Meet the Winners of TFC 2007 Essay Contest
Ranking
Name Topic School
1st prize Megan Godfrey Domestic Treynor High School
Violence
"My name is Megan Godfrey and I am a senior at Treynor High School, Treynor, IA. I will graduate this year third in my class and on the High Honor Roll. Next fall I plan to attend Loras College in Dubuque, IA, and double major in Athletic Training and Business with a minor in Catholic Studies. After college I plan to pursue a career as a collegiate athletic trainer. I also hope to find a job as a youth minister for a local church. The issue of domestic violence is close to my heart because of experiences that I have had while volunteering in a local shelter. I plan to continue to help at the shelter this summer and through other domestic violence awareness and prevention programs as often as possible. I believe that the best way to solve and prevent problems in our society is to teach our younger generations strong morals and values and I will strive to do just that."
My essay:
Domestic Violence in the US
I stepped on to the elevator with Melanie on my first day and didn’t know what to expect. Melanie was taking me to the housing area of the shelter where she would show me where to stock the linen closet. As the doors of the elevator slid open an icy chill ran through me. The first person that I saw was a young woman sitting in the kitchen with her arm in a sling and bruises all over. I knew very quickly that I was about to discover a completely new side of society.
Last spring I was given an assignment in English class to pick an injustice in the world, uncover its hidden truths and be able to share it with someone else. My focus dealt with domestic abuse and the punishments, or lack thereof, for the abusers. The material that I found was mind-boggling.
Domestic violence is defined as violence or physical abuse directed toward a spouse or domestic partner. It is often referred to as spousal abuse, wife-beating, battering, and other varieties of slang. Domestic violence results in physical injury, psychological trauma, and all too often, death. Domestic violence does not discriminate. It is an epidemic affecting people from all communities regardless of age, economic status, race, religion, nationality, or educational background.
The statistics are incomprehensible. Domestic violence is the most common and least reported crime in America, where only one-quarter of all physical assaults, one-fifth of all rapes, and one-half of all stalking cases perpetuated by intimate partners are reported. One in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. An estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year. One-third of female homicide victims that are reported in police records are killed by an intimate partner. Violence among intimate partners results in more than 18.5 million mental health care visits each year.1
Domestic violence doesn’t just affect the victim. Young boys that witness violence between their parents or caretakers are twice as likely to abuse their own partners or children as an adult. The economic impact is devastating. The cost of domestic violence exceeds $5.8 billion each year, $4.1 billion of which is for direct medical and mental health services. Victims lose almost eight million days of paid work because of the violence perpetrated against them. This loss is the equivalent of more than 32,000 full-time jobs. There are 16,800 homicides and 2.2 million medically treated injuries due to domestic violence annually, which costs $37 billion.1
The cause of domestic violence is varied. An abuser and even some victims will say that the abuser was just out of control and is sorry. The abuser’s behavior does not come from anger and rage. We know this because he doesn’t batter other individuals; he can stop as soon as the phone rings or the police ring the door bell, and he is in control enough that he often hits and pushes in places where the bruises will be hidden by clothing. Violence is a deliberate choice.2
Domestic violence has no precise cause; there are only things that experts call risk factors and underlying causes. The single most important risk factor for becoming an abuser is history of abuse as a child or witnessing parental abuse. Other risk factors include: history of aggressive behavior, large power or status differential, isolation and lack of resources, controlling relationships, poorly defined masculinity and identity, and mental illness such as alcoholism or other drug abuse.3 These are only risk factors, again not causes. One of these factors alone will not create an abuser. They simply are things that might effect or influence an abusive situation.
