Those of you who have known me for awhile, may know of the tragedy that struck my family last year, when my boyfriend’s sister was murdered in a domestic violence incident. Like other victims of domestic violence, Nicole was so much more than a statistic. She was a mother, a daughter, a sister and friend.
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month and in memory of Nicole, I am fundraising for the Julian Center, a local domestic violence shelter here in Indianapolis. If you are interested in donating to the cause, you can access this link to see a “wish list” of supplies that the Julian Center needs: www.juliancenter.org/wish_list.html Bring any supplies to class through the month of October, and I will ensure that they are dropped off at the Julian Center at the end of the month. Though it will not affect your grade in any way, it will affect someone’s life!
One out of every four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. It could be someone you know. Many times, domestic violence goes unreported. Nearly 21,000 women are abused in Marion County each year. In Indiana, most domestic battery charges are classified as a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by probation up to one year in jail, and a $5,000 fine.
For this week’s post, I would first like you to find one statistic on domestic violence to share with the rest of us in your post. You may not use a statistic that someone else has already posted. My question for you this week is, “Why do you think this type of violence many times goes unreported? Do you think there should be different penalties in place, and if so, what kind?” You should include your statistic in your post. Answers are due no later than Sunday, October 24th, 2010. If you or someone you know is being affected by domestic violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which is staffed 24 hours per day at 1-800-799-SAFE. All calls remain confidential.
<<>>>
ReplyDeleteI think that often times it goes unreported, because the victims think that they can handle it. They also might think that it's not that big of a deal or that others will look down on them because of it.
It's hard to point the finger and pick one penalty that justifies all actions. What helps or rehabilitates one person may not help the next. Sure strict guidelines should be followed, but I'm not sure which ones.
I think it goes unreported due to fear,because there are drugs involoved in most cases and/or small children so in order to keep there children they don't report (sometimes). I think that the penalties are not big enough because now, a year in jail is nothing to most people. So i don't think that's fair to the victims.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the American Institute on Domestic Violence "Every 12 seconds, a woman is beaten by her husband or boyfriend." I think most women probably choose not to report domestic violence due to fear of being abused again or more often. Considering the husband/boyfriend may be in jail for only one year, the woman may fear retaliation as soon as the husband/boyfriend is released.
ReplyDeleteI think the 1 year sentence should be used for first time offenders and a stricter,(maybe start at 5 years), sentence should be used for repeat offenders.
I think it might be, because they are afraid that the attacker will take revenge if the victim report it. As well the attacker many times brainwashing the victim saying "you will never will get someone better, or saying that he/she will do something bad to them if the report him/her to the police. I know is more common from men to abuse women, than women to men.
ReplyDeleteAnd as Lauren Ryan said, is really hard to make or to establishing a penalty to help the abuser to stop abusing people, but they definitely need to be punish for their actions.
i dont think that they are going to go and tell on the people that are abusing them for days upon days. I do not think that some one should go through this at all. The punishment for the people that abuse there women, men, or even children is just not good enough. They can get out and do it all over agian and not think about it. The victim is not going to go to the police most of the time because there are ways for the person to get in contact with people on the outside to do harm to that person as well. Plus they are brainwashing them as well by saying that they will not have it any better with out them and they will not leave. So i think that there is alot of work that can be dont to make sure that these are safe.
ReplyDeleteMy Aunt has been married for 15 years and abused for 14 of those 15 years and while she has went to homes and things before with her children she always went back. The last time he did harm she decided that she was going to leave him and so far shes doing good!
ReplyDeleteI think the hardest part is deciding if he is going to come after you and your kids or not. If you leave him will he try and kill you? Can you escape without harm?
She went to the police but it never really helped. Either she couldnt prove he did it or she wouldnt pursue the paperwork afterwards in fear of him.
She moved 4 hours away from him and in with her mother again with her 3 children to try and stay safe. The local police have been informed of the situation and she checks in with her lawyer if anything changes.
I think most women are just very fearful and they get in over their heads and eventually dont know how to get out, where to go, or what to do.
