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Domestic Violence Prevention

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Domestic Violence Prevention

Introduction

Domestic violence or family violence continues to grow over the past few years

following the wake of CORVID-19 (Javakhishvili & Tsuladze, 2017). Most dating teens,

families, and dear partners have reported domestic violence as a widespread issue in Georgia that

requires to be addressed. According to the Office of Violence against Women, “family violence

refers to a pattern of abusive conduct that happens in most relationships propelled by one partner

aiming to gain control or power over another intimate partner.” Mostly, the abusive behavior

takes the form of sexual violence, economic abuse, physical violence, intimidation, isolation,

emotional abuse, stalking, and reproductive coercion. In most cases, domestic violence is

committed by men but in rare cases, women also commit domestic violence. This paper

highlights the statistics and prevention of domestic violence in Georgia.

Overview of Domestic Violence in Georgia

In Georgia, statistics on domestic violence indicate that there is a growing trend of

domestic violence since 2019. The rate has further augmented recently as a result of the global

pandemic, CORVID-19. Georgia was recently ranked 10th in the United States because of the

growing numbers of men taking the lives of women. In at least 73& of the reported cases in

Georgia, firearms were the cause of death or fatalities in 2019 alone. According to Georgia’s

Domestic Violence Fatality Review Project, 49% of the victims in several cases indicate that

they began their relationship with the people who eventually killed them (Javakhishvili &

Tsuladze, 2017). Most of the victims were reported to be between the age of 14 and 24. This is

the population that was adversely affected by the cases of domestic violence in Georgia.
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The other population that was affected by the numerous cases of domestic violence in

Georgia is children. At least 38% of children were amongst the cases studied by Georgia’s

Domestic Violence Fatality Review Project where children witnessed domestic violence

homicide. For that reason, at least family violence incidents reported by law enforcement

agencies were roughly 44,900 in 2018 alone (Javakhishvili & Tsuladze, 2017). Furthermore,

there were at least 26,670 stalking and protective orders issued in Georgia. In 2019, children

amounting to at least 5,030 children were offered 74,630 nights of refuge in a Georgia domestic

violence shelter. In the wake of the rising cases of domestic violence in 2019 and 2020, there

were at least 46 State-certified domestic violence programs. Overall, at least 1 out of 5 women

and 1 in 7 men have suffered or experienced physical violence among married or intimate

partners (Mack, et al., 2015). Some reported having been beaten, slammed against something,

and engaged in a fist fight at a point in their lives. Additionally, the presence of guns in families

has further increased the cases of domestic violence, which shows that the risk of homicide has

increased by roughly 500% (Mack, et al., 2015).

Prevention of Domestic Violence and the Objectives of Healthy People 2020

Victims of domestic violence are protected under the Law of Georgia No 3143 which

speaks to the Elimination of Domestic Violence, Protection and Support of Victims of Domestic

Violence (Mack, et al., 2015). This law offers a set of actions that aid in the elimination of

domestic violence, detecting, and eliminating such vices, and guaranteeing legal protection and

support for the victims of domestic violence. It creates the legislative mechanism that aims at

detecting, eliminating, and preventing cases of domestic violence. It further forms the basis for

protection, rehabilitation, and support for victims. The law further guides on the rehabilitation
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measures for abusers and collaboration among different institutions in combating or preventing

domestic violence.

Based on the epidemiology and demographics pointed out in the above section, it is

apparent that preventing violent behavior sometimes appears impossible. Nevertheless,

numerous approaches are available, which have been demonstrated to be effective. For example,

the CDC came up with a socio-ecological approach that depicts the intersection of four main

factors that contribute to domestic violence, which include individual, community, relationship,

and societal. Individual factors include things like income, age, education, history of abuse, and

substance abuse. Community factors include workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods.

Relationship factors include domestic or intimate partners, peer or social groupings, and family

members. According to Florence, et al., (2015), “The societal factors include factors such as

economic, health, educational, societal policies, which lead to social inequity in the community.”

From this framework, it becomes clear that making changes to every factor separately,

prevention measures for domestic violence include educational programs, life training skills,

policy changes, and other prevention programs (Mack, et al., 2015). For instance, changes in

individual factors are likely to contribute to better beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that will

eventually lead to preventing domestic violence. Changes to policies, health, societal policies,

economic, and equity are also likely to lower violence rates.

According to the CDC and Prevention Institute (PI), numerous approaches such as:

- Teaching healthy and safe relationship skills;

- Creating a protective environment;

- Speaking to influential peers and adults;

- Supporting survivors to lessen harm and increasing safety;

- PI recommends the creation of health equity and improving the community environment;

- Advocating for policy changes that will lead to positive changes guarantees safety for

victims and their families;

- Disrupting developmental pathways towards partner violence; and

- Strengthen economic support for families (Mack, et al., 2015).

Finally, the objective of Health People 2020 is to prevent unintentional injuries and

violence, and the reduction of their consequences. Healthy People 2020 points out four main

approaches to addressing domestic violence, which include addressing individual behaviors,

access to services, physical environment, and social environment. All these areas have a notable

impact on the risk for injury and violence and efforts to prevent domestic violence focuses on

changing societal norms, changing policies, improving skills and competencies, and fostering

safe nurturing stable relationships and environments for children and families.

Conclusion

Domestic violence remains a major challenge that affects many families, and particularly

women and children globally. The demographics and statistics are huge since it leads to

numerous injuries and deaths. It is, however, important to address the problem of domestic

violence through education, improvement of skills, alteration of societal norms, policy changes,

and fostering a stable and safe environment for children and families.
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References

Florence, C. Haegerich, T. Simon, T. Zhou, C. & Luo, F. (2015). Estimated lifetime medical and

work-loss costs of emergency department-treated nonfatal injuries-United States, 2013.

MMWR: Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 64(38), 1078-1082.

Javakhishvili, N. & Tsuladze, L. (2017). Interagency United Efforts to Combat Domestic

Violence in Georgia: Local or International Agenda? Report for the Academic Swiss

Caucasus Net (ASCN).

Mack, K. Liller, K.D. Baldwin, G.T. & Sleet, D.A. (2015). Preventing Unintentional Injuries in

the Home Using the Health Impact Pyramid. Health Education and Behavior, Vol. 42(1S)

115S–122S. DOI: 10.1177/1090198114568306.