Domestic abuse or domestic violence refers to the pattern of behavior that people use to maintain or gain control and power over their intimate partners. It can come in other forms like psychological, economic, emotional, sexual, or physical abuse. It may also be in the form of threats that influence another person.
Threats may include traits that wound, injure, blame, humiliate, hurt, manipulate, terrorize, intimidate, or frighten someone. Anyone can suffer from domestic abuse, regardless of gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, and race. Domestic abuse can affect people of all education levels and socioeconomic backgrounds.
8 Kinds of Domestic Abuse
The United States Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women defines domestic abuse as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that people maintain or gain control over their intimate partners. It can come in different forms, including:
Physical abuse can include pinching, cutting, burning, pulling hair, punching, shoving, battering, slapping, biting, hitting, and other kinds of violent behavior one inflicts on its victim. It can also include forcing someone to take drugs or alcohol and denying them medical treatment. Talk to a family law attorney, such as Toby Landau, for more details.
Sexual abuse happens when someone forces their victims into having sexual contact or sexual intercourse without their consent. It often comes in the form of telling sexual jokes at the victim’s expense, sexually demeaning a person or physical abuse followed by forcing sex. It may also include attacking sexual body parts and marital rape.
Emotional abuse includes deflating or invalidating a person’s sense of self-esteem or self-worth. It can also involve interfering with the victim’s abilities, injuring their relationship with their children, name-calling, or constant criticism.
Economic abuse happens when someone attempts to make or decide to make the victim financially dependent. Most abusers prohibit a person from going to work or school, while others withhold their victim’s access to money. Others would also want to control the victim’s financial resources completely.
Psychological abuse happens when someone invokes fear through intimidation. It can also occur when the abuse prohibits the victim from going to work and school, isolating them from the people they love. Injuring someone’s pet or damaging their victim’s property is also another sign of psychological abuse. Threatening to hurt the victim’s friends, family, or children is another sign you should look out for.
Stalking can include appearing at a person’s workplace or home, leaving written notes, or making phone calls. Gathering information, sending gifts, showing up at the victim’s workplace or home are other common signs you should be aware of. It may not cause harm but harassing, watching, spying, or following the victim is another sign.
Cyberstalking is a modern form of stalking. It refers to repeated emailing and online actions that cause significant emotional distress to the victim.
Victims of Domestic Violence
Victims can include anyone, regardless of gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, and race. Wife abuse was the previous label of domestic violence. However, the law had forgotten this term when they changed the definition. It was changed to prove that wives aren’t the only victims of these actions. Victims can include:
- Family members
- Intimate, dating, or sexual partners
Most people think that victims can only file for a protective order against their spouses or partners. That’s not the case at all. Most regions allow victims of abusive cohabitant partners to obtain a temporary restraining order. Victims of abusive non-cohabiting partners, roommates, or adult relatives can get an emergency protective order in other regions. Each region has its regulations, so make sure to talk to a family law attorney.
Is Dating Violence One Form of Abuse?
Dating violence is another kind of violence. Individuals in intimate, romantic, and social relationships tend to commit dating violence. It can happen once you’ve fallen deeply in love or on a first date. Dating violence can also come in different ways. It may be emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, or a combination of those.
Understanding the definition of domestic violence helps you take the appropriate actions against any signs of abuse. Most abusers may not even realize that they’re inflicting fear and pain on their victims. On the contrary, victims may not take any action against their abusers if they don’t see that the behavior is domestic violence.
Domestic violence is a life-altering crime that causes life-long damage to the victims. You’ll also be in a better place to help if you know the signs of domestic abuse. Hence, it would help if you learned more about its definition and the different forms it can take.