I feel like there should be a site like the child molester site.
So woman can check the guys out they may be dating.
I also think while on probation they should have to do a ton of concealing and community service.
Approximately 1.3 million women and 835,000 men are physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the United States.
"In 2000, 1,247 women and 440 men were killed by an intimate partner. In recent years, an intimate partner killed approximately 33% of female murder victims and 4% of male murder victims." was said by Callie Marie Rennison, U.S. Department of Justice. I think the reason why this violence goes unreported because the victim is often time scared of what will happen to them if they would try to either leave or to report it to someone. I just don't think that the law is hard enough on anyone that abuses either a child or a woman. and I agree with ashley their should be a website like with sex offenders
ReplyDeleteThere are 16,800 homicides and $2.2 million (medically treated) injuries due to intimate partner violence annually, which costs $37 billion. http://www.soundvision.com/Info/domesticviolence/statistics.asp
ReplyDeleteI think that violence such as this goes unreported because of fear. Not only do victims of domestic abuse deal with it day in and day out but I believe it is a brainwashing mindset. They believe they can change a person and that things will always get better. In most cases it doesn't it gets more violent and eventually lead to death. I think that more should be done to punish people who commit acts of domestic abuse. I don't know what laws should be changed exactly but probation isn't going to do anything but put them back in the home with a worse outlook. It doesn't make anyone learn a lesson because they got off easy. I think that when a person sits in jail, (most of the time)...they reflect on who they are as a person and how to not get back to where they are at that time. I think that they do need more jail time as a punishment especially if death does occur. No fine can bring a person back. No short time in jail can really take back all of the years of heartache and pain a person is caused.
I agree with everyone saying that the reason it goes unreported, becasue of fear. It's the fear that they will do it again and can also fear on what could happen if they try to leave or the results that would would happen if they reported and nothing can be done.
ReplyDeleteI also agree saying that penalties are too soft. There are five possible penalties:
1.Court ordered anger management or Batterer’s Intervention Programs
2.Community service hours
3.Fines
4.Jail Time
5.Restraining or Protective Order for the victim which can limit or prevent contact with children.
Doesn't seem like much, for beating your wife/child. Prehaps make it known what this person has done, to the other residents that live with him or what Ashley said, make a website like sex offenders.
Well according to a statistic I found on this website: http://www.ncadv.org/files/DomesticViolenceFactSheet(National).pdf
ReplyDelete"Historically, females have been often victimized by someone they knew."
That could imply why most of them go unreported because it would have to deal with family and I would assume some people would like to keep family issues to themselves and try to solve them by themselves.
As far as the domestic violence policy, I wouldn't change it. It seems fine to me. I just wish people would step up a bit more and report these kind of violences even if it has to mix in with family. I mean I would if anything like that happened to me.
According to the NCADV website, 85% of domestic violence victims are women. Domestic violence incidents go unreported for many reasons. Many do not want to believe that those things are happening to them and they feel too embarassed to tell anyone. They would rather be with that person than be alone. Penalties for such things should be way harsher because it is never right to do that to a person.
ReplyDeleteIntimate partner violence made up 20% of all nonfatal violent crime experienced by women in 2001.
ReplyDeleteCallie Marie Rennison, U.S. Dep't of Just., NCJ 197838, Bureau of Justice Statistics Crime Data Brief: Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2001, at 1 (2003), available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/ipv01.pdf
Wow!!! 20% of all women are violently beaten by an intimate partner each year!!! That is 1.2 billion women. that is rediculous. This kind of violence goes unheard. You watch the new and you hardly ever see or hear of this. The media needs to put more of this kind of violence on the air to help peoples awareness of this issue.
I think this type of violence goes unheard because most of the women are afraid to report it. They fear that with the little bail money that it takes for a person to get out of jail, if they do report it, the man will come after them and do more harm. Even though there are laws in place to try and protect the woman, these law are just words on paper. (Restraining order, No contact order). The judge may tell the man to stay away or else, but that is just words on paper and through a speech a judge will give him. Do you think most men will listen if they are a bomb waiting to explode?? Hell no they won't!!! They will do whatever it takes to get back at the woman for putting him in jail.
