Modern Day Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is no laughing matter, however, incidences are oftentimes treated as a joke by law enforcement and officials. Internationally, 1 in every 3 women has been beaten or sexually assaulted in her lifetime according to www.bellaonline.com/articles/art45047.asp. The majority of domestic violence against women is at the hands of someone close to or known by the victim. Nearly 3 million women each year are physically abused by their boyfriend or husband in the United States from analysis done by the U.S. Department of Justice in 1998. More often than not these occurrences of abuse end in serious injury or death. This is no decreasing problem as 2001 statistics showed that 588,490 women were reported to be the victims of nonfatal violence from a domestic partner by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Women of all races face abuse equally, but those separated or divorced from a former partner are at highest risk for future violence. The same source reports that about 3 females are murdered by partners each day in America. This is not only a terrible problem for the health and lives of the victims, but also a terrible disaster affecting the families involved, and stretching health care to it's limits. About half of those who are abusive to their domestic partners frequently commit violent acts against the children involved. Thus creating a circle of violence, for the majority of children violated grow up to abuse others. This is a terrible trend among teens also, one in five high school aged females reported being beaten or sexually abused by a partner in 2001. A staggering 40% of girls aged 14 to 17 were close to someone who was being physically abused in 1995. With estimates for over 3.3 million children being the witnesses to all forms of domestic violence in the early 90s, it is no wonder that children are more violent in the present than ever. The cost of treating these victims runs at about 6 billion each year, and these are just for the women who report it or whose reports are taken seriously.

With so much violence happening in this world and in the United States especially, we as a nation should have more protection and help for victims of domestic violence. I have been abused by an ex-boyfriend in the past and it should be taken seriously. As I well know, it is often shrugged off by law enforcement and brushed under the rug. I was assaulted at work by someone that I had feared and thought that I had finally broken away from because of his abusive nature and his newly discovered past of sexual assault upon a young teen. I had moved on, was dating, and thought that the ties were broken so that I could live my life in peace. However, he had different plans which ended in him beating me at my place of employment along with another guy and girl. I went to the hospital, was released, and he was caught by my younger brother attempting to assault me again that same night. Nothing was done by the local police in Paducah, KY nor the State's Attorney.

When I went in to speak with him about the incident, he gave a little chuckle and said he had not seen the report ever and wasn't going to do anything about prosecuting my abuser. It goes back to when I was attempting to break up with my former boyfriend prior, he said that his Grandfather knew many people in the police department in Kentucky and he had paid them off to get him out of the assault against the little girl, and that he would do the same if I attempted to prosecute him for anything he had done to me. So I still have to look over my shoulder, I still have constant watch over me by family and friends, and I ended up being sued by Western Baptist Hospital for the $3,000 plus emergency room bill from the assault since I wasn't eligible for victim's assistance due to him not being prosecuted. I received several threats periodically from the former and his sister, over the phone and in person when he came into my former employer to harass me. In all of this, only two managers took measures against this man assaulting me again and even would actually physically get involved. Other than that, the assault happened with a big crowd of male and female onlookers doing nothing about it. Other acts were prevented by my husband who worked with me. The only reason that my former has not threatened me further and attempted more violence is because of my husband, family, and the fact that I no longer work at that place of employment. What this situation alone says about this country is sad, violence should not be committed against anyone. Women are not held in high enough regard in this country, however, that this type of thing is not punished to the extent that it should be. To learn what you can do about domestic violence go to www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/help/dv.htm.