Abstract
Domestic violence is economic, sexual, or psychological abuse committed by family members or close partners. Research shows that living with domestic violence can cause physical and emotional effects such as depression, anxiety, and emotional distress. Developed and low- income countries intimate partner abuse against women is the major health issue, related to poor physical and mental health. (CAMPBELL,2017). According to the literature review by Campbell physical and mental health due to intimate partners include chronic pain, death depression, and post-traumatic stress disorders.
World and Health Organization reports that 13% to 61% of women between 15 to 49 years old experience physical abuse of intimate partner and about 59 % of women reports forced sexual intercourse by a close partner in their generation. Approximately 28 % of the women faced physical exploitation from a close partner during pregnancy. (ABDUL GHANI,2020) Marital rape is also a major form of violence against women. Sexual violence has impacted physical injury which is associated with increased risk of sexual and reproductive health complications. Deaths due to sexual violence may be as a result of HIV infections, suicide, or murder. About 65% of murder-suicide that occurred in the united states is due to intimate spouse violence.
According to the United, Nation reports from different studies conducted domestic violence against women is more prevalent in Ethiopia and other 71 countries are also affected. In the united states, women are mostly affected by domestic violence and in every four women, one is a victim. (WOODLOCK,2017) Approximately 12 billion per year is the national economic cost against family and domestic violence in the united nation. Domestic violence is the major root of nonfatal injuries to females in the united states. Research shows that most of the domestic violence among women in perinatal periods is related to adverse obstetric results. According to the World Health Organization partner exploitation arrays from 23.2% in developed states. Western Pacific and Eastern Mediterranean regions range to 37% and 37.7% respectively.
Introduction
Domestic violence can be intimate spouse violence, domestic misuse, or any mistreatment that takes place between adults practicing homosexual or heterosexual in a romantic relationship. Intimate partner violence is violence by a partner in an intimate relationship against the other spouse. It can take various forms such as emotional abuse, sexual assault, psychological abuse, physical abuse, and economical abuse. Economical abuse is limiting someone's financial freedom. Sexual abuse is engaging someone in forced sexual practice. Physical abuse includes assault such as pushing, slapping, and choking.
Studies show that 30 % of women globally aged 15 experience intimate partner violence. In 2013 the World Health Organization published a review about partner violence and non-partner sexual violence. The review reveals that 35 percent of women experience sexual violence and violation of human rights. About 38% of all murders of women and 6% of men are committed by a close partner. (CORVO,2018) Partner abuse during pregnancy is related to deliveries of underweight babies. Domestic partner abuse expose children of the victim in low intellectual functioning.
World Health Organization reviews show that most domestic violence results from social-cultural factors, particularly, those that support male authority over the female. The organization identifies that in countries with low domestic violence, women still don't enjoy equal social status. Most research reveals that domestic violence is caused by imbalance opportunity in power and unequal rights are the major contributors to the problem.
Before 1800s wife-beating was viewed by legal actions view the wife as a legal action of the husband's power over his wife. It was until 1641 when body liberty declared that the wife should free of stripes from her spouse. Party-political agitation in the 19th century led to a change in legislative options on domestic violence in the united states and other countries. By 1993 united states published strategies for provoking domestic violence. (CALEYACHETTY,2020) The publication urged countries to view domestic violence as a criminal act. Recently domestic violence has been given more attention, the establishment of the domestic violence act was enacted in 2005.
This paper will analyze domestic violence which is sexual abuse particularly, intimate partner violence. This research is important as most sexual abuse affects women. It is estimated that one in three women faces sexual abuse in her time. About 2 million women and 80000 men experience sexual abuse. (QURESHI,2017) Since the 1970s sexual abuse became a public concern and legal actions were taken against it. In 1974 act was enacted against sexual abuse in the united states.
Sexual abuse has become increasingly in recent years due to social networking sites. Internets offers chances for sex offers to practice online grooming activities. Lack of legal protection for lesbians, gay, and bisexual has led sexual abuse to continue to be permitted. Risk factors such as poverty, lack of knowledge, and low self-worth have increased the chances of women and men to engage in sexual abuse.
Several criteria for solving sexual abuse involve working together with the public, policymakers, and legislative to build societies that there is no sexual abuse. Supporting women who have been raped by giving them counseling during the healing process. Providing economic opportunities, mentors, and community programs for youths’ help prevent sexual abuse.
