What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic Violence: Learn About it So You Can Help Stop It

You have heard of the term, but what is domestic violence really? That is not a simple question, and the answer is far from simple as well.  In general, domestic violence is when a person tries to control and hurt another person that they are in a relationship with. It can involve physical violence like punching or kicking a person. In many cases, it can involve emotional or sexual abuse as well. Domestic violence is nothing to play around with or be taken lightly. If you or anyone that you know is involved in a bad domestic situation, then please get help fast.

Here are a few examples to explain the question “what is domestic violence?”

• If a man yells at his wife or girlfriend and then pushes her, then that is considered domestic violence.
• If a man throws objects at a woman or threatens a woman with any kind of weapon, then that is considered domestic violence.
• If a woman pushes a man down a flight of stairs, that’s domestic violence (it doesn’t simply have to be something a man does to a woman!).

There are many different scenarios that can happen.

Domestic violence can happen to anyone. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, black or white, man or woman. The important thing to know is that it is wrong. The victim never deserves to be abused. The person that acts out in a relationship is the one with the problems. A lot of times, they have poor self esteem and try to make themselves feel better by bullying their partner. They might enjoy the feeling of power that they get when they control their partners. They might have grown up in abusive home themselves. They might have watched their dad beat their mom, and have it in their mind that it is “okay.” It is never okay though. There are many reasons behind why domestic violence might occur, but there is never a valid excuse for it.

Small things can lead to big things. Don’t wait to call the police if you think that you know someone that is in an abusive situation or if you are in one yourself. Violence tends to get worse over time. It seldom stops or gets better unless there is an intervention.

It is sad that people sometimes end up being killed because of domestic abuse. What is domestic violence? It is when one person gives no thought to hurting the person that they are in a relationship with, and it can vary in severity.  It must be stopped.