| Domestic violence is found in all | | | | control over another intimate partner. |
| societies, and cuts across all lines of | | | | Domestic abuse is often physical in |
| race, religion, and class. Violent acts | | | | nature, ranging from violence or the |
| between family members is included under | | | | threat of violence, unwanted physical |
| the broader definition of domestic | | | | contact and rape, to even murder. |
| violence, and these acts could include | | | | Violence can also include non-physical |
| wife or husband beating, battering, | | | | mental and emotional abuse which chiefly |
| domestic abuse, spousal abuse, child | | | | involves control of the other person's |
| abuse, and elder abuse. Domestic | | | | money, social life, and sense of self |
| violence not only includes physical | | | | worth. Fear of their abuser often |
| violence, but can also include sexual | | | | isolates the victim in these situations. |
| abuse, emotional abuse, intimidation, | | | | Intimate partner violence (IPV), or |
| economic deprivation, or threats of | | | | simply domestic abuse and violence |
| violence. More than 32 million Americans | | | | against women, has been a major focus of |
| are affected by domestic violence. It is | | | | modern feminism, and has been attracting |
| a preventable, major public health | | | | attention since the women's movement. |
| problem, according to the Centers for | | | | Everyone should be free from domestic |
| Disease Control or the CDC. Possibly as | | | | violence, but this is not the case. |
| many as one third of domestic violence | | | | Domestic violence should be addressed |
| cases in the United States are not | | | | before it even begins, although it is |
| reflected in the official statistics, | | | | always difficult to talk about. The |
| that only encompass reported cases. | | | | National Institute of Health provides |
| When someone tries to dominate a family | | | | more information about how to deal with |
| member, physically or not, it is | | | | abuse and violence; symptoms, prevention |
| considered domestic violence. Though it | | | | and screening; and law, policy and |
| typically refers to violence between | | | | statistics at their website which can be |
| spouses, the term can cover co-habitants | | | | accessed at Legal information and other |
| and non-married intimate couples also. | | | | resources for battered women can be |
| Domestic violence is defined by The | | | | found at and While the challenge of |
| United States Office on Violence Against | | | | getting out of a physically or |
| Women as a pattern of abusive behavior | | | | psychologically abusing relationship can |
| in any relationship, that is used by one | | | | be daunting, help can be found if you |
| partner to gain or maintain power and | | | | know where to look. |