Domestic Violence

VIOLENCE

 Violence encompasses “physical, visual, verbal or sexual acts that are

experienced by a person as threat, invasion, or assault and that have the
effect of hurting her or degrading her and /or taking away her ability to
control contact with another individual”
What is Domestic Violence?


Physical, sexual, psychological, and/or
economic abuse to an individual perpetrated
by a current or former intimate partner.
 The criminal acts specifically defined in the law are: assault,
criminal damage, custodial interference, endangerment,
imprisonment, intimidation, kid-napping, trespass, disorderly
conduct (by fighting, unreasonable noise, abuse language), or
reckless display or discharge of a deadly weapon or dangerous
instrument.
Types of Violence

Physical:
pushing, grabbing, slapping, kicking, hitting with an object, use of knife or gun, acid
throwing, burning.
Verbal:
shouting, making threats, calling names, humiliating remarks (gestures).
Sexual:
forcing intercourse, making her to do sexual things against her will.
Exercising control:
Isolating her from her family/ friends checking on her, using the children, economic control.
Online and digital abuse:
Monitoring or controlling someone’s Facebook account, Revenge porn, Using spyware or
GPS on someone’s phone or computer to track their whereabouts
Why is Victimization of Women so common?

Physically weak.
Dependency status.
Social tolerance of victimization.
Limited mobility
Domestic Violence Statistics (Philippines)

 Based on the preliminary findings of the 2017 National Demographic and

Health Survey (NDHS), one in four (26%) ever-married women aged 15-49 has
ever experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence by their husband or
partner. One in five (20%) women has ever experienced emotional violence, 14
percent has ever experienced physical violence, and 5 percent has ever
experienced sexual violence by their current or most recent husband or partner.
Domestic Violence Statistics (Philippines)

 Women who are divorced, separated, or widowed are more likely to have
experienced all forms of violence by their most recent partner compared with
women who are married or living together: 53 percent of divorced, separated, or
widowed women have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence
compared with 24 percent of women who are married or living together.
 Women’s experience with violence by a partner varies widely by region: only 7
percent of ever-married women in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
report experiencing physical, sexual, or emotional violence by their last partner
compared with 52 percent of ever-married women in Caraga. 
 The Republic Act No. 9262 or the “Anti-Violence Against Women
and Their Children Act of 2004” is one of the Philippine
government’s initiative in addressing the issue on violence against
women. Under this Act, violence against women is classified as a
public crime and penalizes all forms of abuse and violence within the
family and intimate relationships.
Spotting the Signs

Some indicators that someone might be in an abusive relationship:

• They stop socialising and withdraw into themselves – they might leave their job or college
• They seem nervous or frightened of their partner’s reaction to things they’ve done. They
might refuse to appear in photos in case their partner sees them on social media
• They don’t have control over their money
• Their partner gets jealous a lot and constantly checks up on them
• Their partner belittles them in public
• They have unexplained injuries, or wear clothes that cover up their body
Effects of Domestic Violence

 Anxiety
 Chronic depression
 Chronic pain
 Death
 Dehydration
 Dissociative states
 Drug and alcohol dependence
 Eating disorders
 Emotional "over-reactions" to stimuli
 General emotional numbing
 Health problems
 Malnutrition
Effects of Domestic Violence

 Panic attacks
 Poor adherence to medical recommendations
 Repeated self-injury
 Self neglect
 Sexual dysfunction
 Sleep disorders
 Somatization disorders
 Strained family relationships
 Suicide attempts
 Inability to adequately respond to the needs of their children