Reducing Domestic Violence Essay Example

One of the most large-scale and complex problems America deals with each year is that of domestic violence. This crime is one in which leaves the victim (statistically more common a female) filled with fear, anxiety, and shame; feelings that one should not have to feel. Yet as America progresses through time, no one solution has been proven to significantly reduce the ongoing domestic violence occurrence. However, the potential for lowering the number of domestic violence occurrences is present, but first solutions for reducing this problem have to be found such as the creation of community based programs, increased censorship in television, administering treatment to potential perpetrators, and enforcing more harsh penalties. In a study, published in the Archives of Family Medicine, Sugg, et al., defines domestic violence as "past or present physical and/or sexual violence between former or current intimate partners, adult household members, or adult children and a parent. Abused persons and perpetrators could be of either sex, and couples could be heterosexual or homosexual." In addition, domestic violence is also present between siblings and elders of the same family. Thus, domestic violence can be described as abuse (physical, sexual, or psychological) towards a spouse, child, sibling, or elder. One possible solution to reducing domestic violence is to implement educational, community based programs created to reduce violence within the home. These programs will keep families posted and aware of particular items such as signs of potential domestic violence, victim hotlines, locations of domestic violence shelters/therapy, and procedures to go about reporting domestic violence. In addition, the community based programs would emphasize the fact that domestic violence is not something witnesses should ignore and view as a private matter within that abused home, but a matter in which should be acted upon. Along with providing information and education