Domestic Violence And The Legal Ramifications Of The...

ABSTRACT: Domestic violence essentially affects everyone. It is not merely a personal or private problem within families. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (US Department of Justice), a woman is beaten every 15 seconds somewhere in the United States. Additionally, the Surgeon General s report also reveals that one in five women victimized by their spouses or ex-spouses say that they had been victimized over and over again by the same person. These selected statistics easily demonstrate that domestic violence in the United States is a serious and grave social concern. This paper explores the many facets of this social ill,†¦show more content†¦Introduction Domestic violence in the United States is a serious and grave social concern. Alarmingly, the rate at which this very intimate violence occurs is increasing. The recent events concerning the criminal trial of former football star O.J. Simpson have shed light upon domestic violence as a national and social ill. The fate Nicole Brown Simpson endured is identical to that of thousands of women who are caught within the vicious cycle of abuse and pay the ultimate price of death as a result. Domestic violence essentially affects everyone. It is not merely a personal or private problem within families. With this idea in mind, just how horrifying are the facts about domestic violence? According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (US Department of Justice), a woman is beaten every 15 seconds somewhere in the United States. The FBI reports that domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between 15 and 44 in the United States - more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined. Furthermore, the US Surgeon General recounts that battered women are more likely to suffer miscarriages and to give birth to babies with low birth weights. The Surgeon General s report also reveals that one in five women victimized by their