Domestic Violence

Running Head: Domestic Violence

Getting to the Facts: Domestic Violence

Taylor Porter

Kaplan University

CJ 490 Unit 2

Professor Billy Wayne Skinner

April 3, 2012

Domestic violence is an epidemic affecting individuals in every community, regardless of age, economic status, race, religion, nationality or educational background. This criminal act is very close to my heart because I am a victim as well. It is extremely important that everyone educate themselves on the subject at hand. You need to know what it is exactly, who can be a victim, what is being done to stop it, and specific statistical data to shine light on the facts. Using data collected from four websites, this essay will explain domestic violence as a whole and reveal the statistic of the crimes.

Depending on where you search for the definition of domestic violence you may receive slightly different answers. According to DomesticViolence.Org, it is behavior used by one person in a relationship to control another. The individuals in the relationship may or may not be married, be heterosexual, gay, lesbian, living together or separate, just dating, male or female. (Domestic Violence, 2009) While the National Coalition against Domestic Violence states: domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior perpetrated by an intimate partner against another. (NCADV, 2012) While these views are slightly different each view is the same. This is a crime that should not be tolerated by anyone and the behavior performed is outlandish and unacceptable.

With crimes like domestic violence come false views and accusations. Since many people are not affected by it they are oblivious to the facts. A common myth to start with is the notion of thinking “Domestic violence is not a problem within my community”. This is completely false. It happens in any community. It does not matter if you reside in an upscale neighborhood or in the projects...