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Violence does not refer to common household arguments or conflicts. There is a difference between a domestic argument and domestic violence. It is important to understand and recognize this difference. People can argue without one party having more power or control than the other. This can be a healthy way to resolve differences. It is natural for men and women to try to use whatever power and control they have to win an argument. However, because our society has a history of encouraging men to be aggressive and powerful - while at the same time encouraging women to be weak and submissive - it is not surprising that the balance of power usually tips in favor of men. If men choose to use this power in harmful ways, the result can change from some of the more subtle forms of violence to severe injury or death.

What is domestic violence?

The terminology can sometimes be confusing. The terms domestic violence, family violence, spouse abuse, wife abuse, wife assault, and woman battering, are all often used to mean the same thing. The term family violence includes all forms of violence within families: children being harmed by their parents or caregivers; children being harmed by older siblings or members of extended family networks; women being harmed by their partners, elder sons or daughters; men being harmed by women; and older family members being harmed by their offspring.

In fact, it includes any type of violence occurring in any type of family. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, psychological, social or economic. Violence generally refers to behavior which results in humiliation, damage or injury to another person and/or which results in someone living in fear of another person's behavior.

There are many myths about why domestic violence occurs. One factor that is always present in a relationship where there is violence is an inequality of power. Violence occurs when the abusive partner attempts, by physical or psychological means, to dominate the other. It results in fear and physical and/or psychological damage to the abused partner.

What kinds of behavior does it include?

It includes:

This can range from pushing and slapping to punching, hitting, shoving, pulling hair, twisting limbs, strangling and breaking bones etc., breaking household goods, property damage. It also includes using weapons/firearms, denial of basic human needs such as food, sleep, medical care, money and any acts of violence which are designed to control, hurt, harm or otherwise physically assault a partner.

Any action intended to degrade, humiliate and demean, both in public or private, including threats to injure or otherwise harm, the partner or the children; blackmail; putting one's partner down and making them feel bad about themselves and their abilities; treating one's partner like a servant; in a situation where an abuser makes decisions regarding partner's financial status, free time, friendships, work and leisure activities.

Where the partner has limited or no access to, or control over the family income, thus forcing the partner to become dependent on the abuser for money and survival.

This includes any attempt to force a partner to have sex or perform sexual acts against their will; physically attacking the sexual parts of a partner's body; treating a partner like a sexual object; demeaning and humiliating sexual comments or jokes; threatening physical violence should a partner not comply with sexual demands.

Enforced social isolation or social control where the abuser prevents their partner from having any social contact, or strictly controls any social contact with friends and/or relatives; limiting what the partner does, whom they see, what they read, what they do, etc.

The overwhelming majority is women. Domestic violence is about power and control, and is a symptom of oppression of women. In Ghana many women are socially and/or financially dependent upon their partners, which makes them more vulnerable.

How common is domestic violence?
Domestic violence is a hidden problem. It occurs in the privacy of a home, and those involved are usually reluctant to talk about it. It seems this violence touches us all directly or indirectly. It is certainly more prevalent than is commonly known.