DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: TYPES, CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES - GEOGRAFÍA

The Domestic Violence is the type of violence that occurs in the family, ie no external factors involved. It can be psychological and physical violence and from any member of the family to any other.

It is a situation that occurs more often than it seems. In fact, it is very possible that on some occasion you have witnessed an act of this type and have not given it more importance. Screams, blows, humiliations… are they not familiar to you?

There are many cases that are never reported due to shame, fear of reprisals from the aggressor or not being able to do so (in the case of children and the elderly).

In this article we will develop the types of domestic violence that exist, the causes and consequences of it, and finally, ways to prevent this scourge so present today.

Types of domestic violence

First, it is necessary to define the different types of domestic violence that exist. According to the World Health Organization:

Domestic violence

It is defined as physical, psychological, sexual or other mistreatment or aggression, inflicted by people in the family environment and generally directed at the most vulnerable members of the family: children, women, disabled people and the elderly.

Within the violence directed at children and the elderly, two types of abuse can be differentiated:

Active: the person suffers physical, psychological, sexual or economic abuse.
Passive: refers to the abandonment of the person who cannot take care of himself.

Gender violence

This term refers to specific violence against women, used as an instrument to maintain discrimination, inequality and power relations of men over women.

It includes physical, sexual and psychological violence, including threats, coercion, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, which occurs in public or private life and whose main risk factor is the fact of being a woman.

Intimate partner violence

It is defined as those attacks that occur in the private sphere in which the aggressor, generally a male, has a relationship with the victim.

Two elements must be taken into account in the definition: the repetition or habitual nature of violent acts and the situation of control of the aggressor who uses violence to subdue and control the victim. It is also called domestic violence.

On the other hand, it is necessary to identify the different types of violence that can be exercised in this context:

Physical violence: Intentionally inflicted bodily injury: beatings, burns, assaults with weapons, etc.

Psychological violence: humiliation, devaluation, exaggerated and public criticism, foul and humiliating language, insults, threats, blaming, social isolation, control of money, not allowing decisions to be made.
Sexual violence: Acts that threaten the sexual freedom of the person and damage their dignity: forced sexual relations, abuse, rape.

Economic violence: it is related to the abuse of financial control in the home. The abuser controls the money, makes the decisions about its use and even prevents the other person from working.

Causes

The different studies that exist in this field coincide in pointing out that the origin of violence is multifactorial, that is, there are different conditions that contribute to its appearance and they are not always the same.

Some of the causes that have been indicated as more frequent for the appearance of intrafamily violence are:

Specific characteristics of the aggressor

Lack of impulse control, low self-esteem, lack of affection, experiences he has lived in childhood or certain personality factors can have a decisive influence on him to abuse and mistreat people around him.

Inability to resolve conflicts properly

According to Jewkes this is one of the main causes. It indicates that there is a "culture of violence" that implies the acceptance of violence as the only adequate way to resolve conflicts.

Sociocultural attitudes

In the specific case of gender violence, sociocultural attitudes of inequality between men and women. Some situations that are experienced as traditional and cultural in many societies and that have been maintained over the centuries favor and maintain this inequality.

For example, the relationship of submission of women with respect to men, the justification and tolerance of male violence by society, stereotypes and sex roles.

Other

The use of violence as an instrument of power of the strong against the weak.
Dysfunctional marital relationships and / or history of family conflicts.

Consequences

The consequences of domestic violence are multiple and varied. We are going to divide them according to the population that suffers abuse and the type of violence that is practiced.

In minors

Minors are a particularly vulnerable group and in which the consequences of violence are more dramatic, whether it is exerted on them or if they live in a home where violence is used among family members.

On the other hand, studies indicate that in some cases, the emotional consequences can lead to the future reproduction of this form of violence. If the child grows up in an environment in which the use of violence is the way to resolve conflicts, it is possible that she learns this same pattern by developing a deficit in problem-solving skills.

In addition, in these minors there are alterations that affect different areas of their development:

On a physical level: growth retardation, sleep problems, eating disorders and psychosomatic symptoms such as allergies, gastrointestinal problems, headaches, etc. appear.
At an emotional level: problems of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, deficit of social skills, post-traumatic stress and social isolation appear.
At a cognitive level: delays in verbal and language development and alteration of school performance may appear.
At the behavioral level: violent behaviors towards others, immaturity, attention deficit, withdrawal and self-destructive behaviors.

In the couple

Although the vast majority of cases of violence are exercised by men towards women, there are also cases in which abuse is suffered by men, especially of the psychological type. The consequences derived from abuse are found at three levels:

On a physical level: injuries (wounds, blows, burns, etc.), greater vulnerability to illness and personal neglect. In the case of women, they are at risk of unwanted pregnancies if they are forced to have sexual relations.
On a psychological level: post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, suicide attempts, abuse of alcohol and other substances, sexual dysfunctions, somatic disorders (headaches, gastrointestinal problems, generalized and nonspecific malaise, etc.), feeling of guilt, feeling of hopelessness and emptiness.
At the social level: attitude of distrust and hostility towards everyone, social isolation, feeling of constant danger and threat from everything around them.

