Domestic Violence Definition, Statistics & What To Do
What is Domestic Violence? Domestic violence is a crime without demographics, gender, or national border, making it a global issue. While men do and can fall victim to domestic violence, women and children are its highest numbering victims. The Domestic Violence Definition is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain control over another intimate partner.
Forms of Abuse Include:
Regardless of age, race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation it affects people of all walks of life. Each year approximately 10 million people are abused. One in five women has been a victim of severe physical abuse, while one in seven men have been a victim of severe physical abuse.
- Emotional – verbal abuse, isolation, humiliation
- Psychological – threats, stalking, intimidation
- Economic – limiting access to transportation, work, credit, and/or insurance
- Legal threats – false accusations, threats of deportation
- Physical – scratching, hitting, choking, use of weapons
- Sexual – coerced/non-consensual sex, sexual assault, use of pornography
Domestic Violence Warnings Signs
Learn more about signs of abuse
- Acts jealous or is possessive of you
- Controls who you can see, talk to, wear, etc.
- Treats you with disrespect
- Makes threats to you, your pets, about hurting him/herself if you don’t listen
- Plays mind games to make you feel guilty
- Requires you to constantly check-in with them
- Keeps secret financial accounts you don’t know about
- Constantly blame you for their problems or bad mood
- Monitor your phone, email, text or other communications
Domestic Violence Statistics
Globally, domestic violence numbers are staggering. A study by the World Health Organization estimates the occurrence of physical violence to range from 13% of all women in Japan, to 61% of all women in Peru. Even countries such as Denmark, Finland, and Sweden—countries commended for having gender equality—show averages above 40% of women who report domestic violence. Learn More 7 SCARY STATISTICS ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Domestic Abuse in San Diego The San Diego Violence Council reports that an estimated 1 of 4 children in California is directly exposed to violence either as a victim or witness. That every day about 530 women and children need shelter. On average 21,000 domestic violence call and cases are reported every year and many are not reported. Over 5,600 calls to the domestic hotline are made from California annually. Here are 30 more shocking domestic violence statistics.
What To Do
If You Are A Victim If you are a victim of domestic violence it is important that you find a safe place that you can get to. No one should have to live their lives in fear. Find a family member or friend that you can get to and stay there. There are also many domestic violence services like the National Network To End Domestic Violence, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and The Hotline. You will also want to get legal help to provide a restraining order against your abuser. Once you are safe and the legal process is taken care of, the healing process needs to begin. Search out local support groups that can help you heal. There are others that have been through similar situations, and finding a group to confide in can help you recover from the difficult situation that you went through.
If You Are The Abuser (or Convicted) Domestic Violence Classes may be court-ordered after an individual is convicted of a domestic violence crime. Some referrals may come from social services, church, or family members. These programs aim to help participants
- Recognize and acknowledge their harmful behavior from their relationships
- Understand the impact of their behavior on those closest to them
- Develop empathy for their partners and begin the healing process that they have caused
- Improve their communication skills
If You Are Falsely Accused The penalty for false accusation of domestic violence can come from filing a false police report and lying in court which are both criminal offenses. Each year there are thousands of people falsely accused of domestic violence. The reasons for false accusations vary depending on each case (custody battles, anger, etc.). Many times, even without evidence, the accused is automatically presumed guilty. If you are falsely accused of domestic violence you should first seek legal counsel to help protect your rights. Finding a good domestic violence attorney can be difficult, so it’s important to do your research beforehand. Make sure that there is a witness for any contact that you have between you and your accuser. The last thing that you need is another false accusation that can’t be proven or disproven. If you have a restraining order against you, be sure that you strictly follow that restraining order. Even if you were falsely accused of domestic violence, a broken restraining order can be hard to overcome in court. Most importantly, stay calm. Be sure to keep a cool head and to trust your lawyer. A good lawyer with a solid understanding of the law should be able to handle the situation and resolve it in a positive outcome. If you’ve been falsely accused of domestic violence it is important that you seek immediate legal help. Contact the Law Offices of Bradley Corbett to help you defend your legal rights.
Bradley Corbett is a criminal defense attorney in San Diego. He graduated from Brigham Young University in Provo Utah in 2004. Later he enrolled at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego where he participated in a prestigious internship program with the Los Angeles County Public Defender. Since then he has handled over 2,000 cases.