Domestic Violence Solutions

It is impossible to completely stop domestic violence all over the world, but it can be decreased. First of all, domestic violence awareness must be raised. A lot of people regard domestic violence as a private problem and are afraid to relate their experiences to anybody who can help. This is especially true for communities in developing countries where some forms of domestic violence are deep-routed traditions. But, this does not mean that all of the community supports these traditions and goes on implementing them. Through awareness and community involvement attitudes towards domestic violence can be turned around. Raising awareness would:

• make those who face violence, especially people in denial or isolation, consider the issue
• provide those who are abused with direct solutions like informing people of the abuse hotline
• make the public constantly conscious of domestic violence, conscious that this is a problem that has to be solved, conscious that people around them may be facing this violence; concious that they may face violence in the future
• contribute to the formation of new norms in society which dictate that domestic violence is unacceptable
• start dialogues about violence in families and in communities bringing people one step closer to the commencement of solving the issue

But, on its own public awareness does not bring about action. A few solutions which lead to action are:
1.Involving the community in services which work to abate domestic violence. A community:

• knows what problems different families may be facing, and some families where domestic abuse happens
• or members of it are the first place to which most people would turn to if disclosing situations of violence (People would first share their troubles with their relatives and friends. It is important that the community knows how to react to this.)
• is aware of the cultural circumstances which the abused or abusers live in
• is affected by domestic violence as a whole. Its constituents should be given a say in how to combat the problem
• often has individuals who are aware of the problem and are willing to take action
• could form the social environment where domestic abuse is unacceptable

As action a community would:

• participate in projects already run by the government and social services
• exert social pressure to stop domestic violence
• at the same time avoid stigmatization of the abused and the abusers
• incorporate domestic violence as a conversation topic in events like a gathering, etc...
• identify the social measures taken against an abuser, since especially in poor or immigrant communities there is a fear of turning to government officials because of the risk of deportation, arrest, or children being taken away into foster care
• make stopping domestic violence a priority by understanding how it is caused by and is causing other types of problems like violence in the streets, etc...

2. Link efforts to stop domestic violence with those that aim to stop violence against children or at times with programmes combatting substance abuse, violence on the streets, etc... Studies show that these issues are inter-related and stopping one is impossible without stopping the other. This especially true for domestic and child abuse.
3. Providing a stable and appropriate environment by adressing issues of poverty, health care, justice, substance abuse, etc... in communities in which these problems are prevalent. The bad situation of the factors listed above are some of the causes of domestic violence.
4. Provide the abused who wish to leave their abuser with a temporary shelter, if possible a home, a job, an opportunity to care for theri children, most of all a safe environment.
5. Programmes should also regard domestic violence cases as individual. Some women do not want to leave their home for valid reasons. They should not be pressured or stigmatized against. Programmes should aim to aid them in different ways e.g. psychological.
6.Victims could be provided with psychological help by organizing supporting groups or one on one counselling.
7.Abusers should be provided with a chance to learn how to combat the urge for domestic violence. Workshpos on this are gaining popularity around the world.
8. Countries, especially in developing nations should make stricter laws on domestic violence and put more emphasis on enforcing these laws.
9. Provide education to women and girls. In developing nations the neglection of education for girls leads directly to domestic abuse. Without education women are subordinate to men and depend on them for a living. Without education women might think that living being abused is the only possible way.
Sources:

1. http://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/userfiles/file/ImmigrantWomen/PFV-Community%20Engagement.pdf
2. http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2010/10/27/bts.obama.domestic.violence.cnn
3. http://www.vawnet.org/Assoc_Files_VAWnet/BCS18_EP.pdf

Also written by: Anna Zheltukhina