Domestic Violence

The effects of domestic violence on human society are immense, and almost impossible to measure by a single yardstick. The cumulative effect of the menace of domestic violence affects every area of life, and its conclusion is visible to the sensitive eye – at home and in the office, in markets and restaurants, in schools and corporates. The batterer and the battered are both conspicuous in the teeming faces of millions on the street of every country – in bleak faces with broken spirits.

Domestic violence also takes a huge toll on a nation in terms of its various resources in addition to the human. The economic damage of domestic violence is truly enormous – but a broken life cannot be measured with a rupee. However victims of domestic abuse do incur huge medical bills and loose their capacity to be commercially productive. Victims of domestic violence usually suffer psychological damage also and need continuous mental care to function normally. ‘Family’ being the microcosm of society, the effect of domestic violence infects the forthcoming generations and violates all the people living with the perpetrators and victims of violence. It will not be an exaggeration to state that domestic violence has a rippling effect on society, causing whole generations and communities to become sick.

Moreover, domestic violence is hugely damaging to the state in terms of time and money spent by health workers, law enforcers, lawyers, courts and social activists. Social welfare organizations are now being built with fully functional staff and shelter facilities for the victims of domestic world over. These cost a lot in monetary terms with their entourage of counselors, other services and hotlines.

Many surveys (time and again) have revealed that domestic violence translates into absenteeism from work, decreased productivity, re training of works and sometimes retrenchment for the employed. Needless to say, that this has reduces the GDP of nation’s considerable, forcing the world to function below its potential. It has also been concluded that domestic violence has a terrible effect on children, and sabotages the growth of the future generation. Education institutions are now recognizing this fact and providing specialized services to children who suffer from behavior and attention problems emanating from domestic violence.

Children growing in houses which are infested with the syndrome of domestic violence require clinical care for depression, panic, fear, anxiety, stress and shock related mental problems. These problems also metamorphose as physical ailments in many cases. Such children grow up to be less productive and cost the state money for their poor abilities. Individuals who are brought up with the terrible effects of domestic violence are not optimistic, can take lesser risks and usually continue the cycle of violence in their adult life by – either being perpetrators or willing victims of abuse.

In conclusion, domestic violence can never be eliminated from society unless society refuses to tolerate it. This will require an internal change in the basic nature of society world over, beginning with the recognition of the worth of every human being as an individual. If the law does not buck up in terms of implementing punishment on those who violate others within the sacred walls of the institution called family and home, the weaker will continue to be violated and abused by the stronger – physically, mentally, materially and spiritually.