Domestic violence is a social issue that has plagued our nation for many years. It can be defined as when an intimate partner is physically, emotionally, or mentally abusing or harming their significant other. Many people across the globe have experienced domestic violence and it’s not just adults who can experience this abuse. Why is domestic violence being labeled as such an enormous social problem? The reason being is because many aspects of our society highlight domestic violence as being okay. It is indeed not acceptable and should not be justifiable by any means necessary. It is one of the most common social issues that should not be looked over or taken lightly. It is, in some aspects, supported in most countries and religions. Domestic violence is a social issue that will bring about distress and toxicity in one’s relationship and everyday life.
Whether you are an adult or a teenager, all genders that co-exist on this Earth are capable of being caught in acts of domestic violence, whether they are being violated or doing the violating. The website www. Medicinenet.com revealed that “3-5% of adult women in the United States have been victims of domestic violence and that percentage has been estimated to be 2 million women who have encountered this horrific act.” It has also been reported on the same website that 800,000 men have been victims of domestic violence as well.
Some may question why do the majority of people stay in violent relationships knowing that they are suffering from this mistreatment. Some of my theories are that domestic violence is not taken seriously and normalized for wives to be submissive to their husbands. According to 1 Peter 3:5-6, it states, “5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her Lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.” The Bible has normalized domestic violence which is one reason why most people cannot seem to leave such a toxic situation. They feel it will be shameful of them to leave their marriage because they believe it is God’s will which is unfair to us as women or men, for we have feelings and are obligated to express ourselves freely. I think that any form of domestic violence is not justifiable. If a person loves someone, they should not take it upon themselves to hurt that person or make them feel like their footstool.
Domestic violence has been normalized for far too long and should be acted upon immediately. Since it is looked over most of the time in society, many men and women think they are obligated to stay in such a toxic relationship, whether they are married or not. Some may even lose their lives at the hands of the one person that supposedly loves and cherishes them. The webpage, www.Alantic.com stated that, “The Center for Disease Control (CDC) analyzed the murders of women in 18 states from 2003 to 2014, and found a total of 10,018 deaths. Of those, 55 percent were intimate partner violence-related, meaning they occurred at the hands of a former or current partner or the partner’s family or friends.”
If you are suffering from domestic violence, I urge you to contact law enforcement in your local area. Make it known that you are dealing with this social issue and make it a big concern. Go to counseling and you can even contact The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 or text at 1−800−787−3224. Do not confuse this type of torment with love. Your life does matter.