Description of Topic and Research Questions
Topic Description
The topic I would like to research is domestic violence. Sadly, this issue is widely spread in families in our country and many other countries in the world. Various categories of people suffer from this kind of crime, and there are different causes and consequences of cruelty at home. I believe that domestic violence should be punished severely, and all possible efforts should be paid to eradicate this detrimental issue from citizens’ lives.
Research Questions
- What are the major causes of domestic violence and how do people become victims of it?
- What kinds of people are the most frequent victims of domestic violence?
- What are the reasons why people keep silent about being abused at home?
- Is the likelihood of domestic violence similar in heterosexual and same-sex marriage?
- What are the most serious adverse outcomes of being a victim of home cruelty and what are the ways of eliminating the negative impact?
Purpose of Research
The purpose of the research is to increase the audience’s understanding of the severity of the topic and raise public awareness of domestic violence. The topic is crucial for consideration because the outcomes of being a victim of domestic violence are too serious to neglect them (Berns, 2017). Personally, I have never experienced cruel treatment in family, but I have a friend whose father has regularly abused her mother and her, and whose mental health has been influenced in a rather negative way. I want people to understand that such treatment is unacceptable. I would like the audience to realize that everyone is responsible for eliminating the causes of cruelty and reporting about such cases.
Preliminary Research
Article 1
Trevillion, K., Oram, S., Feder, G., & Howard, L. M. (2012). Experiences of domestic violence and mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE, 7(12), e51740.
The main argument of the article is that people with mental disorders have a higher disposition to be victims of domestic violence than individuals without mental problems. The key subtopics of research are prevalence and likelihood of domestic violence depending on the diagnosis: dysthymia, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress issues, personality or eating disorders, bipolar active disorder, and schizophrenia (Trevillion, Oram, Feder, & Howard, 2012). The underlying examples are that mentally unstable people of both genders frequently experience domestic violence.
Article 2
Yamawaki, N., Ochoa-Shipp, M., Pulsipher, C., Harlos, A., & Swindler, S. (2012). The effects of domestic violence myths, victim’s relationships with her abuser, and the decision to return to her abuser. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 27(16), 3195-3212.
The major argument of the article is that people tend to blame the victims of domestic violence who decide to return to their abusers differently, depending on the respondents’ sex and the severity of the situation. Research subtopics are as follows: the impact of relationship status on the victim’s decision to return to the perpetrator, the difference in trying to justify domestic violence by men and women, and the likelihood of victims’ reporting of cruel treatment (Yamawaki, Ochoa-Shipp, Pulsipher, Harlos, & Swindler, 2012). The foundational examples in the article are taken from psychology students who reacted to different scenarios suggested by the authors.
Project’s Audience
My primary audience is people aged 25-40 who are most likely to be married or plan to be married. Their needs, influences, and motivations are associated with the desire to create a family and arrange a peaceful and loving atmosphere within it. I want my readers to realize what a serious problem domestic violence is. I would like them to pay attention to the factors that should make them feel alert about their partner. To appeal to the audience, I will start my paper by providing statistical data about violence victims. Then, I will discuss the major causes and outcomes of home cruelty. I will also include many examples to make the audience more impressed and encourage them to consider the issue rather seriously.
A Narrowed Focus of Research
A unique angle of my research will be comparing the prevalence of domestic violence in same-sex and heterosexual couples. A preliminary thesis of research is, “Domestic violence is equally present in families notwithstanding gender or age.”
References
Berns, N. (2017). Framing the victim: Domestic violence, media, and social problems. New York, NY: Routledge.
Trevillion, K., Oram, S., Feder, G., & Howard, L. M. (2012). Experiences of domestic violence and mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE, 7(12), e51740.
Yamawaki, N., Ochoa-Shipp, M., Pulsipher, C., Harlos, A., & Swindler, S. (2012). The effects of domestic violence myths, victim’s relationships with her abuser, and the decision to return to her abuser. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 27(16), 3195-3212.