Domestic violence is a problem that is worldwide and is seen in every country and culture. It seems that they all view women and children inferior to men because they are often smaller and weaker, and therefore at the mercy of their “bigger, stronger” counter-parts. It is virtually impossible for people to live together in a household, sharing all their dreams, ideas, fears, and emotions without conflict (whether physical, emotional or verbal) arising at some point. It is a story as old as time itself starting with the proverbial slaying of Abel by his brother Cain in the Bible (Genesis 4:8 NIV) and continuing on through to current times. Domestic violence is just viewed as a way of life in some countries, while in the United States and other well developed countries it is being addressed more and redefined by changing laws. One definition of domestic violence is given by thefreedictionary.com and it writes:
‘The continuing crime and problem of the physical beating of a wife, girlfriend or children, usually by the woman's male partner (although may be female violence against a male). It is now recognized as an anti-social mental illness. Sometimes a woman's dependence, low self-esteem, and fear of leaving cause her to endure this conduct or fail to protect a child. Prosecutors and police often face the problem that a battered woman will not press charges due to fear, intimidation and misplaced "love." Increasingly domestic violence is attracting the sympathetic attention of law enforcement, the courts, and community services, including shelters and protection for those in danger’ (2005). One of the biggest challenges facing law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals is the fact that many of these cases go unreported due to a fear of the person making the report of further abuse, or not really knowing where to turn to for help. Other problems may include the Domestic violence 2 fact that the person may feel they deserve it, or their cultural norms approve of this type of behavior. In many third world and or Islamic countries they have their own histories and traditions of how they treat their woman and children. Many women are forced to wear clothing that hide their faces and/or forms, and they are not allowed to speak in public or to “strange men.” Some of the punishments for such infractions include: bride burning (in cases of infidelity or the non-acceptance of a payment offer by a would-be groom), honor-killings, where usually the father or another family member kills the woman in order to “save face” or redeem the family’s honor for some transgression of their law/s. Another problem plaguing the criminal justice field is that when families from these foreign countries come to the United States they bring not only their families with them, but many of their beliefs and customs with them as well. In many cases they have no idea that they are breaking our laws, and feel as if they shouldn’t have to answer to our laws because they are used to living the way they were brought up. One other example that I read about in our class that is unthinkable to those of us from the United States, but is a huge practice in other countries is genital mutilation of the female reproductive organs. In this barbaric practice the female’s vagina is altered in such a way that the clitoris, and other parts that supposedly makes sex enjoyable for the female is removed in order to decrease their