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Domestic violence is an extensive social problem not only for the United States, but world wide. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Violence Against Women: One in three women world wide experience acts of battery, forced sex by a loved one, or another form of abuse within their life time. A woman suffers an act of domestic violence every 9 seconds in the United States. The overall number of domestic violence offenses is a matter of world wide great debate. Many victims do not report their abuse due to fear, helplessness, shame or do not yet realize that the treatment they receive is in fact abuse. In African, Egyptian, Asian, and Muslim cultures acts of domestic abuse are documented to occur more frequently; 80% of Egyptian women surveyed state that regular beatings, forced sexual relations, and emotional control and manipulation were daily occurrences and though they expressed immense dislike for this behavior they state that it is justified as a means to enforce punishment when they disobey their partner. In Ghana half of the females and 43% of the males report severe beatings and emotional torment. They show no remorse for the effect of these actions, stating that their forms of abuse are justified means of punishment, even when this punishment results in serious injury or death. In the United States 56% of murdered females suffered their fate at the hands of a loved one. (Family member, romantic partner, or spouse) 25% of the U.S. male population are shown to use violence against a partner at some point during the relationship.

For many the mere mention of domestic violence brings images of bruises, broken dishes, and anger filled physical tirades. Acts beyond the physical are sometimes overlooked as additional forms of domestic violence. Domestic violence can be physical assault (hitting, pushing, shoving, etc.), sexual abuse (unwanted or forced sexual activity), or stalking. Domestic violence also includes acts of emotional, psychological, religious, and financial abuse. Statistics vary greatly when attempting to pin point the amount of unreported acts of domestic violence, showing unreported incident rates up to 80%. Studies show a strong correlation between unreported acts and intimacy levels between the victims and their abusers. U.S. physicians are attempting to combat the problem of patient's fear in reporting abuse. Many physicians, hospitals, and medical centers are now asking patients privately if they have suffered

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