This paper will examine domestic violence in the United States. The first part of the paper will attempt to define domestic violence. This definition will largely focus upon violence perpetrated by men against their female partners, since this represents the greatest incidence of domestic violence. The second part of the paper will look at the history of domestic violence in the United States. This section will focus on the evolving views of domestic violence and the theories on how it should be treated. The third part of the paper will discuss the problems of law enforcement with regard to domestic violence. The fourth part of the paper will briefly discuss the law regarding domestic violence, looking mainly at the specialized provisions which have been enacted and the possible effectiveness of the law in this area. The last part of the paper will discuss the future of domestic violence legislation.
Domestic violence is said by some to be a definite pattern of coercive interaction between members of a household which affects the dynamic of the relationship within that household. Once this pattern is established, the parties involved come to understand the meaning of specific words and actions within that relationship. This is similar to the understanding that develops in non-violent families, where the meanings of certain behaviors are clear, such as the "silent treatment" and the glaring look or tone. The ability of abusers and victims to shroud the violence and its effects can make recognition by professionals difficult. Although domestic violence has traditionally been viewed through a heterosexual lens, so to speak, it exists within homosexual relationships as well. In addition, domestic violence perpetrated by female abusers against male victims also exists at rates comparable to those involving male abusers and female victims. However, the violence inflicted by male abusers tends to have more severe physical co...