Culture Domestic Violence

Culture Domestic Violence

CJ333 Family and Domestic Violence

Purdue University Global

Culture Domestic Violence

Abstract

Domestic violence is not only an American problem but also an issue around the world. This essay will discuss four major issues of family violence within American society. We will also compare these major issues to four cultures outside the American borders. The four areas of domestic violence we will discuss in the four other cultures are neglect, physical abuse, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse.

Neglect is when there is a failure to give care to an individual when you or someone are obligated to give care to another person. There are often many signs that someone is being neglected some of those are untreated health problems, unsanitary living conditions, and malnutrition.

Physical abuse is when someone uses force or threatens someone with physical pain. Physical pain is not just external but can also result with internal injuries. Physical signs of abuse can be but are not limited to bruises, welts, and burns.

Psychological abuse comes when someone intentionally uses words to inflict pain or cause distress to gain control of another person. Psychological abuse signs are harder to notice. You may notice someone who never gives eye contact, always looks to the other for approval, and may not speak unless the abuser allows them.

Sexual abuse is when someone says no but the abuser touches the other anyways. Sexual abuse can be with someone under the age of consent and can be either touching or penetration. Signs of sexual abuse are not always present however, some signs include bruises around the breast or genital area, infections in the genital area, and torn clothing.

Culture Domestic Violence

Domestic violence in American society is an ongoing issue in the United States. According to Martin Huecker and William Smock (2019), domestic violence is estimated to affect over nine million people in the United States each year (Huecker, M. R., Smock, W. para 1). Although many individuals feel that domestic violence is on the rise, it may be the change in how society has changed their view on reporting the abuse.

In American society abuse on children and the elderly are more prevalent. The reason for children and elderly to be more susceptible to abuse is because they are dependent on someone to care for them. Children experience abuse more so than any other age group because they are completely dependent on their parents or caregivers. According to Charles H. Zeanah and Kathryn L. Humphreys (2018), in a study done with around 2,000 abused children it revealed that about one percent were sexually abused. Also, of those 2,000 children, four percent experienced physical abuse, and ten percent experience emotional abuse. (Zeanah, H. C. & Humphreys, L. C. para. 9).

In summary, domestic violence has become a major issue in the United States. As mentioned above, millions of people will experience some form of abuse each year. In American society abuse is more prevalent with children and the elderly. Domestic violence needs more attention and individuals in these situations need more ways to get help.

In Thailand culture domestic violence is to be kept private and considered a family problem. Thai society sees family as a place of love and care for one another. Abuse of any kind is not to be spoken of outside of the family. Thai families overlook abuse which has forced women to deal with the violence on their own (Chuemchit, M. et. all, 2018).

Thailand has a higher psychological violence than that of American culture. According to a Montakarn Chuemchit (2018), a study conducted on approximately two thousand Thai women, reported over fifty percent of women experience psychological violence with physical violence to be the lesser of the four major abuse categories. Men in this culture are presumed to display more controlling behaviors than that of the American culture (Chuemchit, M. et. all, p. 315).

Sexual abuse in Thailand is also a major issue with intimate partner violence (IPV). Thia women are to obey their husbands. It is said that around twenty percent of Thia women are sexually abused by their spouse, in a study done by Chuemchit and Perngparn in 2014 (Chuemchit, M. et. all, 2018).

In summary, Thai culture is taught to keep what happens within the family home to say within those walls. Unlike American culture we are taught to speak up about abuse rather than keep it hidden. Within the Thai culture psychological abuse is higher than physical abuse, and women are left to deal with this abuse alone.

Domestic violence in Shiraz, South-Western Iran culture psychological abuse has been reported more out of the four types of domestic violence. In an article written by Bahareh Moazen (2019), says that out of all participants in a study conducted on domestic violence, over half the women reported psychosocial abuse (Moazen, B., et. all, p. 3). Shiraz culture seems to be similar to Thai culture when it comes to keeping the abuse hidden behind closed doors.

Sexual abuse was found to not be a major issue in the Shiraz culture. This finding may be because it is not seen as sexual abuse in their culture when you are married. Neglect was also not reported with children or elderly. In the Shiraz culture it is important to take care of your children and elders. Within the Shiraz culture physical domestic violence is more prevalent when parents have divorced and are living seperatly (Moazen, B. p. 245).

