Roberts and Fields (2002) define Domestic Abuse (also often called 'Family Violence') as a situation in which one member of a family, or a couple/partner relationship causes physical and/or emotional harm to one or more other family members or partners. The violence can include: slapping, hitting, kicking, punching, or burning as well as sexual forms of violence such as incest or rape. In some cases the violence can be emotional such as in the use of threats, harassment, and insult. Often there is also an element of isolation in which the abusive family member attempts to exert more control over victims by keeping the victim mostly at home, e.g., not allowing victims to see or talk to people outside the home.
According to the Family Violence Prevention Fund (2010) almost 3.5 million violence crimes are committed against family members every year and, of these, 49 percent are committed against a spouse. About 84 percent of the time, spousal abuse victims are female. Male perpetrators also account for about 83 percent of spouse murder. About 50 percent of the people in state prisons for spousal abuse have killed their victims with wives being far more likely to be homicide victims than husbands.
Children also suffer from domestic violence. According to Shaffer and Kipp (2006), millions of children witness domestic violence and millions more are actual victims of domestic violence. According to the authors, every year there are tens of thousands of children living in a domestic violence shelter or transitional housing program.
The purpose of this paper is to examine the literature on the effects of domestic violence on family members. To this end, the paper examines the effects on both the immediate family (spouses/partners and children) and on extended family members and/or friends. Legal Options for the Partner and Social help resources for children are also discussed.
Concerning partners and/or spouses, Walla...