Free to follow every thread. No paywall, no dead ends.
Domestic violence: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Domestic violence
In 1973, a British politician named Jack Ashley stood before the Parliament of the United Kingdom and used the phrase domestic violence for the first time in a modern context to describe violence within the home. Before that moment, the term referred only to civil unrest or internal political strife, not the physical and psychological torment occurring behind closed doors. For centuries, the law had treated violence against a wife not as a crime against an individual, but as a breach of the peace, a private matter between a husband and his property. English common law dating back to the 16th century allowed a husband to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb, a rule known as the rule of thumb. This legal framework persisted in the American colonies until the 19th century, when the Mississippi Supreme Court in 1824 explicitly established a positive right to wife-beating in the case of State v. Bradley. The legal system did not see the victim as a person with rights, but rather as a subordinate whose safety was secondary to the husband's authority. It was not until the late 20th century that most countries began to treat domestic violence as a criminal act, and even today, many legal systems fail to criminalize circumstances where a wife is forced to have sexual relations with her husband against her will.
The Cycle of Silence
The psychological architecture of domestic violence is often built upon a predictable cycle of abuse that traps victims in a loop of hope and despair. Lenore E. Walker described this pattern in the 1970s, identifying four distinct phases that repeat over time. The first phase is a buildup of tension where the abuser becomes irritable and the victim walks on eggshells to avoid triggering an explosion. This tension culminates in an acute battering incident where physical, sexual, or emotional violence is committed. The third phase is reconciliation, where the abuser becomes kind, loving, and apologetic, often promising that it will never happen again. This period of calm creates a traumatic bond, making the victim hopeful that the situation will change. When the situation is calm, the abused person may be hopeful that the situation will change, but tensions begin to build again, and the cycle starts over. This cycle is reinforced by the fact that victims are often trapped through isolation, power and control, and the fear that leaving will result in death. The World Health Organization estimates that one in three women worldwide will experience domestic violence at some point in their life, yet the crime remains one of the most underreported in history. Many people do not recognize themselves as abusers or victims because they consider their experiences as family conflicts that had gotten out of control, rather than a systematic pattern of coercion.
Common questions
When did Jack Ashley first use the phrase domestic violence in a modern context?
Jack Ashley used the phrase domestic violence for the first time in a modern context in 1973 before the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Before that moment, the term referred only to civil unrest or internal political strife, not the physical and psychological torment occurring behind closed doors.
What was the rule of thumb regarding husband beating his wife in English common law?
English common law dating back to the 16th century allowed a husband to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. This legal framework persisted in the American colonies until the 19th century when the Mississippi Supreme Court in 1824 explicitly established a positive right to wife-beating in the case of State v. Bradley.
Who described the four distinct phases of the cycle of abuse in the 1970s?
Lenore E. Walker described the pattern of domestic violence in the 1970s, identifying four distinct phases that repeat over time. The phases include a buildup of tension, an acute battering incident, reconciliation, and a return to tension.
What percentage of women worldwide will experience domestic violence at some point in their life according to the World Health Organization?
The World Health Organization estimates that one in three women worldwide will experience domestic violence at some point in their life. This crime remains one of the most underreported in history despite the global prevalence of the issue.
When did the Istanbul Convention come into force as a legally binding instrument in Europe?
The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, known as the Istanbul Convention, came into force in August 2014. It became the first legally binding instrument in Europe dealing with domestic violence.
What percentage of female homicides globally are committed by an intimate partner according to the World Health Organization?
The World Health Organization estimates that globally, about 38% of female homicides are committed by an intimate partner. In the US, more than 50% of female homicides are committed by former or current intimate partners.
At the heart of domestic violence lies a deliberate strategy to establish and maintain power and control over the victim, rather than a simple loss of temper. Research indicates that the key issue for perpetrators of abuse is their conscious and deliberate decision to offend in the pursuit of self-gratification. Men who perpetrate violence often display specific characteristics, including narcissism and a willful lack of empathy, choosing to treat their needs as more important than others. They psychologically manipulate their victim to believe that the abuse is caused by the victim's inadequacy rather than the perpetrator's selfish desire for dominance. This control extends beyond physical violence to include economic abuse, where one partner has control over the other's access to economic resources, limiting the victim's ability to support themselves. In some cultures, marriage imposes a social obligation for women to reproduce, and women who use contraception face threats of violence and reprisals. The abuse can be so subtle that it is invisible to outsiders, such as denying medical care, sleep deprivation, or the use of technology to harass, control, monitor, stalk, or hack. Strangulation, for instance, is now recognized as one of the most lethal forms of domestic violence, yet because of the lack of external injuries, it has often been a hidden problem. The goal is to make the victim dependent, isolated, and unable to act freely, effectively stripping them of their human rights.
