Domestic Violence Term Paper

Total Length: 1776 words ( 6 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 1+

Page 1 of 6

domestic violence laws. The writer defines domestic violence on a federal level as well as a Michigan state level. The author also provides insight to the Michigan state laws and programs when it comes to domestic violence issues. It wraps up with suggestions about how to change and improve the current domestic violence laws so that they offer even more protection. There were eight sources used to complete this paper.

Domestic violence is a topic that draws heated debates in many circles. Before one can understand all of the ramifications of domestic violence one needs to have a general knowledge of what it entails. The most violent type of domestic violence ends in the death of the victim. This is called femicide. Femicide is the murder of a woman at the hands of her current or former lover. Femicide as well as other aspects of domestic violence have become a global problem (BC Femicide Report - 2002 Penny Bain and Kelly Watt (http://www.bcifv.org/resources/newsletter/2003/fall/femicide.html).

In 2001, 69 wives were killed by their husbands in Canada, 17 more than in 2000. (Statistics Canada, 2001) Research indicates that femicide is the single most common form of murder perpetrated against women, accounting for between 30 and 60% of all murders of females in a given year (Brown, 1987; Campbell, 1986; Frye and Wilt, 2001; Mouzos, 2000; Polk, 1994, Wilson and Daly, 1992) (BC Femicide Report - 2002 Penny Bain and Kelly Watt (http://www.bcifv.org/resources/newsletter/2003/fall/femicide.html)."

Experts have studied the events surrounding domestic violence for many years. There are several factors that experts now know are triggers for domestic violence in situations where this may occur. Some of the factors that are often found in perpetrators of domestic violence include:

historical events, developmental experiences, personality characteristics, life circumstances

These factors have been found to increase the perpetrator's desire to commit domestic violence.

Perpetrator demographics: In the United States, men who commit homicide, including intimate-partner femicide, are likely to be poor, young, and members of a minority group (BC Femicide Report - 2002 Penny Bain and Kelly Watt (http://www.bcifv.org/resources/newsletter/2003/fall/femicide.html)."

Domestic violence perpetrators are more likely to own guns as well. In addition, many domestic violence perpetrators have criminal records.

Michigan has strict laws pertaining to the definition and prosecution of domestic violence offenders. Michigan law defines domestic violence first and foremost as a criminal act. Michigan has adopted a law that states domestic violent perpetrators will be prosecuted with or without the victim's assistance. In other words if the police are called to the scene of suspected domestic violence and they find evidence they are bound to make an arrest (Domestic violence laws work only when enforced (http://www.record-eagle.com/2001/oct/100301.htm).There was a time in U.S. history that police had to receive statements from the victim and the victim had to press charges for an arrest to occur.

It became a vicious circle because a victim of domestic violence is often afraid or intimidated by the abuser, and that in turn prevents them from speaking out. In addition victims of domestic violence often have had their self-confidence stripped away and their friends and family cut out of their lives so they are left feeling they have no where to turn but the abuser. These elements create a mindset in which the victim is afraid to speak out against their abuser. Michigan's law allows the law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute domestic assaulters without the pressing of charges by the alleged victims.

Domestic violence affects more than the women who are abused. In addition Michigan recognizes the fact that children who live in homes where domestic violence exists also suffer from the situation.

Millions of children are exposed to domestic violence each year, and even those who are not themselves abused may be physically harmed when they try to protect parents or are caught in the crossfire (Addressing the Effects of Domestic Violence on Children (http://www.casanet.org/library/domestic-abuse/effects.htm)."

Studies have shown that children who grow up witnessing domestic abuse are 50 times more apt to commit domestic violent as an adult. Children of battered women are also more likely to become victims of other types of abuse as well including verbal, emotional and sexual.

Michigan answers these reports with a law mandating that domestic violence issues be examined any time there is a child custody or visitation question in its courts.

Domestic violence laws used to only protect those who were in a marriage or a live in relationship. Today however many states have incorporated their domestic violence laws to include dating only relationships. This means that victims who only dated their abuser, but did not live with or marry the abuser are protected by the same laws that their married and live in peers are protected by (Overview of Legislative Issues (http://www.
ncvc.org/ncvc/main.aspx?dbName=DocumentViewer&DocumentID=32671).

