Life-threatening+Domestic+Violence+in+the+African+American+community.

=What is Domestic Violence? =  Domestic Violence, as defined by the //Oxford English Dictionary//, Violent or aggressive behavior within the home, typically involving the violent abuse of a spouse or partner. Domestic violence has some serious effects that can affect people for the rest of their lives. Physical effects such as bruises and fertility issues in women, mental effects such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and anxiety, and emotional affects such as hopelessness and discouragement about the future. Although there are multiple effects of domestic violence, the ultimate effect is none other than death.

**What are some of the causes of Domestic Violence? **  Given the rate of Domestic Violence within the African American community, many researchers have focused on how it beings. Poverty, high levels of unemployment and inadequate education, exposure to community and family violence, internalized and/or institutional racism and sexist cultural attitudes are some of reasons why domestic violence starts. Research also includes several risk factors associated with African American women being victims of Domestic Abuse which include poverty, inadequate education, under or unemployment, and substance abuse. 1

**What are some of the effects of Domestic Violence? **

 There are many effects of Domestic Violence, but a major effect are the mental health risks. The mental health risks associated with domestic violence are enormous and severe. African American women who experience domestic abuse are very likely to develop and suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder and/or major depression, anxiety disorders, and suicidal thinking Also, African American women who experience domestic abuse are at a greater risk than caucasian women of contracting the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) .2

 Domestic violence not only impacts the two individuals involved in the abusive situation, but it also impacts children. Studies have shown that approximately 15.5 million children within the United States are raised in families in which one or more domestic abuse incidents occurred in the prior year; of these, almost half have exposed to severe violence multiple times. 3  Researchers report that African American children encounter even greater exposure to violent episodes in their home environments than any other racial group .4  African American children become at risk for developing several negative behaviors when witnessing one or multiple episodes of domestic abuse.

**Reasons why abuse is sometimes not reported. **  Several factors may impact the reasons why African American women who are being abused don’t tend to ask for help, report or leave the abuse. American women may experience greater reluctance in seeking help or disclosing domestic violence due to concerns of being victimized again 5 . The abuser being the sole provider of the household or wanting to stay because giving their children a two-parent household is a priority are other factors in addition to the ones mentioned.

**Domestic Violence Resulting in Death. **  The most prevalent effect of Domestic Violence is death. As previously stated, African American women who are victims of domestic violence are more likely to kill their partner and more likely to be killed. A report done by the Violence Policy Center, an organization that conducts research on American violence, analyzed data provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). They investigated every instance in which a man killed a woman in 2014. During that year, African American Women were murdered at more than twice the rate of Caucasian women. Of African American Victims who knew their killers, 57% were killed by their significant other. Also, according to reports, in more than half of cases where the weapon was identified, African American Women were killed with a firearm.  African American Women who are murdered as the result of a long lasting abusive relationship, leave behind loved ones who mourn their deaths and must pick up the pieces and try to move on. African American women that leave children behind because of their untimely deaths leave children that must live with that for the rest of their lives. There are major causes and effects of Domestic Violence, but according to Hampton 6 , the African American community could utilize community based approaches to develop a multitude of interventions to decrease the violence within the community.

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> > Owen, A. E., Thompson, M. P., Shaffer, A., Jackson, E. B., & Kaslow, N.J. (2009). Family variables that mediate the relation between intimate partner violence (IPV) and child adjustment. Journal of Family Violence, 24(7), 433–445. doi:10.1007/s10896-009-9239-2. > Hughes, H. M., & Huth-Bocks, A. C. (2007). Variations in parenting stress in African-American battered women: implications for children’s adjustment and family intervention. European Psychologist, 12(1), 62. doi:10.1027/1016-9040.12.1.62. > ====http://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/investigations/cdc-black-women-experience-highest-rates-of-homicide-of-any-racial-group-in-the-united-states====
 * Refrences**
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Powell, J. A. (2008). The impact of societal systems on Black male violence. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 16(3), 311–329. doi:10.1080/10926770801925742.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bent-Goodley, T. B. (2004). Perceptions of domestic violence: a dialogue with African American women. Health & Social Work, 29(4), 307–316. Kalichman, S. C., Williams, E. A., Cherry, C., Belcher, L., & Nachimson, D. (1998). Sexual coercion, domestic violence, and negotiating condom use among low-income African American women. Journal of Women’s Health, 7, 371–378.
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">McDonald, R., Jouriles, E. N., Ramisetty-Mikler, S., Caetano, R., & Green, C. E. (2006). Estimating the number of American children living in partner-violent families. Journal of Family Psychology, 20, 137–142. doi:10.1037/0893-3200.20.1.137.
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Owen, A. E., Thompson, M. P., Shaffer, A., Jackson, E. B., & Kaslow, N.J. (2009). Family variables that mediate the relation between intimate partner violence (IPV) and child adjustment. Journal of Family Violence, 24(7), 433–445. doi:10.1007/s10896-009-9239-2.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hampton, R. L., & Gelles, R. J. (1994). Violence toward Black women in a nationally representative sample of Black families. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 25, 105–119. Hampton, R. L., LaTaillade, J. J., Dacey, A., & Marghi, J. R. (2008).
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hampton, R. L., & Gelles, R. J. (1994). Violence toward Black women in a nationally representative sample of Black families. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 25, 105–119. Hampton, R. L., LaTaillade, J. J., Dacey, A., & Marghi, J. R. (2008).
 * 2) ====Image : http://www.thv11.com/news/local/uca-to-offer-free-domestic-violence-workshop/78017341====
 * 3) ====News article including video :====