Domestic Violence

One of four men are abused.

Have ever your spouse or partner make you feel like you’re useless, make you feel bad about yourself, or even hit you? That kind of repetitive conduct can be classified as Domestic violence, which is a criminal conduct. This crime can be defined as an unceasing conduct of employment of physic force or psychological violence, intimidation or chase to another person. This crime is about causing physic damage to him/her self, his/her possessions, another relative person, or to cause big emotional harm. It can be from part of his/her spouse, ex-partner, a person with whom they have cohabited, someone with you have or had a consensual relation or with whom has fathered one or more children.

One in three women are victims

Physical violence is every kind of repetitive use of force against the victim, including sexual abuse, and psychological violence is the repetitive attitude of dishonor, discredit or underestimation to the personal value. Also, the unreasonable limitation to access and management of the commons, blackmailing, constant vigilance or isolation are examples of domestic violence. In Puerto Rico are approximately ten thousand cases of domestic violence reported annually. Statistics shows that approximately 9,093 women and 1,879 men are abused annually in Puerto Rico, being Bayamón the most reported area. Therefore, on 1989 was created a Law to fight this crime. Law No. 54 of August 15, 1989: Law of prevention and intervention to domestic violence, is effective from August 15,1989 to now day with some improvements and changes to it. From the past year is a new article that applies this Law to every type of couples, hetero or homosexual couples are welcomed under this law.

If you are a victim or you know a victim of domestic violence you should know that you can get a protection order, you can get a space in a home for victims of domestic violence and get help from professionals. The law is on your side, you have options to be safe. On the other hand, if you know of a friend, a work colleague, a family member or even a neighbor you can help them. According to the Women’s Aid and Refuge you can help by trying to make the victim open up to talk, try to be direct saying something like “I’m concerned about tour safety…”, do not judge, listen to and believe what is telling you, reassure the victim that the abuse is not his/her fault. Also, you can help with not telling her/him to leave or criticize for staying it has to be their decision in their time, focus on supporting, help to develop or to keep the outside contacts, encourage the victim to seek the help pf a local domestic violence agency. But most important, be patient. It can take time for a victim to recognize is being abused and even longer to take be able to take safe and permanent decisions about what to do.

On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men.

Works Cited

“Estadísticas sobre Violencia Doméstica.” Policía de Puerto Rico,

http://policia.pr.gov/estadisticas-de-violencia-domestica/. Accessed 12 Oct. 2016

“Ley Núm. 54 del año 1989.” 12 Sept. 2011, LexJuris Puerto Rico,

http://www.lexjuris.com/lexlex/lex89054.htm.

“Support a friend or family member experiencing domestic violence.”

National Domestic Violence Help Line, http://www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk/support-a-friend-or-family-member-experiencing-domestic-violence.aspx/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2016