Domestic violence is one of the cruelest, oxymoronic phrases one could ever encounter, and one of the most tragic real-life experiences. Home should never elicit terror. We are a country that prides itself in protecting the home front. Yet every year, more than 10 million people are raped, sexually assaulted, assaulted, stalked, or robbed, at the brutalizing hands of their spouse, parent, sibling, or another relative in the very same place where they eat and sleep. 10 million is quadruple the number of service men and women deployed to fight the Global War on Terror.
Intimate partner violence, a distinct form of domestic violence involving a victim and an offender whom they know well, most acutely affects women. According to the National Crime Victimization Survey, more than a third of women in the U.S. have been victim to intimate partner violence. Most intimate partner violence victims sustain severe injuries that go untreated, more often than in any other victim- offender relationship.
Every nine seconds, a woman in the U.S. is assaulted or beaten in, or near, her home.
As disconcerting as this rate is, it doesn’t capture the unique experiences of women of color, or even of transgender women, and other historically marginalized women who are disparately aggressed and violated as they navigate their daily lives.
Contrary to popular narrative, domestic violence affects everyone, including men. Males are most vulnerable to domestic abuse perpetuated by a parent, sibling, or other relative, and by strangers. 30% of men who experience domestic violence are terrorized by their current or former partner. Perhaps the most egregious cases involve children and young people who are often domestic violence victims, too. The traumatic effects of childhood abuse reverberate into one’s adulthood, increasing the likelihood that they’ll be abused in future relationships. Consequently, domestic violence occurs most frequently among people ages 18 to 24 years, over time and across generations.
The effects of domestic violence deeply surpass physical impact. There is direct linkage between violence, health, and socio-economic vulnerability. Domestic violence is significantly tied to depression and suicidal behavior. In addition to its debilitating mental health effects, there are severe economic costs associated with domestic violence. Almost all domestic violence victims experience abuse in the form of debt coercion, because offenders force victims to purchase goods or open credit accounts to use at the offender’s whim. Violent offenders often block victims from accessing their own economic resources, and even restrict them from attending work. Estimates reveal that domestic violence victims lose about 8 million paid work days, annually.
We cannot feign always understanding the rationale for why one chooses to remain in a violent home, and often take for granted that one even perceives the option to leave. One thing is very clear though: fear underlies a decision to stay. Fear of “losing” love, of losing financial stability, of potentially losing children to their offender, or to the system, or even fear of social judgement. If only I could legislate the individual fear away. But domestic violence is affected by forces much greater than individual choice. Structural violence, the ways in which social structures harm or disadvantage individuals, contributes to domestic violence. How do our social structures invite or ostracize domestic violence victims? How well-equipped are these spaces to receive, engage, and efficiently address their immediate and long-term needs? As Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust, I am motivated to engaging these critical questions in concert with my colleagues.
For example, the absence of, or inaccessibility to, essential health and social services is a form of structural violence. We need more committed legislative and local efforts focusing on social-structural factors that contribute to violence, such as intimate partner violence screening, prevention, and treatment services in our healthcare settings, schools, and family planning sites.
The lack of comprehensive legislation around guns also contributes to structural violence that feeds the currents of domestic violence. My 2014 Kelly Report on Gun Violence in America notes that the presence of a gun in a domestic dispute exponentially increases the likelihood of a fatal outcome by 500% to 2,000%.
Personally, I have lost dear ones to the ravages of domineering cowards who snuffed the life out of beautiful women in their prime. Yet, with hope, I firmly believe in the power of public service and policy to help create a wholly different reality for domestic violence victims. My bill H.R. 226, the Keeping Guns from High Risk Individuals Act, prohibits the sale or transfer of guns to individuals identified as being “high risk,” including persons who have been convicted of misdemeanor stalking or domestic violence. I have co-sponsored common-sense legislation such as the Domestic Violence Gun Homicide Prevention Act, encouraging states to restrict persons with a history of domestic violence from acquiring a firearm. I am also engaging with organizations in my own 2nd District of Illinois to recognize opportunities in healthcare and social service coordination that may prevent violence—especially intimate partner and gun violence—and also more robustly address the unique health and social service needs of victims.
You can do your part to fight domestic violence, too. If you are, or someone you know is, experiencing domestic abuse, know that there are viable and discrete options to be free from harm. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence maintains an online list of supportive resources. If you do not have online access, I encourage you to visit your local library, worship center, or domestic violence aid organization for confidential assistance. Seek help from a trusted friend or relative. Even call your local councilperson, state representative, or Congressperson to advocate for domestic violence relief at legislative levels. We are here for you, and need to hear from you.
Because your home should be a place of comfort and safety, rather than harm.