Disorder

            Domestic violence against women is widespread phenomenon that has affected the lives and health of women's mental and physical health. Domestic violence can be sexual violence between couples such as rape or incest. One out of every three female homicide victims is killed by their husbands or boyfriends. This may happen during rape when a women is forced to have sex, is physically beaten while sex or is strangled during sex. This is used as ways to achieve power and control over her body and herself. .
             In 70% of the families where abuse towards the spouse occurs, there is also physical abuse of the children. The wife may think that as long as she solely is being raped and abused by her husband, her children will be fine. Unfortunately, the father may rape the children and silenced them by threatening to kill the mother or the children if they say anything to anyone. Boys who grow up in violent homes are more likely to grow up to be batterers. Over 60% of young men, aged 18-22 who are incarcerated for Homicide are convicted of killing their mothers' batterers. In a movie showed in class, statistics show that some adolescents go in and out of the juvenile hall system because they witness domestic violence in the family. The child wants to save his mom from domestic violence and therefore ends up arrested and put in the system. Therefore, abuse not only effects the victim, yet is also negatively disrupts the lives of each member of the family.
             There are serious consequences to everyone who lives in a family where there is domestic violence on daily basis. No one is safe from domestic abuse when a member in the family is receiving the abuse in one form or another. Violence against women is one of the major causes of death against women in United States. Roughly 6,000 women die each year as result of domestic violence. Domestic violence or rape outside of the family starts at a very early age for girls.