In the elderly and disabled people

These groups, like minors, are especially vulnerable. In these cases, in addition to the violence they suffer, we must add the age and in many cases the physical and / or economic dependence of the aggressor.

In addition, many of the cases of this type of violence are never known because the elderly or disabled person is not in a position to make a complaint. Again we can divide the consequences according to the affected area:

On a physical level: injuries of all kinds appear that in some cases leave serious consequences and even death, malnutrition, dehydration, fractures due to falls or blows, neglect and lack of care.
On a psychological level: depression, anxiety, feeling of loneliness and incapacity, feeling of helplessness and hopelessness, suicidal ideation and somatic problems.
On a social level: isolation from the environment. In some cases, the only person they can relate to is the aggressor himself.

For the aggressor

Numerous studies coincide in pointing out a series of consequences that appear in the person who exercises violence:

Inability to enjoy a satisfying and rewarding partner or family relationship.
Risk of breakup and loss of family members. Rejection by the family and the social environment.
Risk of detection and conviction by justice.
Social isolation.
Feeling of frustration, failure, and resentment.
Low self-esteem.
Difficulty asking for psychological help.
Abuse of alcohol and other substances.

Risk and vulnerability factors

Although any person (regardless of gender, age, race, sociocultural level, etc.) can be a victim of domestic violence, certain studies coincide in pointing out a series of characteristics that can influence when suffering this type of abuse.

Risk factors for minors:

Be under six years of age.
Have behavior problems and / or hyperactivity.
Young parents and / or with low educational level.
Parent with alcohol or other substance problems.
Single-parent household.
High number of children in the family.
Violence between parents.
That the parents have suffered abuse in their childhood.
Beliefs about the right of parents to exercise violence to educate their children.

Risk factors for intimate partner violence:

Female and under 25 years old.
Low educational and / or socioeconomic level.
Experiences of violence and abuse in childhood.
Urban residence.
Low autonomy and low self-esteem of the abused person.
Traditional beliefs and gender roles.
Low decision-making power of the abused person.
Lack of institutional support for violence.
Justification and tolerance of violence as a way of solving problems or submitting the partner.

Risk factors for violence in older people:

Belonging to the female sex.
Advanced age.
Conjugal bond with the caregiver.
Mobility problems
Economic dependence.
Unit for basic care.
Illness and health problems.
Mental or cognitive impairments.
Overexposure of the caregiver, a single caregiver of the dependent person.
Lack of resources and social programs to support dependency and caregivers.
Social isolation.

Risk factors in disabled people:

Belonging to the female sex.
Physical immobility or limited mobility.
Emotional dependence on the caregiver.
Inability to communicate and / or acknowledge abuse.
Health problems.
Low educational and socioeconomic level.
Unemployment and / or inability to access a job.
Caregiver overexposure.
Lack of resources and social support programs.
Social isolation.

How to prevent it?

In order to eradicate this type of violence, a fundamental tool is prevention. This strategy seeks to eradicate the problem from its roots and can be done at three different levels:

At the primary level

By modifying cultural beliefs that perpetuate the superiority of men over women or the superiority of the strong against the weak. Question violence as a useful way to resolve conflicts.

Work on reducing the level of tolerance for this type of behavior at all levels and seek rejection and condemnation of these situations. And finally, it is of special importance to carry out awareness campaigns and dissemination of information on the forms of violence, its consequences and how to act against it.

Prevention at the primary level is of crucial importance in education.

At secondary level

In this type of prevention, there is a need for training and retraining of all professionals who may be in contact with victims of violence so that they understand the situation in which they find themselves and be able to help them in the most appropriate way.

In this context, training for health personnel, security forces, social services, lawyers and judges is especially important.

In short, to all professionals who may be involved in the detection or intervention in situations of violence.

At the tertiary level

Finally, it is necessary to have a series of services and resources for care, advice, protection and assistance to which victims of violence can turn.

One of the main objectives of these resources should be the restoration of the lives of the victims, as well as the disappearance of the physical and psychological consequences that may derive from the violence.

References

Alwang, J., P. Siegel and SL Jorgensen (2001). "Vulnerability: a view from different disciplines". The World Bank. Social Protection Discussion Paper
Krug EG et al., Eds. (2002) World report on violence and health. Geneva, World Health
Watts Ch, Zimmerman C. (2002) Violence against women: global scope and magnitude. The Lancet
Fogarty CT, Beurge S and McCord C. (2002) Communicating With Patients About Intimate Partner Violence Screening and Interviewing Approaches.Fam Med
Waalen J, Goodwin M, Spiz A et al. (2000) Screening for Intimate Violence by Health Care Providers. Am J Prev Med
McLear D, Anwar R. (1987) The role of the emergency Physician in the prevention of domestic violence. Ann of Emerg. Med
Sugg NK, Inui T. (1992) Primary Care Physicians Reponse to Domestic Violence. Opening Pandora ́s Box.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: TYPES, CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES - GEOGRAFÍA - 2025