Previous efforts taken by a world health organization to prevent sexual abuse include raising awareness to protect the local communities against sexual abuse. Carrying out campaigns to strengthen efforts to prevent sexual abuse. United in the democratic republic of Congo in organized awareness sessions to combat sexual abuse. Prevention programs that provide psycho-education provide education and towards sexual violence and provide positive alternatives. Primary preventions are offered to young people often in schools.
UNICEF is committed to protecting against sexual abuse by offering medical care and psychological support to the victims. Also, safe planning to address risks to the victims. The organization conducts training to the counselors on the prevention of sexual abuse. Additionally, the organization raises alerts of any allegation related to sexual exploitation.
Australian Government has funded social campaigns that encourage respectful, equal, and healthy relationships. This campaign aims in changing attitudes and behaviors that support violence against women. It targets persons aged 12 to 20 years of age (DOWLING,2018). According to the research published that examines the primary prevention of domestic violence in school students showed that there are promising results of reducing domestic violence.
Sexual harassment occurs worldwide and is specifically pervasive in the developing world. Recent research has shown that their intimate partner has sexually harassed one in five women and a third of the girls forced into sexual initiation. Sexual assault like other legal anomalies could be agreeable to appropriate preventive measures.
Therefore, the government has a great responsibility in ensuring that all rights of women, children, and sometimes men are met and the resources provided for preventing sexual violence. (CORNELL.,2016) the main aim of preventing sexual violence is majorly to cub its happenings. Through the government, various factors are addressed in the prevention of sexual assault at different levels. The government sets legalizations and policies to help to reduce the reported cases of sexual violence.
Various measures have been put in place and these include:
Reporting and Handling Cases of Sexual Violence
To report the incidences and improve sensitivity and how fast processing of sexual violence cases in the courts is done; most countries have developed a system to aid in the recording. Various mechanisms including units for domestic violence are employed. (Foster et al.,2020) Sometimes such cases remain unsolved due to the medical officers’ unwillingness to attend court. This is mainly because of the unpredictable court schedules and postponing of the cases with merely a short notice.
Legal Reforms
Adoption of legal interventions in many places include:
- Defining rape broadly
- Sentencing and admissibility of evidence rules reformation
- Removal of the requirements for victims’ accounts to be confirmed
- To improve the quality care of survivors and reduce sexual violence existing laws could be improved by sanction strengthening. This could be accomplished by:
- Enhancing existing laws application
- Provision of sensitization and training to the police and judges on sexual assault
Expansion Strengthening of Sexual Assault and Rape Laws
There are certain rules drew to serve as models for effective laws and procedures to ensure minimal cases of irrelevant information in court. The rule states neither should the victim’s earlier sexual history serve as evidence in court nor disclosed. It also deals with cases, in which the accused is claimed of having act consent, states that if the victim has been subjected to psychological or physiological violence or had any reason to fear such violence, consent as defense is not applicable.
Besides, if the victim confers that if they did not submit, other people may be threatened on put in the same state then consent shall not be used as evidence in the court of law. (ARMSTRONG et al.,2018) In the case where the consent claim is approved, the court has to be satisfied with the presented evidence before presenting it. A short sentence is majorly the judge ruled in many countries in the cases of sexual violence.
International Treaties
International treaties aid in the setting of national legislation standards hence providing a way for campaigns through local groups for legal reforms. Various relevant treaties including the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women have an impact on sexual assault and its prevention.
Sexual Trafficking
The main objectives of preventing human trafficking for sexual purposes are:
- Creation of programs in countries that have a high risk of women trafficking
- Create awareness by providing information that is potentially at risk and aware of the danger of trafficking.
Furthermore, the development of governmental and non-governmental programs aiding in curbing trafficking. The government encourages most women visiting the countries to work in either specific service sectors apart from giving them advice on their rights as well as protection against any type of violence.
The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in conjunction with the government has developed a technical package to prevent sexual harassment. The focus of these strategies is to reduce the engagement in sexual violence. These strategies are:
Promotion of Social Norms Protecting Against Violence
In the prevention of sexual assault, there is a need to change social norms that fight violence. A group belief and expectation of personal behavior is what is referred to as norms. There are different types of norms with a small or large number of people ranging from a whole country to a particular sub-population. Gender norms are indicated by the appropriate behavior for both men and women, different behaviors between boys and girls. Therefore, individuals should always av...