Michigan domestic violence laws have been designed to encompass many different areas of the problem. One of the things the law allows is the use of personal protection orders. Personal protection orders are designed for the purpose of protecting victims of domestic violence. For the victim to get a personal protection order the victim must prove to the court that the person they are seeking the order against present a danger to them without the order of protection being granted.

The victim must demonstrate to the circuit court that there is reasonable cause to believe that the person they are seeking the order against may commit one or more of the acts. An attorney is needed to present this complaint to the circuit court. The request must state specific incidents of assaults / and/or threats, and may describe injuries sustained and names of witnesses (Domestic Violence Laws in Michigan (http://www.cityofmarysvillemi.com/police/Laws%20in%20Michigan.htm)."

There are several things that an order of protection can protect the victim from at the hands of the assailant. It allows the court to take away what may be considered personal freedoms of the perpetrator, which is why just cause for the order must be shown before the order will be granted.

Personal protection orders can prohibit the assailant from:

assaulting, beating, molesting wounding entering on to the premises removing minor children from the individual having legal custody threatening to kill or physically injure a named person (7/1/94) interfering with the victim at herplace of employment 4/1/95 engaging in conduct which impairs the victim's employment relationship or environment 4/1/95 any other specific act that imposes a restraint upon the victim's personal liberty or causes a reasonable apprehension of violence. 4/1/95 (not until 4/1/96) Purchasing or possessing a firearm (Domestic Violence Laws in Michigan (http://www.cityofmarysvillemi.com/police/Laws%20in%20Michigan.htm)."

Michigan has also designed and adopted domestic violence laws that provide victims of such crimes with protection and programs. The law defines the victim as someone who has had a direct threat, injury, or emotional harm done to them by the abuser.

Victims are allowed and encouraged to seek financial compensation for their victimization as well as receive counseling or other programs to help them work through and move past what has been done to them (Domestic Violence Laws in Michigan (http://www.cityofmarysvillemi.com/police/Laws%20in%20Michigan.htm).

Victims Seeking Help Assured of Confidentiality {MCLA 600.101 (1985)}

Victims of sexual assault and domestic violence who seek the services of workers at sexual assault or domestic violence crisis centers have the protection of law that the counseling sessions are confidential and not admissible in the court without the victim's written consent (Domestic Violence Laws in Michigan (http://www.cityofmarysvillemi.com/police/Laws%20in%20Michigan.htm)."

On April 1, 2002 Michigan adopted its largest and most comprehensive domestic violence law package in its history. The package included many laws that are aimed at increasing the safety of survivors of domestic violent victims. Victims are often fearful of their abuser and do not believe that they can get away from him. They believe that their abuser will track them down or that the law will not protect them from the abuse. The new package was aimed at providing added security and safety to those who find themselves in the middle of a domestic violence situation or have escaped domestic violence.

The package also added the following to its previous laws:

Protects women in dating relationships;

Honors personal protection orders (PPO) issued by other states;

Calls for written explanation for denial or approval of PPOs involving non-relationship stalking cases;

Allows courts to consider out-of-state domestic assault convictions in determining sentencing;

Authorizes the creation of state and local fatality review teams to examine homicides resulting from domestic violence (New Domestic Violence Laws Take Effect in Michigan (http://www.futureofchildren.org/information2827/information_show.htm?doc_id=70501);"

Creates uniform standards for tracking domestic violence crimes -- by calling on the MI State Police to develop a standard report for domestic violence crimes.

CHANGES NEEDED

While the Michigan laws are solid and aimed at protecting the victims there are still changes that should be made to strengthen them even more. One of the changes should be additional time for causing a child to witness domestic violence. Studies have indicated that children who witness domestic violence develop relationship issues. This is evidence that domestic violence has a negative impact on children. Anyone who commits….....

Show More ⇣


     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


Related Essays

Domestic Violence and the Effect on Children

Abstract Children who are victims of domestic violence situations often experience trauma and need help to cope with the lives and the negative experiences they feel. They will turn to abusing drugs and alcohol or engage in risky sexual activity in order to try to escape their trauma. In some cases, they lash out at their environment in response to the strain they are feeling. This can lead them to a life of crime and eventually to time served in prison. Understanding these issues and learning ways to help children who are victims of domestic violenceContinue Reading...

