Socio-Economic Factors Contributing to Domestic Violence

The World Health Organization has defined mental health as the status of well-being in which individual identify their potentiality to cope up with stressful condition of life, work accurately and contribute to the wider community in an effective manner (who.int, 2018). With mental health and well-being an individual could live meaningful life in order to achieve their personal goal. However, there are many factors that affect the ability of individual to maintain mental health and well-being. Domestic violence has been identified as one of the potential factors that affects the mental health and well-being of individual to an extent (Johnson, 2016). Domestic violence is considered as the violence in the domestic settings. Domestic violence may include violence against parents, children and other family members. It includes sexual, verbal, physical and mental abuse. Women have been found to be most vulnerable group to domestic violence. Statistics has indicated that 35% women in the world suffer from domestic violence (Pallitto et al., 2013). In United States 33% cases of domestic violence has been reported (ncadv.org, 2018). In Australia the prevalence is 54% (aihw.gov.au, 2018). Thus, it has become the global issue. Such domestic violence has been found to contribute to the development of stress, depression and anxiety, thus, leads to the consequence of mental illness (Berns, 2017). The purpose of the assignment is to identify the factors contributing to the domestic violence and their effect on mental health. In this regards the paper will provide description of some socio-economic factors and psychological factors that contribute to the event of domestic violence thus leads to mental disorder.

Socio-economic factors have been identified to contribute to the development of domestic violence in an effective manner. Three major factors that are responsible for the event of domestic violence are poverty, education and substance abuse (Kulkarni et al., 2013). The following paper will provide brief discussion regarding the effect of the three major factors on domestic violence and mental health.

Prevalence of domestic violence has been found to be high in low income families. It has been found that lack of access to household, employment and resources impact negatively on the individual thus, they could involve in the event of domestic violence. Due to financial crisis, in some cases women try to work in order to earn money to support the family, however, some family members restrict them from working, in such cases conflict occurs within the families that could lead to the incident of domestic violence (Cattaneo & Goodman, 2015). It has been found that 51% cases of domestic violence is associated with low income (Pallitto et al., 2013). In Australia, due to lack of employment and income, aboriginal people face domestic violence and it has been reported that 38% cases of domestic violence has been caused due to unemployment and poverty in the aboriginal population (aihw.gov.au, 2018). Thus, it can be said that, poverty contributes effectively as a socio-economic factor to the consequence of domestic violence, thus affect the mental health and well-being of individual.

Poverty and Domestic Violence

Low literacy rate is another effective contributor to the events of domestic violence. Uneducated men or women are less productive economically. Thus, they pose an inferior status in the family. Hence, it becomes easy to exploit such people (Brockhoff, Krieger & Meierrieks, 2015). On the other hand lack of education leads to the consequence of unemployment and low income, which is responsible most of the cases of domestic violence (Berns, 2017). Furthermore, a society with low literacy is associated with high level of social discrimination. Such discrimination play an important role in the event of domestic violence. Even domestic violence related to dowry is a consequence of low literacy (Brockhoff, Krieger & Meierrieks, 2015). It has been found that 45.8% incident of domestic violence is due to lack of literacy (Pallitto et al., 2013). In Australia, lack of education impacts effectively on the lifestyle of aboriginals. The rate of education is high in the non-indigenous people than the indigenous people, thus rate of domestic violence is also low in the non-indigenous population (abs.gov.au, 2018). Thus, education is important for both the convict and the victim to reduce the incident of domestic violence.

Study has indicated that there are adequate evidence that has indicated the relationship between domestic violence and substance. It has been found that 61% of abusers or convict of domestic violence are associated with abuse of one or more substance such as alcohol, drugs and others (Whiteford, et al., 2013). Substance abuse increases the risk of violence as it affect the ability of individual for decision making. The characteristics of inherent personality may trigger the event of intimate partner violence (Van der Kolk, 2017). The generational cycle is related with substance abuse and domestic violence. An individual that experience the event of substance abuse and violence in the family from childhood may adapt the same in the later life (Whiteford, et al., 2013). 3.1 million Australians have been reported to use drugs and half of the Australian are associated with alcohol abuse (aihw.gov.au, 2018). With such prevalence it has been found that the incidence of mental health issue is also high in the population. Not only the victims but also the abusers are suffered from different mental health issue such as psychological distress and substance abuse disorder (Whiteford, et al., 2013). 57.2% cases of psychological distress is due to substance abuse in Australia (aihw.gov.au, 2018). Thus, it can be said the factor has strong impact on domestic violence and mental well-being as well.

