In the last blog, I mentioned the essay that I was depending on so much to bring my grades up to an "A". My theology teacher gave me a "92" and I have not received a grade from my English teacher yet, what do you think? The following is the essay I turned into my theology and English teachers about domestic abuse and violence:
*Please Note in this version the cover page and works cited page were not included*
A Moral Crisis:
Violence and Domestic abuse
FloridaViolence and Domestic abuse are major infractions in both the church and civil law. In the entire world “One in three women have been domestically abused” (National Domestic Violence Hotline) and even thousands of men and women are victims of violence every year. In 1995, Florida alone racked in a total of“119,930” (FDLE Table 1) in violence cases.
According to my mother, domestic abuse is sometimes both parties’ faults. When the abuse takes place, the victim needs to speak up and not put up with being mistreated. I agree with her and feel that unless the victim is chained up, and is unable to fend for his or herself, the abused needs to get out of the relationship or if the two people are not in a relationship the victim needs to seek protection from the police or various organizations that are willing to help.
According to the National center for victims of crime, many victims may stay in an abusive relationship for a variety of reasons such as fear, finances, love, self-blame, and family. Many victims experience more than physical battery, others experience verbal abuse. Verbal abuse can be as bad as physical battery because it leaves the victim with a wounded soul. This shows on the inside as well as the outside due to the fact victims may exhibit fear, social withdrawal, and depression as well as many more signs.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops says, when domestic violence takes place within the context of marriage the vows of marriage are broken. The problem is that many people in abusive relationships are afraid to respond to counteract such actions because it goes in opposition to the marriage promises. The USCCB tries to get it through to the abused people that trying to counteract and stop mistreatment does not go against marriage vows but rather works in favor of.
Many of the abusers were at one time abused or have “learned to abuse from their parents” (Mentalhelp.net). By witnessing such abuse, these people have understood that such maltreatment is normal. Both Mentalhelp.net and the USCCB, believe people who mistreat others view their victims as objects not people, therefore they believe others are exist exclusively for the convenience of themselves. This causes the assumption that people who think this way are mentally ill.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops says that “Violence in any form—physical, sexual, psychological, or verbal—is sinful; often, it is a crime as well.” This is an issue that needs to be dealt with because it shows that there is a lack of love and respect for others in the world. In one year, from 1994 to 1995, the domestic violence rate raised 9.4 percent that is approximately eleven thousand more domestic violence cases than the previous year (FDLE).
If there is any person that is a victim of domestic abuse there are special organizations that may help you get safely out of the abusive relationship such as The National Domestic Violence Hotline, your local parish, and/or your local authorities. The abused must realize abuse is not love and people shouldn’t have to deal with violence. According to most of society, domestic violence should be avoided at all costs. The church and the country frown upon abuse and urge people to get help and report criminals who abuse others inside or outside relationships.