Ukatili wa nyumbani ni aina ya tabia ambayo watu hutumia kudumisha au kupata udhibiti na nguvu juu ya washirika wao wa karibu. Inaweza kuja katika namna nyingine kama vile unyanyasaji wa kisaikolojia, kiuchumi, kihisia-moyo, kingono, au kimwili. Inaweza pia kuwa katika namna ya vitisho vinavyoathiri mtu mwingine. Vitisho vyaweza kutia ndani sifa zinazomjeruhi, kumdhuru, kumlaumu, kumfedhehesha, kumdhuru, kumdhibiti, kumtisha, kumtisha, au kumtisha mtu. Mtu yeyote aweza kuteseka kutokana na unyanyasaji wa nyumbani, bila kujali jinsia, dini, mwelekeo wa kingono, umri, na jamii. Ukatili wa nyumbani waweza kuathiri watu wa ngazi zote za elimu na asili za kijamii na kiuchumi. "Kifungu cha Idara ya Sheria ya Marekani (United States Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women) kinafafanua ""matumizi mabaya ya nyumbani"" kama ""mfano wa tabia katika uhusiano wowote ambao watu wanadumisha au kupata udhibiti juu ya washirika wao wa karibu.""" Matumizi mabaya ya kimwili yanaweza kuwa kama vile kukata, kukata, kuchoma, kuvuta nywele, kupiga ngumi, kusukuma, kupiga, kupiga makofi, kuuma, na aina nyingine za tabia ya jeuri ambayo mtu humfanyia mhasiriwa wake. Inaweza pia kutia ndani kumlazimisha mtu atumie dawa za kulevya au kileo na kumkataa matibabu. Kwa maelezo zaidi, wasiliana na mwanasheria wa sheria za familia, kama vile Toby Landau. Uhasama wa kingono hutokea wakati mtu anapowafanya wahasiriwa wake kufanya ngono bila kukubaliana nao. Mara nyingi huja katika fomu ya kusema vitendo vya kingono kwa gharama ya mhasiriwa, kumdharau kingono mtu au unyanyasaji wa kimwili uliofuatiwa na kulazimisha ngono. Huenda pia ikatia ndani kushambulia sehemu za mwili za kingono na kubakwa katika ndoa. Ukatili wa kihisia-moyo hutia ndani kupunguza au kupunguza hisia ya mtu ya kujistahi au kujithamini. Pia inaweza kuhusisha kuingilia uwezo wa mhasiriwa, kuharibu uhusiano wao na watoto wao, kutamka majina, au kukosoa daima. Uonevu wa kiuchumi hutokea wakati mtu anajaribu kufanya au kuamua kufanya mhasiriwa awe tegemezi kifedha. Wengi wa watenda-dhambi wanamkataza mtu kwenda kazini au shuleni, huku wengine wakimnyima mhasiriwa wao pesa. Wengine pia wangependa kudhibiti kabisa rasilimali za kifedha za mhasiriwa. Ukatili wa kisaikolojia hutokea wakati mtu anapotumia vitisho kuchochea hofu. Pia inaweza kutokea wakati unyanyasaji unamzuia mhasiriwa kwenda kazini na shule, na kumtenganisha na watu wanaowapenda. Kuumiza mnyama-mwitu wa mtu au kuharibu mali ya mhasiriwa wao pia ni ishara nyingine ya unyanyasaji wa kisaikolojia. Kutisha kuwaumiza marafiki, familia, au watoto wa mhasiriwa ni ishara nyingine unayopaswa kuitazama. Kushambulia kunaweza kutia ndani kuonekana mahali pa kazi au nyumbani kwa mtu, kuacha maelezo yaliyoandikwa, au kupiga simu. Kukusanya habari, kutuma zawadi, na kuwasili mahali pa kazi au nyumbani kwa mhasiriwa ni ishara nyingine za kawaida ambazo unapaswa kuwa na ufahamu. Huenda isisababishe madhara lakini kusumbua, kutazama, kupeleleza, au kumfuata mhasiriwa ni ishara nyingine. Kushambulia kimakosa kwenye Intaneti ni aina ya kisasa ya kushambulia. Inarejelea barua pepe za mara kwa mara na vitendo vya mtandaoni ambavyo husababisha shida kubwa ya kihisia kwa mhasiriwa. Waathirika wa vurugu za nyumbani ni watu wa kila aina, bila kujali jinsia, dini, jinsia, umri, au jamii. Matumizi mabaya ya mke yalikuwa jina la awali la jeuri ya nyumbani. Hata hivyo, sheria ilikuwa imesahau neno hilo walipobadili ufafanuzi wake. Ilibadilishwa ili kuthibitisha kwamba wake si waathirika pekee wa vitendo hivi. Waathirika wanaweza kujumuisha: - Washiriki wa familia - Washirika wa karibu, wa dating, au wa ngono Watu wengi wanafikiri kwamba waathirika wanaweza tu kuwasilisha kwa ajili ya amri ya ulinzi dhidi ya wenzi wao au washirika. Hilo si kweli hata kidogo. Mikoa mingi huruhusu waathirika wa washirika wa kuishi pamoja wenye unyanyasaji kupata amri ya kuzuia ya muda. Waathirika wa washirika wa unyanyasaji wasioishi pamoja, wenzake wa chumba, au jamaa wazima wanaweza kupata agizo la ulinzi wa dharura katika mikoa mingine. Kila jimbo lina sheria zake, kwa hiyo hakikisha unazungumza na mwanasheria wa sheria za familia. Je, Jeuri ya Kuchumbiana Ni Aina Moja ya Kutendewa vibaya? Jeuri ya uchumba ni aina nyingine ya jeuri. Watu walio katika mahusiano ya karibu, ya kimapenzi, na ya kijamii huwa na mwelekeo wa kufanya jeuri ya uchumba. Inaweza kutokea mara tu umependana sana au kwenye tarehe ya kwanza. Jeuri ya uchumba pia yaweza kutokea kwa njia tofauti. Huenda ikawa unyanyasaji wa kihisia-moyo, unyanyasaji wa kingono, unyanyasaji wa kimwili, au mchanganyiko wa mambo hayo. Kuelewa ufafanuzi wa vurugu za nyumbani hukusaidia kuchukua hatua zinazofaa dhidi ya dalili zozote za unyanyasaji. Huenda watenda-dhambi wengi wasifahamu hata kwamba wanawaogopesha na kuwaumiza wahasiriwa wao. Kinyume chake, waathirika wanaweza kutochukua hatua yoyote dhidi ya watendaji wao vibaya ikiwa hawaoni kwamba tabia hiyo ni vurugu za nyumbani. Jeuri ya nyumbani ni uhalifu unaobadili maisha ambayo husababisha uharibifu wa maisha kwa waathirika. Pia utakuwa katika mahali pazuri zaidi pa kusaidia ikiwa unajua ishara za unyanyasaji wa nyumbani. Kwa hiyo, ingekuwa na manufaa kama ungejifunza zaidi juu ya ufafanuzi wake na namna mbalimbali anazoweza kuchukua.