is provided. The essay concludes by stressing the long-term societal consequences of violence against women, emphasizing their role as caretakers of future generations.

Running head: VIOLENCE AGAINST GIRLS, WOMEN AND OLD WOMEN 1
Violence Against Girls, Women and old Women
Student’s Name
University Affiliation

VIOLENCE AGAINST GIRLS, WOMEN AND OLD WOMEN 2
Introduction.
Any form of violence directed towards women stands as a significant threat to attaining
world equity. This inequity is not the only negative impact of violence on women. Exposing
women to abuse causes detrimental psychological effects, including depression, post-traumatic
stress disorder, and suicide. Furthermore, these acts of violence towards women can have a
spiraling impact on future generations exposed to them in the development stages of their lives.
The forms of violence against women include human trafficking, sexual assault, and physical
abuse. All these are propagated in both private and public spaces bringing a growing concern
about the safety of women in modern society. Consequently, governments and world leaders are
creating awareness and working to mitigate cases of violence against women, which forms part
of the United Nations' sustainable development goals (Jewell, 2011). This essay examines the
psychological effect of violence against girls, women and older women.
Psychological effects of violence in girls, women and elderly women.
Girls are the most vulnerable group of women affected by physical violence due to their
inability to defend themselves (Tasca, Zatz & Rodriguez, 2012). Even more, some young girls
who fall victim to these acts of violence are coerced by the perpetrators to remain silent about
these issues. As a result the perpetrators continue to prevail while the girls suffer physically and
psychologically. Research shows that girls and women exposed to physical violence face mental
health problems, which culminate in sleep disorders and nightmares in girls (Fisher, Zink &
Regan, 2010). These girls also tend to seclude themselves from their peers and withdraw
themselves from social activities, brought by feelings of shame and unworthiness. Additionally,
girls who witness their mothers suffer under their father’s violence are more likely to accept

VIOLENCE AGAINST GIRLS, WOMEN AND OLD WOMEN 3
violence as a regular part of their marriage compared to girls who grew up in homes without
violence (Sipilä et al., 2018).
Women are trafficked around the world to offer cheap labor and as sex workers in large
illegal criminal networks that prey on the vulnerability and poverty of women across the globe
(Serughetti, 2018). The women exposed to these kinds of violence in the world suffer from
psychological disorders such as drug and alcohol addiction to numb their pain. These acts of
violence often cause physical and sexual injuries and a lot of pain to women. Drugs and alcohol
intake offers these women what seems like a convenient escape from their harsh reality.
However, drug and alcohol use leads to depression, in the long run, causing these women
significant psychological stresses that might even culminate with suicidal thoughts (Gu et al.,
2014). Women who face violence for substantial periods in their lives develop low self-value for
their life and are therefore at risk of contemplating suicide.
Older women are also vulnerable to acts of violence. News of older women assaulted in
society have become rampant in cases of robbery, sexual abuse and domestic quarrels. These
unnatural acts cause a lot of tension in the affected communities. The older women who suffer in
the hands of violence face adverse psychological effects such as depression and sleep depravity
caused by anxiety and nightmares (Fisher, Zink & Regan, 2010). The older women who lack
people to take care of them require financial support to seek medical treatment. Lack of these
funds can lead to additional stress and worsen their physical injuries. Some communities around
the world force older women to commit suicide due to economic reasons (UN, 2016). These
communities force older women to commit suicide through psychological manipulation and
physical hardships such as starvation. In these cases, forced suicides come due to induced
depression and low will to live, leaving the women with no choice but to end their lives.

VIOLENCE AGAINST GIRLS, WOMEN AND OLD WOMEN 4
Conclusion.
Girls suffering under the hands of violence might suffer life-long consequences of these
acts unless there is the provision of the appropriate mental and emotional support they need to
recover. Acts of violence against women often lead to low self-esteem and detrimental
psychological effects such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and alcohol addiction.
Women all over the world fall to the hands of violence by their partners in marriage privately or
publicly by societal members. The old and young women need special care and support to ensure
their safety. Furthermore, every woman should feel free to report incidents of violence
propagated against them since this may be the first step in getting them the help they deserve.
Women all around the world are the caretakers of our future generations. This psychological
harm that the society has bestowed on them will only come back to bite society in the future.

VIOLENCE AGAINST GIRLS, WOMEN AND OLD WOMEN 5
References
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