Violence Against Women in Macho Paradox

belief systems and create gender equality to end violence against women and create a balanced society. Domestic violence is an issue many people face on a daily basis. However, in Katz book, The Macho Paradox, chapter 1 opens the discussion of domestic abuse seen as a common event in the American landscape. "...found that two-thirds of American men say that domestic violence is very or fairly common in the U.S., and in a 2005 national survey...92% of respondents said that family violence is a much bigger problem than people think." (Katz 2) While domestic violence is an issue that has been explored and examined, daily potential… Continue Reading...

Questions Concerning Employment

national/state collaborations and refers to values that progress organizational policies concerning disadvantage populations like youth in distress, welfare recipients, and domestic violence victims. The inclusive workplace at this level perceives such populations as a potentially upwardly mobile and stable workforce. Thus, policy strategies will be to invest in evening educational classes, on-the-job training, and so forth. An exclusionary organization would readily dispose of such workers or even not hire them altogether. The focus in workplace inclusion level 3 is social class and issues of race and gender due to women of color being disproportionally represented in the working class. A good example of an inclusive policy is NYC's Welfare-to-Work Program… Continue Reading...

ISIS Attacks in America Essay

Domestic Violence and Domestic Terrorism- While the media is quick to focus on the religious or political affiliations of people who commit mass killings when they are brown, the real answer to domestic terrorism may involve domestic violence.  Regardless of religious or political affiliation, most people who commit mass homicides in the United States have a documented history of domestic violence.  Is failure to respond adequately and appropriately to these charges part of the reason that the United States is struggling with a huge domestic terrorist problem? Outline I.  Introduction… Continue Reading...

Laws on Rape, Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Robbery

done contrary to one's will. They can be classified into different types that include assault, aggravated assault, harassment, hate crimes, kidnapping, stalking, murder, domestic violence, and child abuse among others. Assault is committed when an individual tries or strikes another physically or acts in a way that threatens the life of another person. Aggravated assault occurs when an individual tries or causes severe injury to a person or causes severe injury using a deadly weapon. Battery is defined at intentional or harmful touching of an individual without seeking their consent. In 2015, the rate of assault and aggravated assault in the US was 230 cases in every 100,000 people (Stevens 14). This was… Continue Reading...

Remedies for PTSD and Abusive Relationships

her to fight for her children and defend them from their violent father (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2015). Question 4 Looking at other survivors of domestic violence, leaving an abusive relationship is not an easy task, but a herculean that has endangered the woman and calls for resources that are not readily available. Most survivors stay in abusive relationships with the hope of making things work, and we relate this to Jesse's story and her experiences of looking after the best interests of the children before attempting to solve their broken relationship (Dockterman, 2016). Female victims of domestic violence are held hostage because they find it hard to leave due to concerns over money for… Continue Reading...

Gender Status Impact Access to Social Political and Economic Resources

land/property owners display lower domestic violence experience rates, other researchers have revealed greater incidence, especially within conservative cultures reflecting the effects of evolving power dynamics. Hence, initiatives which endeavor to make females financially stronger (e.g., micro credit programs) must take into account the best means of mitigating adverse effects (e.g., through incorporating violence prevention programs) (Fitriani, 3). Females’ domestic roles frequently end up causing them to disproportionately utilize natural resources. Water resources like wells situated far from their homes may appreciably increase their workload. Further, forest conservation plans may restrict their forest product accessibility,… Continue Reading...

My Papas Waltz Poem Analysis

domestic violence. The subtle cues in the poem related to gender and socioeconomic class do, however, show that Roethke deliberately chose the waltz specifically as a means of making social commentary. A formal dance, the waltz has a specific structure in which the male is supposed to lead the two-person partnership. The speaker of “My Papa’s Waltz” affirms this, especially by showing how he clung and hung onto his father in spite of being abused. He was doing what he was supposed to do, allowing his father to “beat time… Continue Reading...