The laws need to change, but I do not have a clue as to what needs to be done to change the laws that are in place. The only thing that I can think of that will help, would be to raise the bail to a degree that will make it almost impossible for someone to bail them selves out or someone else to be able to bail them out.
First of all, I am sorry for what your family has been through. I can not imagine how that must make your family feel. I know my brother would want to kill someone if they hurt me, and then we would have another problem....I hope her boyfriend is paying for what he did.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, though I have not been physiclly abused by anyone, I have had a verbally abusive boyfriend and that can be very hard too. It is easy to see how these women fall into these situations and find it difficult to get out of. Deep down they are in love with that person and it can be hard to see yourself without them.
"On average, more than three women and one man are murdered by their intimate partners in this country every day. In 2000, 1,247 women were killed by an intimate partner. The same year, 440 men were killed by an intimate partner. Intimate partner homicides accounted for 30% of the murders of women and 5% percent of the murders of men."
(Bureau of Justice Statistics Crime Data Brief, Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2001, February 2003. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Intimate Partner Violence in the U.S. 1993-2004, 2006.) http://www.dvrc-or.org/domestic/violence/resources/C61/#hom
Also, my best friend was badly abused by her exboyfriend before I knew her. He bagan to abuse her after he started using cocaine and meth. He almost killed her (in his mother's front yard mind you). She has not seen him since, luckily. However, this still effects her, many years later. Her confidence is very low (getting better), and she is a very bad worrier. In the end she is extremely grateful that she was able to walk away, and so am I. I have never been in a fight, but if I were her friend then I would have been going after him! Anyway, I hate to see women/men to be abused by their loved ones, and I hate hate to see children in the same situation. So, I will be bringing some things in for the Jillian Center.
I grew up in a home with many different types of abuse, from domestic, physical, and mental abuse. My mother has taught me how to be a better person by being the worst kind of mother, daughter, sister, friend, and child. Statistics show that over three million children witness domestic violence in their home each year. I believe that there are different circumstances to every situation and people need to learn how to be strong and believe in themselves. And in most cases the victim believes that what happened was either their fault or they have been driven to have no self confidence. Usually there is mental abuse involved. I do want to point out that the government usually takes the side of the female, and that is not always right on all accounts. For example my mother used to hit herself or hurt herself in some way to say that the man in the situation beat her, and he was almost always sent to jail. In this case the man was innocent, not in all faults, but in domestic abuse. I know there are times when punishment is not harsh enough, but it comes down to moral values. There are people wrongly accused daily.
ReplyDeleteFirst I am sorry for your loss. That is such a horrific act,and I hope he is paying for what he did, if not here on earth,
ReplyDeletefor sure in the after life.
Forty percent of teenage girls age 14 to 17 report knowing someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend. Source: Children Now/Kaiser Permanente poll, December, 1995.
I think what most people don't realize is that the abuse is not just physical it is mental. They can fill a person with self doubt and low self esteem. They make that person think that they not only cant get out, but if they do get out of the relationship, no one else will want them. The victims are brainwashed and mentally broken.
In a national survey of American families, 50% of the men who frequently assaulted their wives also frequently abused their children.
I also agree that the penalties need to be raised. If you can beat a women within an inch of her life, you should be charged with attempted murder, because that is just what it is. You attempted to kill someone, so you should be charged accordingly. I also think that psychological help is needed for the victim and the abuser. Just like parole evaluations are done before a release of criminals from prison, a psychological evaluation needs to be conducted to make sure these men with problems are not let back out into the community. I also liked Ashlee's idea for a website. If women can know before getting too deep into a relationship, many incidents might be avoided.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 2.5 million females experience some form of violence each year. Up to 50 percent of all homeless women and children in this country are fleeing domestic violence. More than 53% of male abusers beat their children. One of every three abused children becomes an adult abuser or victim. Every 21 days a woman is killed by domestic violence. Children are involved in 60% of domestic violence cases.
