Definition of Domestic Violence

The violence intrafamily is, as its name indicates, that which occurs within the family. There is no single pattern of conduct and it can manifest itself in many ways: parents who beat their children and their partners, sexual abuse of children, children's aggressions against parents or family environments characterized by insults, humiliations and attitudes aggressive.

Different dimensions of violence

Violence is a complex phenomenon with many faces. There is gender violence, in which women are victims of sexist attitudes. There is street violence (organized gangs that act on the fringes of law or radical groups that express their discomfort without respecting others). In the educational field, there is bullying or bullying and bullying also occurs in the world of work. The list of violent demonstrations is very extensive: in some sports fans, in the mistreatment of animals, in the persecution of homosexuals, etc. There are so many forms of violence that we could affirm that it is a phenomenon of the human condition.

Violence has different levels and nuances. In its more moderate version we find expressions of language with offensive intent, a contemptuous tone towards others or some disrespectful attitudes. At the opposite extreme is war, the highest form of violence.

Possible causes of the problem

This social problem is increasing and is not exclusive to marginal and unstructured environments. In the media communication News appear that highlight a growing violence in the family environment and these news are increasingly common.

Sociologists try to explain the possible causes of this form of violence. First, the socio-economic situation of a family is decisive, since the lack of income and job insecurity are a source of conflict. The educational factor also plays a role, since it is not usual for a well-educated family to incorporate violent patterns into their daily life. Some analysts consider that violence has become normal in the media and in video games and this circumstance can affect family relationships. There are experts in the field who consider that domestic violence it is a consequence of the crisis of the traditional family. Another aspect to consider is the crisis of values ​​in society as a whole, a crisis that causes tensions and conflicts in the family nucleus. As can be seen, there is no single element that triggers family violence, but rather a multifactorial problem.

Possible solutions

Domestic violence is objectionable from an ethical and social point of view, since it goes against society itself and is a degradation of the human condition. Reporting this form of violence is necessary but it is necessary to find ways of solution. Some guidelines may be helpful in addressing this problem:

- Keep a attitude combative in the face of the problem. This implies a series of actions: making telephones available to society to report this type of situation, awareness campaigns in the media or promoting mediation figures in conflicts relatives.

- Within the family it is convenient for parents to solve their conflicts avoiding any violent attitude, otherwise the children may end up imitating the behavior of their fathers.

- In the educational field, it is possible to create spaces for dialogue in which parents and children can solve their conflicts with the support of teachers, professors and psychologists.

- If someone knows of a case of domestic violence, it is desirable that they report this situation, since looking the other way is a form of complicity

Photos: iStock - kieferpix / Vesna Andjic