Most physiologists agree on three underlying causes that lead to domestic abuse. The first is learning abusive behavior. When a parent abuses his or her spouse, the children learn that this is normal and is an acceptable way to behave. The second is the opportunity to abuse. The opportunity to abuse relates to two risk factors: power differences and isolation. A power difference can be when a boy is taught sexist values. He believes that a woman should not be valued or respected, so he is better than her. The opportunity to abuse comes through isolation when the abuser makes the victim see no way out. He takes away her freedoms and friends, leaving her isolated. The third underlying cause is the choice to abuse. An abuser that has been taught abusive behavior and has been the opportunity to abuse, and who possesses some of the other risk factors, may likely choose to resort to threats, control, and violence to get his wishes. The cause of a fire can be easily revealed as a neglected candle, but because the cause of domestic violence can’t be revealed like that, a solution is much more difficult to achieve.
The government has acknowledged that domestic violence is a serious issue. Within the last year many bills have been brought forth in congress. In July, Congress discussed the issue of Domestic Violence Awareness Month and concluded: Congress will continue “supporting the goals and ideals of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should raise awareness of domestic violence in the United States and its devastating effects on families and communities”.4 October 9, Congress wrote a bill saying that the mistreatment of women through any gender-based persecutions will not be tolerated in any circumstances.5
At first glance these bills sound good, but after examination, problems arise. There is no action; they only discuss a point of view. It’s great that the government is going to support National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but that really does nothing to stop domestic violence. The government has acknowledged how terrible gender-based persecutions are around the world and in our own country, but this bill says nothing about how we will handle these horrific crimes. These proposals don’t do enough.
The proposed NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 sets a goal “to improve the National Instant Criminal Background Check System”.6 This legislation is a great step in the right direction. Criminal background will be instantly obtainable by people that have the right to the information. This means that a gun salesman will be able to run a background check on a customer, hopefully preventing a sale to an abuser, or any other criminal for that matter.
I believe the government can do more. Currently, the charge considered in most domestic violence cases is a misdemeanor. Traffic tickets are Class C Misdemeanors and thefts over a certain dollar amount are felonies. Domestic violence cannot be looked at as a house-hold problem, assaults need to be taken seriously and abusers need to be arrested. I met a woman at the shelter where I volunteered that had been abused for a long time. One night her now ex-husband hit their one-year-old baby. This woman immediately went to the police. The man was put in jail for fewer than four months and released. He often broke his restraining orders. Luckily he was picked up for theft and is now serving a longer sentence. The woman is safe for now but dreads the day when he gets out, because she knows, or believes, he will find her and her five children. Her only option is to take herself and children far away, because she knows that he will not have changed during his time in jail. He has not received any counseling; he has only been given time to be angry. He is also not afraid to go back to jail; he’s been there many times before. She believes, and I have come to realize, that men who are in jail for domestic violence must receive mental help. They must be untaught the violent behavior they have learned. The United Kingdom has recently addressed this issue. They have made stipulations about abuser’s probation. Abusers must go through counseling as part of their sentence. I believe that the punishment for domestic violence crimes in the United States needs to be reevaluated, and I think that this legislation seems to be a step in the right direction.
Another thing the government, especially state governments, should do involving domestic violence is to implement a simple educational plan. I believe the easiest way to reach a large amount of potential victims is in schools. There are programs in schools that teach drug awareness such as D.A.R.E. and bully prevention. I believe that schools should teach domestic violence awareness. The warning signs, how to achieve financial independence, and how to get help are very important issues that young boys and girls should know to protect themselves. This will also greatly increase public awareness on the issue. Tanya Brown, sister of victim Nicole Brown, spoken in Council Bluffs during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. She and her family insist that one of the most important ways to prevent domestic violence is to teach young girls financial independence. With this financial independence, victims of abuse are far better off when trying to escape the abuse than if they were dependant on the abuser financially. I believe these simple educational programs would be very successful.
The government was not formed by the people to do everything for the people. The moral values and conscience of the citizens of the United States should guide our country to a solution for the issue of domestic violence. 1 Peter 3 says, “Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands…” Many people read this and think that this literal translation is how society is supposed to work. All too often people don’t keep reading to the part that says, “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life…” where we learn that the husband must be loving and caring to his wife. The Bible teaches us the basic moral that spouses must love and care for one another. Our society must acknowledge that domestic violence is not the woman’s problem, or a household dispute. It is up to all of us to stop this epidemic. As a community we should provide financial and economical support, promote security, and be a positive example for our future generations.