ReplyDeletehttp://womensstudiesjmu.wikispaces.com/Domestic+Violence+Against+Women,+by+Stephanie+Klann
This type of violence mostly goes unreported because, it’s not as easy as it seems in many situations, women sometimes feel like they are at fault during the abuse, they believe the their husband/Bf there with them for life and the abuse was just an explosion of emotions coming out. I believe there should be rougher penalty then the current law, the offender should be punished with a more through action, maybe a bigger fine, definitely longer time in jail, and if accused more then once then they should be put in jail for life.
63 domestic violence deaths here in Indiana last year (ICADV) July 2009 TO June 2010
ReplyDeleteI believe that fear and brainwashing are top reasons for non-reported cases. The penalties are too minor for battery against a child or partner. If one is proven guilty of such a charge that the community of occurance should be made aware of that person and should help in the reporting of their where abouts. I believe the community could be a great help in reporting a domestic affender and keeping them at bay. The penalty in jail should be longer, but the risk of the wrongfully accused also plays a roll. I agree with checa because I witnessed a close case of that with my mom and dad. My mom had threatened to hurt herself and blame it on him, and with the dramatic size differences of them it looks like my dad could cause harm to my 5 foot mom.
50% of offenders in state prison for spousal abuse had killed their victims. Wives were more likely than husbands to be killed by their spouses: wives were about half of all spouses in the population in 2002, but 81% of all persons killed by their spouse.
ReplyDeleteMatthew R. Durose et al., U.S. Dep't of Just., NCJ 207846, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Family Violence Statistics: Including Statistics on Strangers and Acquaintances, at 31-32 (2005), available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/fvs.pdf
I believe like most of us that the reason people who are hurt in domestic violence incicdents are because of fear for their life or others. Most of the time they are brain washed into thinking there is no way out and if they try to reach out their significant other will hurt them. Many people know that its going on and wont say anything. People shouldnt keep their mouths shut in such cases. And the charges should be a great deal more.
"27% of the victims of domestic violence in the past 12 months did not report the incident to the police."
ReplyDeleteDomestic violence often goes unreported because the abuser is a loved one and the one that is getting abused does not want to evolve the police. As far as punishment, sometimes it takes a more severe penalty. Maybe an extended jail time and a longer time on parole.
"Only approximately one-quarter of all physical assaults, one-fifth of all rapes, and one-half of all stalkings perpetuated against females by intimate partners are reported to the police." NCADV.org
ReplyDeleteDomestic violence can go unreported for several different reasons. A family member had told me once she dealt with her husband abusing her for so long because she was afraid of what he would do in turn to their children. She put up with a lot, thinking that as long as it wasn't the kids he was hurting, she could handle it. She understands more now what kind of affect this had on her kids. She says now that even though her marriage was hell, she wouldn't have wanted it to have never happened, because she couldn't imagine never having her children. She's has such a positive outlook on her life now, even with her ex now trying to gain custody.
I wish there was more the government would do after such a case has been brought to light. Because of only getting a slap on the wrist, the family member's ex has a chance to steal the children away. It was never fully investigated, and while the odds are stacked in her favor, she's still going through such a messy and emotional battle. Her kids have to face him in court, and they're terrified.
I'm also very sorry for you and your family's loss.
Coming from personal experience, you love the person with the good and the bad. You over look the bad habits when starting a relationship. It is hard to deal with situations, when you never grew up to see the bad. Sometimes you over look the bad, like alcoholism. As people we try to hide the embarrassment, and protect what we have. When the verbal and emotional abuse starts, you don't know how to stop it. The physical abuse is another story. When there are children involved it's worst. I saw my relationship as a drug, I wanted to help him. It was ultimately his choice to get help, and I can't force him too. It takes time and strength to get through. We need stronger laws. A fine; one year jail time is not enough. The sad part of it all, it is US women who need to say enough is enough. We always go back, we need to learn not to go back even though apologize countless times.
