domestic violence and the female victim the real reason women.pdfVIP

Volume 3, Issue 1, 2009 Domestic Violence and the Female Victim: The Real Reason Women Stay! Darrell Payne, Assistant Professor, Northern Kentucky University, paynedar@ Linda Wermeling, Assistant Professor, Northern Kentucky University, wermelingl@ Abstract The criminalization of domestic violence refers to efforts to address domestic violence through the passage and enforcement of criminal and civil laws. This article reviews the social science, legal, and criminal justice literature regarding interventions used to stop domestic violence. Theoretical foundations, effectiveness of police interventions, and the use of protective orders are addressed. Further explored are prosecution and victim advocacy, court responses, batterers intervention as a condition of probation, and coordinated community responses to domestic violence. Implications are given for social work practice, along with basic information for assisting clients who are victims of violence in their own homes. Introduction Violence implies destruction, anger, and pain; while family suggests the qualities of caring, love, and joy. Domestic violence occurs at all familial levels—between couples, in parent-child relationships, sibling relationships, and oftentimes, dating relationships. Domestic violence is deeply rooted in the lives of many American families (English, Marshall Stewart, 2003). Yet, closely interwoven are the words “family” and “violence”, even now. Many female victims of domestic violence become victims of their own psychological realities (Hurley, Sullivan McCarthy, 2007). Financial viability can be limiting for many female victims along with other barriers they face when attempting to flee safely from violent situations (Murray, 2008). While there are various types of domestic violence situations, here the focus has to do with violence directed toward females and the psychological impact many female victims experience throughout the court proceedings. Theories abo