In April of 2007 the Survivors' Empowerment and Economic Security Act was introduced in the Senate. The goal of this bill is to “to promote the economic security and safety of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking”.7 Although this is important, no one should rely entirely on government financial assistance. Economic security, in its most simple form, comes with having a job and a roof to put over your family’s head. These two issues can easily be improved. All too often landlords evict or refuse to rent to families with domestic issues. Not being able to have a place to live causes huge problems. Employers tend to do the same. Some have fired or refused to employ a woman struggling with domestic violence. Victims are said to cause large monetary loses because they are less productive due to abuse-related stress and sick days.8 These two situations should never occur. Morals teach us to care for one another and by evicting a tenant who is a single mother because she is running away from an abusive husband, is definitely not being loving.
The effect that a domestic abuse shelter has on a victim that would otherwise be homeless is indescribable, but a domestic abuse shelter can’t function without support. They are non-profit organizations that rely on donations from giving people. Donations include monetary donations, clothing and food and most importantly volunteers. Work can’t get done without people who are willing to give up their time and effort to help out those that really are in need.
Our communities, schools, and churches can preach what is right and wrong, but the media has a significant impact on our younger generation. For too long the media has objectified women. They have placed them in a position of an object to be lusted over, not as an equal human being. We should not accept this in our society. The media produces what the audience wants to see. If we as a country deny this image of women that the media often produces, hopefully, they will stop.
The last and maybe most important thing that people can do using methods involving morals and conscience is to teach what is right and wrong. Prevention education is probably the best solution to the abuse. Young boys need to be taught how to treat women. Women are not property or lesser humans than they. Young girls need to be taught self-respect and independence. With a stronger self-image, girls will be able to better stand up for themselves. Communities, churches, and most importantly parents need to teach and demonstrate these values to our next generation.
Works Cited
1. "Domestic Violence Facts." Every Home a Safe Home. July 2007. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Oct. 2007 <http://www.ncadv.org/files/domesticviolencefacts.pdf>.
2. Davies, Pat, Melinda Smith, M.a., Tina De Benedictis, Ph.d., Jaelline Jaffe, Ph.d., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.d. "Domestic Violence and Abuse: Warning Signs and Symptoms of Abusive Relationships." HELPGUIDE.Org. 20 Aug. 2007. Rotary International. Oct. 2007 <http://www.helpguide.org/mental/domestic_violence_abuse_types_signs_causes_effects.htm>.
3. "Causes of Domestic Violence." All About Life Challenges. 2007. AllAboutLifeChallenges.Org. Oct. 2007 <http://www.allaboutlifechallenges.org/causes-of-domestic-violence-faq.htm>.
4. Poe, Ted. United States. Cong. House. Whereas One in Four Women Will Experience Domestic Violence Sometime in Her Life;. 110th Cong., 1st sess. H. RES. 590. 31 July 2007. Oct. 2007 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c110:6:./temp/~c110rC4CMw::>.
5. United States. Cong. House. 110th Cong., 1st sess. H. Res. 32. 9 Oct. 2007. Oct. 2007 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c110:12:./temp/~c110DbPU2p::>.
6. McCarthy, Carolyn. United States. Cong. House. NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007. 110th Cong., 1st sess. H.R.2640. 11 June 2007. Oct. 2007 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c110:19:./temp/~c110DbPU2p:e289:>.
7. Murray, Patty, Sherrod Brown, and Christopher J. Dodd. United States. Cong. Senate. Survivors' Empowerment and Economic Security Act. 110th Cong., 1st sess. S. 1136. 17 Apr. 2007. Oct. 2007 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c110:3:./temp/~c110rC4CMw:e0:>.
