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Introduction
No matter how hard we try to believe that we are living in a developed country and we are literate and modern people, studies show that we still are not free from the shackles of domestic violence. In a survey conducted by the US National institute of Mental Health, 42.8% of women were victims of domestic violence yet they still were in that abusive relationship.
What defines a relationship as abusive? Is it only physical or are there more forms of abuse? So why do women choose to stay in this abusive relationship? Is it possible that they still ‘love’ and care for their abuser? This paper will look into whether women willingly stay in such an abusive relationship or is there another side of the story? Are they in a way abused to stay in that relationship? Do they have any other choices?
There are also cases in which it seems that a woman ‘wants’ to be beaten. Is that even possible? In a way, it is. These women are in constant abuse of the unknown. They don’t know when they will be hit next. So they feel that it is best if they get it over with. Waiting for the abuse to happen is often times more stressful and painful than the abuse itself. Dysfunctional family history also prepares a woman of what to expect from her partner. She is led to believe that men have the ‘right’ to abuse women and treat them in whatever way they desire.
Problem Statement
People misinterpret the reason why women stay in abusive relationships. It’s not that they still care for the abuser. Neither is that they do not have any self esteem . The reason behind their decision is not only the physical but the psychological abuse they have gone though. Their abusing partner has developed a certain control over the abused woman which makes it hard for her to make decisions and think for herself. The whole abuse is directed so that the women remains in control.
Rational for the Research
There have been many researches and studies that show that women who have been abused in their relationships develop long term or terminal mental, psychological or sexual harm. The abuse can be sexual, physical and can even include threats and depriving the women of all liberty. Also, along with women, children are also affected as a result of domestic violence. Either they witness it or they become a victim in it.
Abusive relationships can be seen in all ethnic groups, races and countries. Results show that one in three women is abused in some way or another at some point in their relationships. Although there has been widespread development in increasing awareness about domestic violence against women, and what options women have, the statistics are still quite high.
There are a number of reasons that we see why women choose to stay in abusive relationships. They might have a child which they fear might suffer in the whole situation. They fear loss of custody of the child. Often times, the abuser has so much control over the woman that she thinks that she cannot live without him. She is led to believe that no one in the world cares for her and no one will listen. She is isolated from the rest of the world. Psychologists have also seen that women choose not to do something about their abusive relationship because of shame and humiliation. The most extensive abuse is the brainwashing that is done on a women’s brain.
The stability of the occurrence of abuse towards women show that there is still lack of awareness and those women do not know their options. There is lack of educational programs on the subject and proper training and workshops need to be set up to teach women to deal with the problem early in the relationship. If more women knew what needs to be done, and of they knew that they need not be in such an abusive relationship, then many lives could have been saved. Still, it is never too late.
Statement of the Research Objective
This research aims to help in increasing awareness among women through educational programs and proper training to deal with all different types of domestic abuse. It aims to reassure them that no matter what they are led to believe, there are people out there who can help them get out of their misery. This research will
- Increase the awareness of abused women around the world
- Help them learn the skills required to cope in such a situation
- Educate them about the risks involved in domestic violence
- Create a strong support network to help any women being abused
Hypothesis
If the proper steps are taken in promoting awareness about the options available to women in abuse, lesser women would want to stay in an abusive relationship.
It does not matter if a woman is being abused physically, psychological or sexually, if she feels unsafe and does not want to continue a relationship, she has every right to do so. It is important for women to know when an action is abusive and when she needs to take action. There are proper channels to go through if women are in such a situation. The key is to know about these channels.
Definition of Terms
- Domestic violence (noun) - Domestic violence are all those abusive actions and behaviors that one partner practices to have control over the other partner. It may include physical actions like hitting, kicking, etc; or psychological actions like giving threats and using inappropriate language.
- Dysfunctional (adjective) - not in a normal manner
- Liberty(noun) - freedom of speech and actions
- Psychological (adjective) - relating to the mind and mental or emotional state
- Channel (verb) - paths or directions
Summary
Even though our literacy rates have increased, our actions don’t seem to agree. Domestic violence has been seen in all races and cultures around the world with little or no improvement. The steps taken by the governments and individuals have not been satisfactory. Women in abusive relationships tend to ‘want’ to stay in that relationship because they fear the future. There are countless reasons that they make such a decision. However, low self esteem is not one of them. They do not know the options they have. They do not know that they have a huge support group waiting to help them out. This research will look into the reasons why women tend to stay in abusive relationships and how can we educate them into making better decisions for themselves.
References
Domestic Abuse Project. (2013). Compelling Reasons Women Stay. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from Domestic Abuse Project (DAP): http://www.domesticabuseproject.com/get-educated/compelling-reasons-women-stay/
Examiner. (2013, April 18). Domestic Violence: Why do women stay in abusive relationships? . Retrieved October 27, 2013, from Examiner.com: http://www.examiner.com/article/domestic-violence-why-do-women-stay-abusive-relationships
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. (2010). Domestic Violence. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from Women's Web: http://www.womensweb.ca/violence/dv/leave.php
Nauert, R. (2010, April 13). Live Science. Retrieved October 27, 2013, from Why women stay in abusive relationships: http://www.livescience.com/8202-women-stay-abusive-relationships.html
PACT. (2009). Promoting Awareness for Cooperation and Training in the Field of Domestic Violence. Retrieved OCtober 27, 2013, from PACT: http://www.pact-eu.org/index.php?id=project
Steiner, L. M. (2013, February 10). Why abused women stay in bad relationships. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from CNN: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/10/opinion/steiner-domestic-violence/
