Domestic Violence

Hello Cent Platform!

Today I want us to look at domestic violence and how this menace has destroyed many lives and is still treated poorly in our societies.

In order for us not to deviate from the topic, let's know what domestic violence is and what it's not.

What is Domestic Violence?
Domestic abuse, also called "domestic violence" or "intimate partner violence", can be defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure, or wound someone.

Sexual abuse: involves forcing a partner to take part in a sex act when the partner does not consent.

In Nigeria where I come from, domestic violence has been interchanged with violence against women and anytime we talk about domestic violence all eyes goes to the women who are suffering one form of abuse in their homes. But the truth is that domestic abuse or violence can happen to any gender or race, although the women are the most vulnerable and recipients of domestic violence.

Why do people engage in domestic violence?
From the above definition, we can see that the major reason is to gain power and control over the other intimate partner. The truth is that we can't roll out the place of control in a relationship but in this case, power and control is gotten by the use of force or abuse, which makes it wrong in it's entirety.

A spouse who earns more than the other or is privileged to be more financially stable than the other wants the other to bow before him or her, but the truth is that being more financially stable than the other is to compliment and create a balance in the home but many use it as an advantaged point over the other.

Many women and men have been victims of physical violence and when this becomes very frequent it leads to depression and death. Most people think that because they love their spouse they could endure physical abuse but they don't know that they're gradually entering the grave.

What are the solutions to domestic abuse?

• talk to someone you can confined to many uses the wrong approach to tackle domestic abuse and one of those approaches is to fight back. Fighting back can lead to more injuries or physical harms. You can talk to a professional or go for marriage counseling. Talking here helps you reduce the effects of depression on you.
• take a break from the marriage or relationship. Taking a break means saving yourself from more harm.
• if domestic violence persist leave the marriage or relationship completely. One of the ways to avoid death in an abusive relationship is to quit the relationship.

Finally, love doesn't amount to abuse but gives everyone a reason to stay happy in the relationship.