The Shadow of Tradition
In many parts of the world, domestic violence is not viewed as a crime but as a justified response to a woman's behavior, deeply embedded in cultural traditions and religious interpretations. In Yemen, marriage regulations state that a wife must obey her husband and must not leave home without his permission, codifying the subjugation of women into law. In Jordan, a survey found that 33.4% of teenagers in the capital city of Amman approved of honor killings, a belief that would likely be even higher in rural areas. The United Nations Population Fund notes that in some developing countries, practices such as wife-beating, killings in the name of honor, and dowry deaths are condoned as being part of the natural order of things. In India, a 2012 report by UNICEF found that 57% of Indian boys and 53% of girls between the ages of 15 and 19 think wife-beating is justified. These cultural norms create a barrier to justice, as victims are often blamed for provoking the violence. In Afghanistan, a survey revealed that 62.8% of women said that a husband is justified in beating his wife if she wears inappropriate clothes. The acceptance of violence is so pervasive that in some countries, public officials believe that reconciliation is more appropriate than punishment, with a study finding that 64% of public officials in Colombia would encourage parties to reconcile rather than prosecute. This cultural acceptance is often reinforced by the belief that the family unit takes precedence over the individual, leading to extreme punishment for those who attempt to assert their autonomy.
The Invisible Wounds
The psychological and physical toll of domestic violence extends far beyond the immediate act of violence, creating long-term disabilities and mental health crises for survivors. Victims may experience severe psychological disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, and chronic health problems that persist for years after the abuse ends. Children who live in a household with violence often show psychological problems from an early age, such as avoidance, hypervigilance to threats, and dysregulated aggression, which may contribute to vicarious traumatization. The cycle of abuse often produces an intergenerational cycle of violence, where children who witness or experience abuse may incorporate it into their behavior within relationships that they establish as adults. Research indicates that the more children are physically punished, the more likely they will be as adults to act violently towards family members, including intimate partners. The physical consequences can be equally devastating, with acid attacks resulting in extensive damage including long-term blindness and permanent scarring, and female genital mutilation performed on more than 125 million females alive today. The risk of domestic violence for women who have been pregnant is greatest immediately after childbirth, and during pregnancy, a woman is at higher risk to be abused or long-standing abuse may change in severity, causing negative health effects to the mother and fetus. The economic consequences are also severe, with abusive relations associated with malnutrition among both mothers and children, and the withholding of food documented as a form of family abuse in India.
The Legal Struggle
The fight to criminalize domestic violence has been a slow and arduous process, with significant legal milestones achieved only in the late 20th century. In 1850, Tennessee became the first state in the US to explicitly outlaw wife beating, and by the end of the 1870s, most courts in the US had rejected a claimed right of husbands to physically discipline their wives. The UK Matrimonial Causes Act of 1878 made it possible for women in the UK to seek legal separation from an abusive husband. However, it was not until 1993 that the UN published Strategies for Confronting Domestic Violence, urging countries to treat domestic violence as a criminal act. The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, known as the Istanbul Convention, came into force in August 2014, becoming the first legally binding instrument in Europe dealing with domestic violence. Despite these advancements, many countries still condone child marriage and marital rape, and some consider the discipline of wives as a right of the husband. In Lebanon, a judge argued that a law criminalizing marital rape could lead to the imprisonment of a man exercising his marital rights. The lack of adequate legislation which criminalizes domestic violence, or alternatively legislation which prohibits consensual behaviors, hinders progress in reducing the incidence of domestic violence. In many countries, legal systems and cultural norms do not treat domestic violence as a crime, but rather as a private family matter, or a normal part of life.
The Global Landscape
Domestic violence is a global phenomenon, with rates and forms varying significantly across different regions and cultures, yet the underlying dynamics of power and control remain consistent. The World Health Organization estimates that globally, about 38% of female homicides are committed by an intimate partner, and in the US, more than 50% of female homicides are committed by former or current intimate partners. In the UK, 37% of murdered women were killed by an intimate partner compared to 6% for men. The prevalence of domestic violence is closely linked to a country's level of gender inequality, where countries with less gender equality experience higher rates of domestic violence. In sub-Saharan Africa, 38% of women justify the abuse, compared to 29% in Europe, and South Asia has the highest number with 47% of women justifying the abuse. The forms of violence also vary, with acid attacks common in Cambodia and India, and honor killings prevalent in the Middle East. In some cultures, planned domestic homicides are carried out due to the belief of the perpetrators that the victim has brought dishonor upon the family or community. The acceptance of violence is often highest in countries where women are subject to societal norms and tradition, and where they are too scared to go against that tradition as they would receive backlash. Despite the global nature of the problem, awareness, perception, definition, and documentation of domestic violence differs widely from country to country, making it one of the most underreported crimes worldwide for both men and women.