Education and Domestic Violence

Beside socio-economic factors, some psychological factors also play a vital role in the incident of domestic violence. It has been found that stress, mental disorder and thought process are the major factors that lead to the events of domestic violence (Reina, Lohman & Maldonado, 2014). The following paper will provide information regarding the contribution of such factors in the consequence of domestic violence.

Stress is a crucial factor that contributes effectively to the incident of domestic violence. It has been found that stress could be raised from financial crisis, family conflict or critical situation in life could create violence in the domestic settings (Van der Kolk, 2017). When a person fails to cope up with stress, he or she might be involved in some action related to violence. In some cases people fail to manage some situation such as failure in workplace, relationship or other field. In such conditions people reflect their stress on other person such as wife, children, parents or other family members (Cissner, Labriola & Rempel, 2013). Such situation could influence the event of domestic violence. In Australia stress disorder has found in 35% people and it has been reported by the Australian Psychological Society that certain level of stress is associated with domestic violence (psychology.org.au, 2018). Thus, it can be said that, stress is a potential factor that is related with the case of domestic violence.

As mentioned before mental health issue has become one of the biggest concerns in the health and social care system across the world. One of the main reasons is its contribution to the consequence of domestic violence (Van der Kolk, 2017). In case of several mental disorders people lack the ability of making decision, for example, personality disorder, depression or anxiety disorder and others. In such cases people fail to control their thoughts and due to excessive aggressiveness they could involve in the event of domestic violence (Cissner, Labriola & Rempel, 2013). According to the health statistics, 42% people in Australia are suffering from severe mental health issue and most of the patients have been found to be involved in the act of violence (psychology.org.au, 2018). Thus, it is important to provide adequate treatment to such people in order to reduce the prevalence of domestic violence in the population.

There are some differences between the thought processes of individual. Thought process play an important role in developing personal perception regarding a matter. Due to different consequence thought process may be affected, in such cases negative thoughts may be created regarding a matter. Negative thoughts may include jealousy, hate, doubt or domination regarding a person. Such negative thoughts may influence the incident of domestic violence (Cissner, Labriola & Rempel, 2013).  In some severe cases such negative thoughts may lead to death as well. Both the abuser and the victim get affected by such thought process (Van der Kolk, 2017). The Australian psychological society has indicated that such thought disorder is most common in the people aged between 18 to 25 years, however, other age group is also vulnerable (psychology.org.au, 2018). Such factor contributes in the development of both the domestic violence and mental health issue.

Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence

There are adequate evidences that have indicated event of domestic violence leads to significant physical harm. In addition, the impression of domestic violence on mental health of individual has been identified by many studies (Van der Kolk, 2017). People become depressed and anxious due to such physical, mental or sexual abuse. Study has indicated the association of post-traumatic stress disorder with domestic violence. In some cases, physical, sexual or mental abuse in early life could affect the mental health of the children and trigger symptoms of mental illness in later life (Johnson, 2016). In some severe cases the incident affect the thought process of the victims thus, may induces the thoughts of suicide as well (Berns, 2017). Thus, introducing adequate prevention measure is required in order to diminish the effect of such factors and impact of domestic violence on the psychological condition of the victims and the convict as well (Reina, Lohman & Maldonado, 2014).

Conclusion:

From the above discussion it can be said that, mental well-being is the ability of maintain the critical situation in life and live meaningful life in order to achieve their personal goal. However, there are many factors that affect the mental health of individual to an extent. Domestic violence is one of such factors that lead to the consequence of mental health issue. It has been found that some socio-economic factors and play an important role in the occurrence of domestic violence, for example, poverty, education and substance abuse. In addition there are some psychological factors as well, such as, stress, thought process and mental disorder. Such factors lead to the increase in mental distress, depression anxiety and other severe mental health issue. Thus, it is important to introduce adequate interventions in order to resolve the issue of domestic violence and improve the mental health status of individual in Australia and worldwide.

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