Domestic Violence
- girlsstandup27
- Apr 21, 2021
- 3 min read
October 2021, GSU shed light on Domestic Violence through this Blog Post for our viewers to be educated on what Domestic Violence is, Why it happens, and World Statistics as well as here in Trinidad and Tobago.
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What is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence is a serious threat for many women. Domestic violence is not only physical violence; it can also be sexual, emotional, economic, or even psychological actions/threats of actions that influence another person. It is any behavior in which a person gains power and control over a spouse, partner, girlfriend/boyfriend, or intimate family member.
Did you know? Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women – more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined.
Abuse is a learned behavior; it is not caused by anger, mental problems, drugs, alcohol, or other common excuses.
Why Does Domestic Violence Occur?
Drug Abuse
Poverty
Alcohol Abuse
Some effects of Domestic Violence are:
On the victim
Death, illness, injury, and disability
Emotional and psychological trauma
Homelessness
Use of alcohol and other drugs to deal with the pain
Physical health injuries and other problems
On the family
Violence and the threat of violence at home creates fear and can destroy family environments and lead to the break-up of families
Frequent moving to avoid the abuser
Regular household conflict
Child protection or police involvement
Statistics of Domestic Violence in Women
In 2021, 27% of the women’s population aged 15 to 49 have reported being subjected to physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner.
Globally:
An estimated 736 million women - one in three - have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner, non-partner sexual violence, or both. This is 30% of the women’s population, aged 15 and over.
One in seven women have been injured by an intimate partner
One in ten women has been sexually assaulted by an intimate partner.
One in four women has been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner (e.g. strangling, burning, beating).
Nearly 50% of intimate relationships experience some form of Domestic Violence according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, including physical, emotional abuse, and/or both and sexual violence.
In Trinidad and Tobago, reports show that:
In 2019, there were 232 reported cases of domestic violence; in 2020, there were 556 reported cases and in 2021, this number has so far increased to 826 reported cases (January to March 2021).
7,594 reports related to Domestic Violence were cited between 2014 to 2019. Of this, more than 75% were from women.
In 2019, 81% of the reports were from women. 22.5% of this were women between the ages of 18 to 29 years old while 48.5% were women between the ages of 30 and 49. There was a 33% increase in the number of Domestic Violence reports when compared to January to March 2020/2021.
Organizations that assist and support victims of Domestic Violence:
National Center for Victims of Crime
National Domestic Violence
Mental Health America (MHA)
National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA)
All of these organizations provide confidential support as well as the personnel who are trained to guide a person through the necessary actions they may need to take or to lend an ear to a person’s story.
For more information about Domestic Violence
and its subtle signs, view this video:
Share your thoughts about this information on Domestic Violence in the comments.
“The effects of abuse are devastating and far-reaching. Domestic violence speaks many languages, has many colours, and lives in many different communities.”
- Sandra Pupatello
Share this information with your family and friends to spread the word about domestic violence and how you can help!
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