Domestic Violence is a pattern of intentional coercive behavior, which serves to maintain power and control over family/household members, including children, intimate partners or ex-partners. This pattern may include physical, emotional, psychological, economic. and/or sexual abuse and may escalate in frequency and severity over time. Coercive behavior can include criminal acts such as assault, sex …show more content…
People are abusive because they are taught that it is an effective, acceptable response to stress, frustration, and anger. Men, specifically, may be socialized to believe that aggression equals power and that abuse and control can be justified. Domestic violence occurs in people of all ages, sexual orientation, ethnic, religious, and social groups. The actual extent of domestic violence may not differ much across social and cultural groups but the rate of official reporting and identification does. It is clear that both male and female children are affected when they grow up in an abusive environment. The symptoms exhibited by children who witness domestic violence can be similar to those of children who are physically