Argumentative essay: THE NATURE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

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THE NATURE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Domestic violence – also referred to as intimate partner violence (IPV) – is a critical concern in today's society. It is currently estimated that about 9 million couples experience some form of domestic violence. This figure represents a ratio of one in six marriages overall. Additionally, it is estimated that 21% of all crimes committed against women are carried out by a partner in marriage (Strong, DeVault, and Cohen 2010). Despite its long-term history of existence, intimate partner violence – especially violence against women – has received great acknowledgement as a serious challenge in the latter half of the 20th century. Many researchers have credited this increased awareness on the topic to the increasing political as well as social movements that advocate for equality and respect for basic rights regardless of gender. Such social movements include the second wave of feminism (also referred to as the modern movement for women). Further, an increase in activities relating to social, medical, political, and academic communities has enabled effective legislation to be enacted in order to combat intimate partner violence and also educate couples on the topic.
Important policies in the United States have helped in protecting women against domestic violence as well as educating couples on the importance of peaceful and harmonious co-existence. One such policy is the 1994 Violence against Women Act which empowers women through funding of intervention and prevention programs. Although social movements are largely attributed to have spurred social awareness and protective legislation in domestic violence, a lot of researchers say that there is still a limited social understanding of what women experience in violent relat...