Etymology and Definitions

Domestic Violence is when aggressive and or violent behavior is seen within a home setting, it is primarily seen in relationships with one partner being the abuser and the other being the victim. This term was first used in the 1830's, with its first coming of evidence in 1834 in the Dublin University Magazine [1].

History

Domestic violence was an issue that never got any attention or thought until the 19th century. Domestic Violence was actually accepted in society up until about the 1970's, and even then it was still a common issue that many were facing. The Woman's Christian Temperance Union formed in the 1870's and formed for wives who had or are abused to join and be apart of a familiar community. In 1871 Alabama and Massachusetts legally made it a crime for husbands to abuse and beat their wife, and this movement progressed further in 1874 when North Carolina, New York, and Maryland begin passing laws to ensure the safety of spouses in their own house.

Types of Domestic Violence

There are five main types of domestic violence. All five are very serious and can have different lasting effects on a victim. The five main types are physical abuse, psychological abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, and socio-economic abuse.

Physical Abuse

Physical Abuse is when someone typically a partner intentionally causes bodily harm/injury.

Psychological Abuse

Psychological abuse is often called emotional abuse. It is a form of abuse characterized by a person subjecting or exposing another person to a behavior that may result in trauma, such as anxiety, chronic depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Verbal Abuse

Verbal abuse is the use of oral, gestured, and written language directed to a victim. Verbal abuse can include harassing, labeling, insulting, scolding, rebuking, or excessive yelling towards an individual.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual Abuse is when an individual is forced, tricked or manipulated into sexual activities

Socio-Economic Abuse

Socio-economic abuse is any act or behavior which causes economic harm to an individual, for example property damage, restricting access to financial resources, etc.

Effects

Domestic violence can have many lasting effects on a victim. Not everyone will have the same effects as another person. The effects of domestic violence also range depending on the type of domestic violence, sex of the victim and age. Common psychiatric disorders found in women due to domestic violence include depression, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, substance dependence, antisocial personality disorders, and non-affective psychoses. The common effects found in men, include anxiety or a disruptive disorder, and increased consumption of alcohol and/or illegal drugs. Effect of domestic violence in children include internalization problems, depression, post-traumatic stress disorders symptoms, and externalization symptoms such as aggressive behaviors and even lower levels of IQ.

Domestic Abuse Resources

Domestic Abuse Hotline: 800-799-7233

Bloomington area help center:

Mid Central Community Action-Countering Domestic Violence

Demographics

On average there are 20 people per minute who are victims of Domestic Violence resulting in around 10 million victims each year. 1 in every 4 woman and 1 in every 9 men are victims of physical relationship abuse with their intimate partner. Domestic Violence has more affects than physical altercations. This could stem anywhere from stalking that causes injury, sexual abuse, contraction(s) of sexual diseases, and even PTSD. Situations of Domestic Violence that involves firearms within the same environment of the abusing increases the risk of homicide by 500%, showing that 19% of domestic violence cases involving a weapon.

Sexual Assault

-Sexual assault is a serious and widespread form of violence that affects people from all around the world. It includes various types of unwanted sexual actions like rape, touching without permission, and harassment. Those who experience sexual assault often suffer from severe physical, emotional, and mental harm, which can affect them for a long time and make them feel unsafe. Dealing with sexual assault requires many different approaches, like teaching people about it, stopping it before it happens, helping those who have been hurt, and making sure those responsible are punished. Even though people are working hard to stop sexual assault, it's still a big problem, showing the need for more efforts to protect everyone.

Etymology and Definitions- In todays society "sexual assault" refers to any unwanted sexual activity, behavior, or advances. This includes touching, groping, penetration, that occurs without any consent. All of this can vary with a wide range of actions that could violate someone and be considred "sexual assault". On average, there are 433,648 victims (age 12 or older) that are victims of sexual assault each year in the United States. 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime (14.8% completed, 2.8% attempted). 1 out of every 10 rape victims are male.