National Anthem Protest Essay

domestic violence offenders being on the NFL’s active rosters.  Third, the decision to take a knee was made specifically to simultaneously show respect and protest. Essay Hook Despite his efforts to show respect while engaging in peaceful protest, Kaepernick quickly became the most controversial football player to ever play in the NFL. Thesis Statement The fact that Kaepernick’s protest is being portrayed as disrespectful, even though kneeling has long been considered a sign of respect, has much more to do with what he is protesting than how he is protesting.… Continue Reading...

Robert Hayden Those Winter Sundays

domestic violence in the poem occurs when the speaker describes the extreme cold using the descriptive term "blueblack," (line 2). The father has to dress in the "blueblack cold," using the startling, poignant imagery of a black and blue mark or a bruise to describe the way the cold affects the human body (line 2). However, Hayden also uses the term blueblack specifically to hint at the possibility of physical abuse or domestic violence. The speaker of the poem does not overtly mention being beaten by the father,… Continue Reading...

The Housing Crisis and Insecurity and Poverty in America

abuse. Abuse, domestic violence, and other issues are prevalent among the poor because these types of behaviors can be viewed as coping mechanisms. The women profiled in Evicted often hide their experiences with domestic violence because making an official police report would lead to unwanted attention by the landlord and a probable eviction (Desmond 189). Coping strategies reflect gender and race-based social norms, as women are more prone to being evicted, or allowing themselves to remain victims of abuse instead of changing their circumstances due to financial instability and the lack of… Continue Reading...

How to Measure the Effectiveness of Organization

organization might be able to reach its strategic goals more effectively. In other words, domestic violence cannot necessarily be separated from other issues like homelessness and drug abuse but outreach services cannot continue to be diverted away from the primary population. Women seeking PM's services might themselves be addicts, and might be homeless after leaving their abusive partner. Therefore, the major strategic goal for Protect Me should be to provide women with access to career building and personal development so that they can envision and act on a new life that centers on self-sufficiency, self-reliance, and self-care. 2. Develop three strategies for the goal… Continue Reading...

Bessie Smith and the Blues

I could imagine how they would be sung. In the songs that touched on domestic violence, I was particularly struck because these, at least on paper, seemed to be both mournful and upbeat -- for instance in the song "Sweet Rough Man" in which the woman describes being beaten by her husband but also loved by him. There were so many contradictory feelings contained in this song that it was interesting to see how a woman might love a man for his "lovin'" even though he was very rough with her. At the same time, other songs depicted women being rough with their men… Continue Reading...

Colored Girls Rainbow Shange Play Reaction

women have suffered injustice and violations including domestic violence and abuse and rape, with gender-related issues at the heart of each of their tales. They have considered killing themselves to obliterate the pain and transmute the suffering. Above all, “For Colored Girls” exemplifies intersectional oppression: the links between race, gender, and social status. Using poetic devices instead of straightforward prose is what distinguishes Shange’s play from others that address such issues with more direct language. Theirs are not stories in the traditional sense of there being a beginning, middle, and end, just as the play as a… Continue Reading...

Divorce Case Study Essay

except for the most recent domestic violence incidents involving her mother and former step-father. Although Julie reports have several friends, she denies having any close friends besides her boyfriend, “Francisco” and denies being sexually active. At present, Julie is a member of the yearbook committee at her school and she participated in volunteer activities at a local shelter the previous 2 years. 5.     Initial Assessment of Functioning The client is an otherwise well-functioning teenager who is experiencing problems at home in responding to her mother’s depression and increasing need for assistance. 6.     Medical… Continue Reading...

Childrens Rights and Teacher Advocacy

an abuse or a possible exposure to abuse (which include hearing, observation, domestic violence intervention, or subsequently having negative behaviours and fears to deal with, which according to some states amount to child maltreatment). The challenge of the rights of children with regards to future policies is how to translate from specific pleading and support to major rights of children as contained in institutions and policies across board. This implies the institution of the right of children both in the ideologies of civil society organizations and local authorities. To most people, it is easier to see children as the vulnerable population that… Continue Reading...

sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Domestic Violence" (2004, March 30) Retrieved May 3, 2024, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/domestic-violence-165843

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Domestic Violence" 30 March 2004. Web.3 May. 2024. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/domestic-violence-165843>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Domestic Violence", 30 March 2004, Accessed.3 May. 2024,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/domestic-violence-165843