by Rachel Johnson

Created on: September 06, 2010

Domestic violence is a social tragedy.

It is hard to face the idea of human cruelty at it's core. When the value of human life is dismissed, and demoralized we cringe. Every year thousands of cases of abuse go unreported. When they are justice is not always dealt. Our justice system has a long way to go when it comes to the intimacy of abuse. Domestic violence is nothing new, it has been around for thousands of years. The majority of victims are women and children though men do face this tragedy as well. The reasoning behind this is that men are often in power positions in the family. Men also have a greater amount of body strength, and usually have more earning capability's. This is a familiar scenario for most of us.

There are, however, many factors that add to the cause of abuse. Some that begin as early as childhood, when young vulnerable minds are exposed to abuse. At this crucial point in childhood when development is taking place, and children are exposed, it is hard to keep this from becoming  normal behavior. Children tend to mimic behaviors of adults around them. As they are learning about social and intimate interactions within the family. So, when they are exposed to fear, and abuse, they tend to repeat it. Mostly, without thinking about why they are repeating it. Even if they experience intervention, they tend to see abusive behavior as normal.Children with exposure to abuse grow to become abused or abusers, or even both. It can be fear driven, or comfort driven but it becomes normalized as a lifestyle.

Women who face abuse are often under, or uneducated. They have less power in the relationship. They are dismissed as second class individuals in the relationship. If they are even given the value of that. Most men who abuse women do not see the harm and often blame thier victim. Women who face this situation do not have a sense of self esteem. Often due to early exposure to abuse or being abused in one form or another as children. They often face self ridicule as well as ridicule form the abuser. Women who fact abuse from early childhood often become emotionally detached and physically detached as well. They tend to be overly sensitive and emotionally unstable. They are defensive and protective of their childish emotions. 

Domestic violence damages the whole of society. It makes it hard for people who have never lived with abuse uncomfortable to deal with victims of abuse. It makes it hard to relate to their mentality, and acceptance of

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