Domestic violence occurs when one partner in a relationship abuses another partner. The relationship could be between married or unmarried persons, intimate partners, parents of a child in common and children. The most common types of domestic violence acts include sexual attacks, physiological abuse, physical attacks, destruction of property and withholding of financial assistance.
Domestic violence has many negative consequences, including negative health outcomes such as heart diseases, chronic pain, gynecological issues and diabetes. It can also lead to behavioral health concerns, which include drug abuse, high-risk sexual behaviors and depression. Below are some of the effective ways to combat domestic violence.
Education
One of the main ways to learn about different violations of rights or how to stop domestic violence is through educational training. There are social-emotional learning programs for the youth and healthy relationship programs for couples that help teach safe and healthy relationship skills. Partners who are less aware of their rights might have low bargaining power and end up being abused.
Disruption of leading pathways toward domestic violence
Most abusers develop factors associated with domestic violence at an early age. Some of the pathways toward partner violence include early exposure to adverse experiences such as child abuse and neglect, criminality, poor parenting behaviors, parental substance abuse and experiencing violence in the home. Other behaviors such as being convicted of a crime at an early age, poor behavioral control and early onset of drug abuse could also contribute to domestic violence in the future.
Parents and children need to engage in programs that address early childhood environments and parenting skills to try and interrupt the development of behaviors. Examples of these programs include early childhood visitation programs, parenting skill and family relationship programs.
Support to victims of domestic violence to enhance safety and lessen harms
There are several negative health outcomes of domestic violence could experience. Some conditions resulting from domestic violence include sexually transmitted diseases or HIV, PTSD, substance use, unplanned pregnancy, preterm birth, depression and anxiety. Also, some victims of partner violence are forced to run away from their homes and may become homeless.
Different approaches can help reduce future experiences and negative consequences of partner violence victims or survivors. For example, homeless survivors should look for housing programs for affordable housing. They are also victim-centered services that aim to improve the survivors’ long-term negative consequences.