In summary, the Shiraz culture had more reported psychological abuse than any other type of domestic violence. Shiraz culture is like American culture where psychological abuse is higher than physical or sexual abuse that has been reported. We are starting to see that psychological abuse is higher in many cultures.

In the Arab culture women are not looked at as lower than men. Women in this culture are faced with not being looked at as equals and are taught to obey their spouse. This culture is similar to that of the Thai and Shiraz cultures. Hitting or talking to your wife is not looked at as abuse, rather the normal way to conduct yourself as a husband.

In an article written by Tatiana Elghossain (2019), after she conducted considerable research, she found that psychological abuse was ninety percent more likely to happen in the Arab culture and only about forty percent were sexual abuse. Although, physical violence came in at about fifty percent of the domestic violence reports (Elghossain, T. et. all. p. 1). Neglect in the Arab culture did not make a percentage in our findings. This could be because it is not reported or happening in the Arab culture as much as other cultures.

In summary, the Arab culture gives control to men and not to women. We can see that compared to the American, Thai, and Shiraz cultures that psychosocial abuse is the most reported domestic violence. The reason could be that is has long lasting effects on mental health issues later in life.

Within Tanzania culture domestic violence is a major issue. Women do not have rights to do as they please. In the Tanzania culture men work and a woman’s job is to bare children and care for the home. Woman are not allowed to question men as it is a sign of disrespect.

In an article written by Saidi Kapiga (2017), wrote that sixty percent of women have experienced physical or sexual abuse. Kapiga also wrote that psychological abuse was lower at thirty percent (Kapiga, S. et. all p.1). Physical abuse and sexual abuse were the most common types of domestic violence in the Tanzania culture. We can assume this is because Tanzania women are to obey, have children, and take care of their husbands. Neglect was not prevalent in this culture, this may be, because the women cook and clean.

In summary, the Tanzania culture has a higher percentage of physical and sexual abuse. When we compare it to American, Thai, and Shiraz culture it is the only one that psychological abuse is not the higher percentage. Although, men display controlling behaviors because it is a cultural norm, this could be the reason for the lower percentage of psychological abuse (Kapia, S. 2017). Within the Tanzania culture men use fear of harm rather than threatening of harm to control women and children.

In conclusion, domestic violence comes in many different forms other than physical. Many of us only connect domestic violence with physical harm. Looking into and comparing American culture with Thai, Shiraz, and Tanzania cultures we find that psychological abuse is the one people experience the most. Concluding that from all over the world domestic violence is a vital issue that needs more attention and outlets for those who suffer or are suffering.

References

Chuemchit, M., Chernkwanma, S., Rugkua, R., Daengthern, L., Abdullakasim, P., & Wieringa, S. E. (2018). Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence in Thailand. Journal of family Violence, 33(5), 315-323.

This is a credible source because it is a journal from the Purdue library.

Elghossain, T., Bott, S., Akik, C., & Obermeyer, C.M. (2019). Prevalence of intimate partner violence against women in the Arab world: a systematic review. BMC International Health & Human Rights, 19(1), N.PAG.

Source is credible because it is a article from the Purdue library.

Huecker, M. R.,Smock, W. (2019, October 27). Domestic Violence. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499891/.

Kapiga, S., Harvey, S., Muhammad, A. K., Stockl, H., Mshana, G. Hashim, R., Watts, C. (2017). Prevalence of intimate partner violence and abuse and associated factors among women enrolled into ca cluster randomized trial in northwestern Tanzania. BMC Publich Health. 17(1), 190.

This is a credible source because it is from the Purdue library.

Moazen, B., Salehi, A., Soroush, M., Vardanjani, H. & Zarrinhaghighi, A. (2019). Domestic violence against women in Shiraz, South-Western Iran. Journal of Injury & Violence Research, 11(2), 243.

This is a reliable source because it is a journal from the Purdue library.

Zeanah, C. H., & Humphreys, K. L. (2018). Child Abuse and Neglect. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6615750/.