Domestic Violence Is Considered Nowadays Term Paper

Impact of the problem

The possible consequences of the continuation of domestic violence are visible both at the level of the society in terms of human suffering, as well as at the level o the financial perspectives affecting the state and local budget.

In the first case, domestic violence, as stated before represents a means through which constant violence, abuse and physiological stress can be perpetuated. At the same time, children become excluded from the society through the nature they come to develop. Thus, not only the present state of the society is affected, but also its future.

In the second case, there are considerable costs implied by the treatment of domestic abuse victims. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control "the costs of intimate partner rape, physical assault, and stalking exceed $5.8 billion each year, nearly $4.1 billion of which is for direct medical and mental health care services." (2003). Therefore, from the point-of-view of the low productivity rate and the medical expenses it can be said that the issue is affecting not only the social environment but also the economic situation of the nation and of a particular region.

In this situation, a program that addresses both the underlying factors which determine and stir domestic violence would also have to tackle the possible financial and social implications of domestic violence.

Promising Approaches for Improved Results

In the Orange County there are various programs which try to deal with the issue of domestic violence. The Home of Green Pastures shelter house provides shelters for victims of abuse of Korean origins, taking into account the difficult condition the minority group is facing in this sense. Also, there are additional means though which the state can intervene in support of domestically abused spouses or children. These include programs supporting help lines and counseling.

Still, these actions must be set to follow similar objectives. Thus, the program proposed should envisage the coordinated action of a center with trained personnel in order to offer assistance in terms of philological support for victims of abuse. At the same time, the particular shelter should also include the financial capabilities to support a larger number of victims asking for help. Finally, the program should take into account a preemptive action as well, in order to limit the implications of current domestic abuses taking place. In this sense, children who have been subject to such treatments should receive proper care, physical and psychological one in order to help them reintegrate in the society and in a sound family environment.

In addition to obvious measures that would have a practical effect, there is also the issue of education in the identification of signs of domestic violence and means to fight this phenomenon. In this sense, a coordinated activity between the centers involved in domestic violence prevention should have in mind an education program for women that would enable them to react and prevent future domestic abuses.

Reference

California Department of Justice. Criminal Justice Statistics Center. Accessed 21 December 2007, at http://caag.state.ca.us/cjsc/index.htm.

California Penal Code. Penal Code Section 13700-13702. Accessed 21 December 2007, at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=pen&group=13001-14000&file=13700-13702

Corry, Charles E. "How Common Is Domestic Violence?" Equal Justice Foundation. 2002. Accessed 21 December 2007, at http://www.dvmen.org/dv-31.htm#pgfId-1000404

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States. 2003. Accessed 21 December 2007, at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/ipv_cost/IPVBook-Final-Feb18.pdf

Orange County Sheriff. "Orange County Domestic Violence Assistance Programs." Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Department website. 2000. Accessed 21 December 2007, at http://www.ocsd.org/VictimRefSrv/DomesticViolence.asp

Safe State. Key Message and Talking Points. Domestic Violence. 2007. Accessed 21 December 2007, at http://safestate.org/documents/DV_Tookit_2007_Key_Messages_and_Talking_ADA_dh.pdf

Weinbaum, Zipora. Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence, California, 1998-2002. 2006. Accessed 21 December 2007, at http://www.ucsf.edu/fhop/_docs/pdf/ph_data/whs_violence.pdf