The Impact of Domestic Violence In Our Community

By Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch

Family violence and domestic abuse have a significant impact on the lives of women and children and the long-terms costs facing our community.

A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that women who reported experiencing domestic abuse, had an associated higher lifetime prevalence of mental health disorders, dysfunction and disability.

The study pointed to the sad fact that violence against women is a major public health concern, contributing to high levels of illness and death worldwide, according to background information in the article.

Susan Rees, Ph.D., of the University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and colleagues assessed the association of a composite index of GBV (rape, sexual abuse, IPV, and stalking) with a range of lifetime mental disorders, including indices of severity and co-existing illnesses. The researchers analyzed data from the Australian National Mental Health and Well-being Survey of 2007, which included 4,451 women (65 percent response rate), ages 16 to 85 years. Diagnostic criteria from the World Health Organization's World Mental Health Survey Initiative was used to assess lifetime prevalence of any mental disorder, anxiety, mood disorder, substance use disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The researchers found that the lifetime prevalence for any mental disorder was 37.8 percent. A total of 1,218 women (27.4 percent) reported experiencing at least 1 of the types of violence in this study. Women who had been exposed to 1 form of domestic abuse reported a high rate of lifetime mood disorder (weighted, 30.7 percent), lifetime anxiety disorder (38.5 percent), lifetime substance use disorder (23.0 percent), lifetime PTSD (15.2 percent), and any lifetime mental disorder (57.3 percent).

The researchers also found that domestic abuse was associated with more severe current mental disorders, higher rates of 3 or more lifetime disorders, physical disability, mental disability, impaired quality of life, an increase in disability days, and overall disability.

The data underline the observation that mental health disorder in women who have experienced domestic abuse tend to be more severe and associated with comorbidity, characteristics that require expert and comprehensive approaches to treatment.

In addition, an article in An Abuse, Rape, and Domestic Violence Aid and Resource (AARDVARC), reported that battered women are at greater risk for suicide attempts, with 25% of suicide attempts by women.

Along with depression, domestic violence victims may also experience Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which is characterized by symptoms such as flashbacks, intrusive imagery, nightmares, anxiety, emotional numbing, insomnia, hyper-vigilance, and avoidance of traumatic triggers. Several empirical studies have explored the relationship between experiencing domestic violence and developing PTSD.

Children may develop behavioral or emotional difficulties after experiencing physical abuse in the context of domestic violence or after witnessing parental abuse. Responses in children may vary from aggression to withdrawal to somatic complaints. In addition, children may develop symptoms of depression, anxiety, or PTSD.

Although women are the prime victims and will experience this long array of emotional illnesses, the impact on children, the community and on society is also profound.

Impact on Children

One-third of the children who witness the battering of their mother demonstrate significant behavioral and/or emotional problems, including psychosomatic disorders, stuttering, anxiety and fears, sleep disruption, excessive crying and school problems.

Those boys who witness abuse of their mother by their father are more likely to inflict severe violence as adults. Data suggest that girls who witness maternal abuse may tolerate abuse as adults more than girls who do not.

These negative effects may be diminished if the child benefits from intervention by the law and domestic violence programs.

The long-term effects of child sexual abuse include depression and self-destructive behavior, anger and hostility, poor self-esteem, feelings of isolation and stigma, difficulty in trusting others (especially men), and martial and relationship problems, and a tendency toward revictimization.

Other effects identified include runaway behavior, hysterical seizures, compulsive rituals, drug and school problems.

Economic Effects

Victims often lose their jobs because of absenteeism due to illness as a result of the violence. Absences occasioned by court appearances can also jeopardize their livelihood. Victims may have to move many times to avoid violence. Moving is costly and can interfere with continuity of employment. Many victims have had to forgo financial security during divorce proceedings to avoid further abuse. As a result they are impoverished as they grow older.

Victims are not the only ones who pay the price. Women who were victims of domestic violence cost health plans approximately 92% more than a random sample of general female enrollees.

Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch, MA is the Executive Director of Shalom Task Force. For more information visit: www.shalomtaskforce.org. For the Shalom Task Force Hotline please call 1-888-883-2323.