. Types

Physical assault: This includes non consensual physical contact of any sexual nature.
Verbal Assault: Verbal harassment or threats of any sexual nature can also constitute as "sexual assualt"
Acquaintance Assault: One of the most common types of sexual assaults is coming from people in relationships, friends or romanticly
Stranger Assault: Sexual assault committed by someone unknown to the victim
Child sexual abuse: Sexual assault involving a child as the victim, which can vary from a wide range of behaivors.
Date Rape: Non consensual sexual activity that occurs between two people who are in a dating relationship.
Drug Facillitated Sexual assault: This occurs when the victim is incapacitated or unable to give consent due to being under the influence of drugs and alcohol
Marital Rapes- Occurs when non consentual sexual activity happens with two people who are married.

Effects

The effects that victims have to face after the fact that they have been sexually assaulted is awful to think about. All these effects can vary from, physical, psychological, social, and trouble recovering. This is a long, horrific, draining experience for anyone to have to deal with let alone go through. These people have to deal with the effects from this in their daily lives all the time. Just the psychological effects can include having trauma, flashbacks, nightmares, substance abuse, and this is just all in the victims heads after this isn't even what's going on around them. They can also face huge challanges including strained relationships with family because shame or guilt, social withdraw and isolation, impact on work or acedemic achivement. These effects just vary throughout everything in a persons life and can completley ruin someones life.

Demographics

An estimated 91% of victims of rape & sexual assault are female and 9% male. 63% of sexual assaults are not reported to police. Only 12% of child sexual abuse is reported to the authorities. Perpetrators of Sexual Violence Often Know the Victim · 59% were acquaintances · 34% were family members · 7% were strangers to the victim.https://ballardbrief.byu.edu/issue-briefs/the-underreporting-and-dismissal-of-sexual-assault-cases-against-women-in-the-united-states#:~:text=Approximately%2031%25%20of%20rapes%20are,every%203%20rapes%20go%20unreported.&text=To%20put%20that%20into%20perspective,of%203%20crimes%20going%20unreported.

Local Resources For Help

National sexual assault hotline that runs 24/7
YWCA "Stepping stones" agency that helps victims of sexual assault

References

[1] Arthur, K(2020, Feb 20) "Survivors: Telling the stories of domestic violence victims" Illinois State University, https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2020/02/survivors-telling-the-stories-of-domestic-violence-victims/ Links to an external site.

[2] Connors, S(2023, May 25). “Sexual Assault Organizations Struggling to Help Victims Post-Pandemic.” APTN News. www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/sexual-assault-organizations-struggling-to-help-victims-post-pandemic-study/.

[3] “DOD Special Trial Counsel Offices Become Fully Operational, Giving More Protections to Sexual Assault Victims.(2023, Dec 29)” Federal News Network - Helping Feds Meet Their Mission. federalnewsnetwork.com/defense-main/2023/12/dod-special-trial-counsel-offices-become-fully-operational-giving-more-protections-to-sexual-assault-victims/.

[4]Lape, L. (2024, March 7). Rape crisis program asks McLean County for thousands in tax dollars to aid survivors. https://www.25newsnow.com. https://www.25newsnow.com/2024/03/07/rape-crisis-program-asks-mclean-county-thousands-tax-dollars-aid-survivors/

[5] Passmore, J (2023, Dec 6). “The Underreporting and Dismissal of Sexual Assault Cases against Women in the United States.” Ballard Brief, Ballard Brief, ballardbrief.byu.edu/issue-briefs/the-underreporting-and-dismissal-of-sexual-assault-cases-against-women-in-the-united-states#:~:text=Approximately%2031%25%20of%20rapes%20are,every%203%20rapes%20go%20unreported.&text=To%20put%20that%20into%20perspective,of%203%20crimes%20going%20unreported.

[6] Skaggs, R.(2023, May 4) “YWCA McLean County Announces $950K Stepping Stones Expansion.” Pantagraph.Com, pantagraph.com/news/local/ywca-mclean-county-announces-950k-stepping-stones-expansion/article_5a209e86-eab3-11ed-94ae-c38b3fee24b5.html.