By Quadri Adeniyi Olorunfunmi
SIR: Domestic violence, also called “domestic abuse” or “intimate partner violence,” can be defined as a pattern of behaviour in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviours that frighten, intimidate, terrorise, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure, or wound someone.
Domestic abuse can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender. It can occur within a range of relationships, including couples who are married, living together or dating. Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels.
The United Nations also defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.”
The ubiquity of domestic violence is arguably one of the top health concerns in the country. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that violence against women and girls globally is dramatically under reported.
Domestic violence is unjustified unless done in self-defence. The following steps and actions can be taken in dealing with domestic violence:
-Tell someone. If you are the victim or are witness to violence, tell someone. It can be anyone you trust, such as a friend, parent, teacher, coach, brother/sisters, or a neighbour.
-Take all violence and abuse seriously. Remember that many acts of violence and abuse are against the law.
-Take a stand. If you witness any form of violence or abuse, stand up, step in, or shout out that the offender is actually the uncool one, and the violence has to stop.
-Be an individual. Think for yourself. Don’t follow the crowd and don’t give into peer pressure. Don’t participate in any forms of violence or abuse just because your friends are.
-Take back the power. Offenders act violently or abusively to gain power. By not participating, you take the power away from the offender and pass it to the victim.
-Remember, putting others down doesn’t raise you up. There is never a good reason to be abusive or violent towards anyone.
-Wrong. 24/7. Violence and abuse of any type that happens at any time is wrong. Period.
-Be a friend. Help the person who is being abused. This will take away the feeling of being alone.
-Spread the word. Comfort the person who was hurt and make it known that what happened was not fair or deserved.
-Stay cool. Try not to respond to violence with anger. Anger can make things worse.