ReplyDeleteBetween 600,000 and 6 million women are victims of domestic violence each year, and between 100,000 and 6 million men, depending on the type of survey used to obtain the data.
ReplyDelete(Rennison, C. (2003, Feb). Intimate partner violence. Us. Dpt. of Justice/Office of Justice Programs. NXJ 197838.
Straus, M. & Gelles, R. (1990). Physical violence in American families. New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction Publishers.
Tjaden, P., & Thoennes, N. (2000). Extent, nature, and consequences of intimate partner violence. National Institute of Justice, NCJ 181867.)
I think that domestic violence doesn't get reported because the victims are often to scared to say anything or that they in some way deserve to be treated that way. Many times their attackers break them down so much and threaten them about telling that they are affraid to say anything.
I really think that there needs to be harsher punishment for domestic violence. One year in jail and a fine is definately not enough of a punishment. That does nothing to protect the victims from their attackers coming back and continuing after they get released.
"Six out of seven domestic assaults are not reported to the police." (www.abnet.org/domviol/stats.html)
ReplyDeleteI agree with most other people, that domestic violence goes unreported because of fear. Mainly the fear that the violence will get worse. Also, the fear of losing children, if there are any, or losing a home if the male owns the home and the female decides to leave.
I feel like the penalties in place now are pretty fair. Maybe 5 years in jail would be be a better sentence depending on how severe the violence is. I would think any amount of jail time from 1-5 years would be enough to make a man change his ways.
• Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women.
ReplyDelete• Every day in the United States 4 children die as a result of child abuse and neglect.
Both of these statics are from http://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org
I believe that many times domestic violence goes unreported because….They love the person that is hurting them. As silly as that sounds most people that are involved in an unhealthy relationship feel like they are the problem. That only if I did this right….then maybe they might not hit me. The victim feels as though they can handle the situation as well as they are the only ones that understand the abuser. It’s a strong sickness that gets hold of way too many strong women as well as men. You will never understand what one of these women is going through unless you have personally gone through it or grew up in a household with an abuser. I also feel that the repercussion for abuser is not as serious as it should be, by any means. I can not believe only 1 year in prison and $5,000 fine is all the punishment most abusers get. It really makes me sick…because an abuser can permentally affect someone or even worse take someone’s life. My condolences go to you Stephanie and your family.
Straus and Gelles (1996) have estimated that over 29 million children commit an act of violence against a sibling each year. (Straus, M. & Gelles, R. 1998. How violent are American families: estimates from the national family violence survey and other studies. In: Family Abuse and Its Consequences: New Directions in Research (G. Hotaling et al., Eds))
ReplyDeleteDomestic violence is one of the biggest problems that our nation is facing these days. All brothers and sisters argue and bicker, but it can easily escalate into a fistfight or hairpulling(as I am sure we all know). But there are also those instances when the siblings actually have the intent of seriously injuring the other, or repeated and persistent behavior that should be addressed.
On average, more than three women and one man are murdered by their intimate partners in this country every day. In 2000, 1,247 women were killed by an intimate partner. The same year, 440 men were killed by an intimate partner. (http://www.dvrc-or.org/domestic/violence/resources/C61/)
ReplyDeleteI believe this kind of abuse goes unreported because all different reasons. From my own personal experience I thought things would get better or that he was just having a really bad day. But it was more than that. The relationship got out of control I had to do something (that something was to leave it was probably one of the hardest things i had to do but everyone told me it was for the best). It is all really hard for me to talk about.
I think there needs to be harsher punishment for domestic violence. ONE YEAR in jail and a fine that is NOT enough. I think that is just enough time to make the attacker even more mad and come back and do it again.
I am so sorry to hear about your loss.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"Approximately 1.3 million women and 835,000 men are physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the United States." -- Office of Justice Programs (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/pubs-sum/183781.htm)
ReplyDeletePhysical domestic violence is usually more than that, there is a psychological facet as well that I think stops a lot of women (and men) from leaving and/or coming forward. They think they can handle it, they deserved it, their partner will change/it was a one time thing, ect and so they don't leave. Its not as easy as everyone thinks to up and leave, because the abuser and the victim were in a relationship, were in love once. I think this is also the reason they don't come forward.
