Violence against women is widespread in both developed and developing countries. Physical abuse is common in all parts of the world. No matter how hard we try to protect abused women by passing laws, it is still the single most common cause of injury to women. Physical abuse occurs more often than muggings, motor vehicle accidents, and work place injuries combined (Burby, 17). It occurs once every nine seconds and in two-thirds of marriages (Disturbing Facts 1). Many women are in abusive situations that they cannot get away from because of fear, or just because they think that they provoke the abuser to abuse them. .
In the United States, most women are abused by their husbands. Battering husbands are described as angry, moody, easily provoked, tense, and resentful. This individual is likely to be angry with himself or someone in some way. He seems very nice and polite in public, but when he arrives home he can turn into a completely different person. A battering husband may be losing his grip on his job or his prospects and may feel compelled to prove that he is at least the master of his home and beating his wife is one way for him to appear a winner (Del Martin, 46). .
The justice system in the United States has tried to establish ways of dealing with abused women. Depending on the degree of violence and the injuries suffered, it is a crime that is punishable by fines, court ordered counseling, and/or jail time. Many laws have made it easier to keep a victim safe, but the reality is that it's not enough. There is no way the legal system can protect a woman whose husband is going to kill, or beat her, even with a good system. Because the justice system is not always successful, we need to help women protect themselves and to make abusers accountable for their actions. Some men may choose to receive counseling. Others are told by the court that if they do not receive counseling then they cannot see their children without a chaperone.
