My opinion on domestic violence

In my personal opinion, domestic violence is a terrible social problem in Uruguay and in the world, because  it ends the life of many people and makes bad psychological state at children and adolescents. Between 2004 and 2010, 213 women and 57 children were killed in domestic violence cases in Uruguay. Studies show that in our country 80 percent of adults exercise manifests domestic violence against children and adolescents. Who commits violence tries subdue and control the people who are in a situation of inequality and power imbalance. In families where exists domestic violence operates a system of domination that is exercised by the violent person. Domestic violence is not a problem motivated by passion, not by family breakdown, or by poverty, alcohol, drugs or lack of education. Domestic violence is grave expression of power inequalities between men and women and between adults and children and adolescents.

There are four types of domestic violence:

• Physical abuse is what most people think of when they think of domestic violence. Physical abuse includes hitting, punching, slapping, kicking, choking, shoving, being hit with objects or being held against one's will.
• Emotional abuse includes yelling, name-calling, repeated insults, isolation, threats or hurting pets. Emotional abuse also includes "crazy-making," a process that questions the victim's sense of what is real and what isn't.
• Sexual abuse includes, among other things, unwanted sexual touching, demanding sex and rape. Marital rape is also a type of sexual abuse. Marital rape is defined as any sexual activity by a married or cohabiting partner that is performed without the consent of the other partner.
• Stalking includes following someone when they leave the house, harassing phone calls, purposefully running into the victim in public places, and calling or stopping by the partner's workplace too often.