Issues & Links
A discussion of issues surrounding Domestic Violence is presented. Links to other sites of interest are provided.
Page Contents:
Domestic
violence is any behavior by one family member against another, which may
endanger that person’s personal security or well being.
It may also occur between individuals in a close or ongoing
relationship.
Physical Abuse Includes:
-
Slapping
-
Beating
-
Burns
-
Choking
-
Fractures
-
Kicking
-
Biting
Sexual Abuse Includes:
-
Unwanted Touching
-
Showing undesirable pictures (pornography)
-
Forcing someone to engage in undesirable sexual acts i.e. anal sex, oral sex
-
Attempted and forced sexual acts within or outside marriage
-
Not sharing or using money as a family
-
Prevention of going to work
-
Withholding or taking money from wife/husband
Psychological Violence Includes:
-
Public Humiliation
-
Constant criticism
-
Verbal abuse i.e. use of bad language
-
Instilling fear or threats
-
Isolation or confinement
-
Power imbalances in society or families
-
Traditional values and beliefs
-
Extra marital affairs of either partner
-
Poor/no communication between partners
-
Extended family problems
-
Unplanned pregnancies
-
Usage of family planning methods
-
Socio-Economic problems
-
Drug Addiction / Alcohol Abuse
As
much as society would like to make the issue of domestic violence a
private one, there are serious consequences on the victim, and society as
well as the perpetrator. The
following are the consequences.
Individual:
-
Attempts of suicides or death
-
Low self-esteem
-
Violence can affect the potential of a woman to look after her children
-
Failure of Productivity at work
-
Failure to communicate with relatives, friends and workmates
-
The perpetrator may perform badly at work
-
They may turn to drugs and alcohol
The Family:
-
The family unit breaks up
-
Women deprived of their income cannot provide for their families
-
Children who grow up witnessing violence may become victims and abusers
The Society:
-
Violence deprives the woman of full participation in all aspects of development
-
The economic costs do not only include days off from work due to ill health, but also the working time of the Police, Health workers, Judiciary and Social Services
Health:
-
There may be serious cases of disability
-
Violence on a pregnant woman can potentially damage the baby or risk having a miscarriage
-
Takes a toll on women’s mental health and well being.
As
elsewhere in the world violence against women is a substantial problem in
Trinidad and Tobago. Much of
what occurs in the home is not discussed in the home or reported to the
police, therefore the statistic we obtain regarding this social problem
does not reflect the true picture
“There are a lot of myths about battered women which blame
the woman for what happens to her”
A
myth is a set of beliefs shared by most people, but which are usually
untrue. By speaking out we
can change some of the common myths about violence against women.
Myths About Domestic Violence:
-
Beating your wife is an act of love
-
Domestic violence happens to poor uneducated women
-
Only unsuccessful men beat up their wives
-
Women who are beaten often provoke assaults and deserve what they get.
-
Alcohol causes men to beat their partners.
-
Women who are beaten could leave partners easily if they wanted to.
-
Men are not victims of abuse.
Some Reasons Why Women Stay:
-
Fear of being alone / of the future
-
Not stable economically because of unemployment
-
Hope that he will change his abusiveness
-
For the sake of the children
-
Pressure from extended family
-
A woman may believe that “she asked for it”.
-
Threats to be killed if she leaves
-
Fear for her safety and that of her children
-
Nowhere to go
THE SHELTER
ISSUES & LINKS