I think the penalty should be higher as well. Usually abusers don't get more than a year..since it is assault and usually within the second and first tier the punishment should be higher -- those who are convicted of first degree assault can get up to 20 years.
I found a statistic that stated that 2 out of 3 women knew or was in a relationship with their attacker. I found that very shocking and very sad. I believe that many women who are attacked by their partner probably do not report it because they depend on that person for many other things than just affection. For some women reporting an abuse problem could cause their partner to be arrested or leave, leaving them unable to afford living. Or perhaps its the fear of nothing happening and their partner becoming angry of being reported, only to have to deal with the after math of their anger.
ReplyDeleteI hope it is known that women can ofetn times be the abusers as well. I personally know that my brother was in an abusive relationship with his girlfriend. She was verbally abusive and very controlling. When she would drink she would often times become angry and physically abusive. I can remember the reason he finally left was when she was punching, biting and scratching him that he threw her off of him. She called the police trying to get him in trouble. When police arrived and saw physical damage to Sam, none to her, and her being udnerage and drunk she was arrested.
I believe that male or female people should respect themselves enough not to put up with any kind of abuse from someone they share their lives with. Perhaps its easier said than done for those in the relationship. Which is why friends or loved ones of the one being abused need to step in, let their voices be heard, and be willing to take care of those in order for them to find the strength to leave.
31,260 women were murdered by an intimate from 1976-1996.
ReplyDeleteSome crimes do get more attention than domestic violence that shouldn't. But on the other hand I think that the punishment is enough for the crime, it's not too harsh or too lax.
I think that the saying "Love can be blind" goes hand-in-hand with this. Maybe it isn't reported because of the disbelief that it'll always be that way. I can't think of a situation that it would not be possible to report the situation
"Intimate partner violence made up 20% of all nonfatal violent crime experienced by women in 2001." I think this is one of the primary reasons this type of crime goes unreported. Because the women are often in a position where their abuser is someone they have a close personal relationship with and they are afraid or do not know how to handle the situation. I think that awareness needs to be better publicized and people need to be better informed of forms of domestic violence and how to best handle it.
ReplyDeleteIn a 1995-1996 study conducted in the 50 States and the District of Columbia, nearly 25% of women and 7.6% of men were raped and/or physically assaulted by a current or former spouse, cohabiting partner, or dating partner/acquaintance at some time in their lifetime (based on survey of 16,000 participants, equally male and female).
ReplyDeletehttp://new.abanet.org/domesticviolence/Pages/Statistics.aspx
I believe love and fear can be stronger than wrong and right. Most relationships don't start out in a negative fashion. And it can be hard to leave someone you have strong feelings for. Or you can be too afraid to get away because this other person is so close and involved in your life, they have control and know most of your activities.
84% of spouse abuse victims were females, and 86% of victims of dating partner abuse at were female.
ReplyDeleteMany times i even ask myself that question as to why these incidents go unreported and one of the reasons is fear. Fear in my opinion play a big part, fear of leaving, fear of telling someone close to you, fear of just facing the fact that you are being abused and even fear of losing that other person. even though jail time should be one of the punishments, it should be longer than one year. women and men should be informed more often about domestic abuse because they may never think that it can happen to them or to someone they know.
According to the Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics report of 1994, an interesting fact that came up in this report is that generally women seek medical assistance for violence related injuries only after leaving the batterer and not while living with him. About 75% of the calls for help were also made after separation.
ReplyDeleteI've never had any experience with domestic violence so it would be impossible for me to reason why someone wouldn't report it. For every person who is affected by domestic violence and doesn't act, there is a different reason why it didn't get reported earlier if at all.
To answer the second part of your question, I don't know what Indiana's laws are regarding the punishment of domestic violence offenders other that the usual laws regarding battery and assualt. I certainly don't think that domestic violence should be considered the same as a bar fight between two men though. I guess the laws should be stricter concerning those who can't defend themselves.