Tuesday, December 08, 2009

WHAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?


IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN THIS IMAGE OF A LADY WITH BLACK EYES...THAT'S THE SURFACE !


Domestic violence is physical, psychological, sexual or financial violence that takes place within an intimate or family-type relationship and forms a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour. This can include forced marriage and so-called 'honour' crimes. Domestic violence often includes a range of abusive behaviours, not all of which are, in themselves, inherently 'violent' - hence some people prefer to use the term 'domestic abuse' rather than 'domestic violence'.
Research shows that it affects one in four women in their lifetime. Two women a week are killed by their partners or former partners.
All forms of domestic violence - psychological, financial, emotional and physical - come from the abuser's desire for power and control over an intimate partner or other family members. Domestic violence is repetitive and life-threatening, and gets worse over time and can ruin women and children's lives.Any woman can experience domestic violence regardless of race, ethnic or religious group, class, disability or lifestyle. Domestic violence can also take place in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender relationships. Domestic violence can also be perpetrated by other family members (for example, extended family). In some cases, older children - teenagers or young adults - are violent or abusive towards their mothers or other family members.

Although every situation is unique, there are common factors that link the experience of an abusive relationship. Acknowledging these factors is an important step in preventing and stopping the abuse. This list can help you to recognise if you, or someone you know, are in an abusive relationship.

** Destructive criticism and verbal abuse: shouting; mocking; accusing; name calling; verbally threatening.
* Pressure tactics: sulking; threatening to withhold money, disconnecting the telephone, taking the car away, taking the children away, or reporting you to welfare agencies unless you comply with his demands; threatening or attempting suicide; withholding or pressuring you to use drugs or other substances; lying to your friends and family about you; telling you that you have no choice in any decisions.
* Disrespect: persistently putting you down in front of other people; not listening or responding when you talk; interrupting your telephone calls; taking money from your purse without asking; refusing to help with childcare or housework.
* Breaking trust: lying to you; withholding information from you; being jealous; having other relationships; breaking promises and shared agreements.
* Isolation: monitoring or blocking your telephone calls; telling you where you can and cannot go; preventing you from seeing friends and relatives; shutting you in the house.
* Harassment: following you; checking up on you; not allowing you any privacy (for example, opening your mail), repeatedly checking to see who has telephoned you; embarrassing you in public; accompanying you everywhere you go.
* Threats: making angry gestures; using physical size to intimidate; shouting you down; destroying your possessions; breaking things; punching walls; wielding a knife or a gun; threatening to kill or harm you and the children; threatening to kill or harm family pets; threats of suicide.
* Sexual violence: using force, threats or intimidation to make you perform sexual acts; having sex with you when you don't want it; forcing you to look at pornographic material; forcing you to have sex with other people; any degrading treatment related to your sexuality or to whether you are lesbian, bisexual or heterosexual.
* Physical violence: punching; slapping; hitting; biting; pinching; kicking; pulling hair out; pushing; shoving; burning; strangling.
* Denial: saying the abuse doesn't happen; saying you caused the abusive behaviour; being publicly gentle and patient; crying and begging for forgiveness; saying it will never happen again.

'Blaming the victim' is something that abusers will often do to make excuses for their behaviour, and quite often they manage to convince their victims that the abuse is indeed their fault. This is an easy escape route and is in itself abusive. Blaming their behaviour on someone else, or on the relationship, their childhood, their ill health, or their alcohol or drug addiction is one way in which many abusers try to avoid personal responsibility for their behaviour.

CHILDREN ARE AFFECTED BY WHAT THEY SEE



THEY LIVE THE TORTURES THEY WITNESS

THEY HAVE NIGHTMARES

THEY ARE MENTALLY SCARRED FOR LIFE

IT HAS TO STOP !!

SUSAN BEATEN NEAR TO DEATH BY AN EARLY RELEASE CRIMINAL !!




IMAGES LIKE THESE ARE HORRIFIC FOR YOU TO WITNESS BUT THINK OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT GO THROUGH THESE TORTURES BECAUSE 'THE SYSTEM' LETS THESE EVIL PEOPLE FREE ON OUR STREETS !
WE ALL DESERVE TO LIVE IN PEACE AND NOT IN FEAR !
WHY IS IT THAT CRIMINALS GET SO MANY RIGHTS ?
WE NEED TO STAND FIRM TOGETHER TO MAKE A CHANGE !

is this enough ?

in politics.co.uk


Charlotte Atkins MP supports ending Violence Against Women
Monday, 07, Dec 2009 12:00

Staffordshire Moorlands Labour MP Charlotte Atkins joined a group of MPs recently who are united in their support to end violence against women. The White Ribbon Campaign, the largest international organisation targeting men to work towards ending male violence against women, organised the event at Westminster.

As Chris Green, chair of the White Ribbon Campaign UK, said: “Parliamentarians enter parliament in order to make their community a better place. There is no more important way to do this than by working to eliminate violence against women.”

Every week in the UK, two women are killed as a result of domestic violence. There are countless victims of sexual assault, rape, incest, forced marriage, FGM, trafficking, and honour killing. The White Ribbon Campaign is, therefore, very supportive of the Home Office’s new strategy, ‘Together We Can End Violence Against Women and Girls’.

“Violence against women and girls is an obscenity. That is why we are taking action to bring perpetrators to justice and protect and support victims, but also to challenge the attitude that attacks on women and girls are in any way acceptable. A fair and responsible Britain has no place for violence of any sort,” said Ms Atkins.

“Violence against women and girls ruins lives, breaks up families and has a lasting impact across the generations. Much has been done over recent years to increase protection for women and to prosecute their attackers. However, this is a complex problem which demands an even broader response to stop violence from happening in the first place.


“Changing attitudes that tolerate violence against women and girls will take time but is essential if we are to eradicate this blight on women’s lives. Tackling violence against women and girls is one of the Government’s top priorities.

“Since 1997, we’ve introduced specialist domestic violence courts, given more money for rape crisis centres and toughened the law. This has contributed to a 64 per cent decrease in incidents of domestic violence and a 50 per cent increase in rape convictions over the last ten years.

“But there is more to do and it’s vital that we have a coordinated cross-government approach to combating all forms of violence against women and girls. The Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy provides this and its focus on prevention is critical to long-term change.

“From 2011, gender equality and preventing violence in relationships will be included in the statutory PSHE curriculum. The Training and Development Agency for Schools is being asked to make sure that gender awareness and VAWG is included in a review of Professional Standards for Teachers in 2010. This will help to ensure that teachers have the skills and experience to tackle these issues effectively.

“However, we know that schools are only part of the solution. We need to make sure that the most troubled families get the support they need to stop problems from escalating. That is why we are increasing investment in Family Intervention Projects and, from 2012, 10,000 families per year with complex needs will get help to tackle difficult issues such as domestic violence.

“Over 400 FIP workers have already been trained to identify and respond to domestic violence and a recent evaluation showed that they are helping to significantly improve the lives of vulnerable families, including reducing incidences of domestic violence,” Ms Atkins added.