Domestic Violence

This is a very powerful ad. However, I want to discuss a larger context. What exactly is domestic violence? Rigidly speaking, violence that happens at home. This video makes two assumptions, correct as per the context it sets here, but not necessarily the case everywhere.

1) Domestic violence constitutes physical abuse
2) Because of the above assumption, necessarily, the woman is on the receiving end

But is violence merely physical? With some exceptions, physical violence happens in the end after a threshold has been crossed. When it happens, it is true the male takes the female for granted. There are few other cases like this, where subordination of women has become second nature. Without denying any of that, as I mentioned, I want to discuss the larger context.

I would like to define violence as being larger than, but including, physical abuse. Mental abuse or emotional abuse also constitute violence. If you don't agree, think about the precursors to physical abuse, excluding those cases where people truly take women for granted. Doubt, nagging, jealousy, harangue, anger or rage - all of these areas where are shared by both men and women (as providers and / or receivers). As far as I know, there is no law that can prevent these in households. But if as much as a finger is raised on the intention of physical abuse, the recipient is covered by law, on paper at minimum.

Physical abuse must definitely not be allowed - not on women, not on children. But my point is, in general, it happens at the end as the climax of a much larger drama that has unfolded beforehand. I know families, where physical abuse doesn't happen, but domestic violence does happen. I know of families, where physical abuse of women does not happen, but it happens on children (yeah, the woman is involved as a provider) - which is also domestic violence.

We view everything other than physical abuse (and definitely only on grown ups, not children) as normal. My view is that it is a very limiting view. Domestic violence as a whole must come to a halt. And it cannot be done by laws. The size is too high to control this through directives. In any case, it is an ineffective way. Violence is a negativity that exists only in the absence an ingredient called love. It can only be addressed that way.

I hope I did not sound like a(n) MCP - this was my honest view!