The topic of domestic violence was a natural choice for me, as I have witnessed the results of domestic violence in my work and have done a lot of research on the topic already. In particular, I liked discovering the connection between domestic violence and cultural or societal norms, as I believe that the fact that domestic violence is most often perpetrated against women is a direct consequence of patriarchal norms. Although our society is seemingly progressing towards gender equality, the rates of domestic violence show that women still experience inequalities and are often mistreated and abused by men.
Even after researching this topic in detail during the course, I still find the problem of domestic violence interesting and would like to explore it more in my further study. For example, my project did not focus on the psychological consequences of domestic violence and the mechanisms of its development. Both of these topics are critical to fighting domestic violence, as they provide valuable insight into the issue. A study by Swanston, Bowyer, and Vetere (2014) showed that the consequences of domestic violence differ by victims’ age and gender and that it is critical for recovery programs to address these differences. The mechanism of domestic violence is also an essential topic to consider. As noted by Heath (2016), domestic violence is not a single incident, but a continuous process of abuse. Understanding how domestic violence develops would help to assist victims of different types or stages of domestic violence.
Throughout this class, I have developed a lot of new skills and research strategies that would help me in my future studies. For instance, the class has taught me how to use various research databases to the full extent of their features, thus making the process of searching for information quicker and easier. In addition, I have learned about different types of research evidence and articles that can be used in support of academic projects and essays. Another critical part of the course was the feedback I received from my classmates regarding my work. One of the comments was about the structure of my final project, so I took the steps necessary to improve it, thus making the paper more interesting and reader-friendly. I also added a cost diagram, as one of the classmates stated that it would be useful to represent the differences using charts.
Reviewing the work of my classmates was also among the highlights of the course, as it enabled me to see other points of view. For instance, some of my classmates focused on domestic abuse from a victim’s point of view, detailing the short- and long-term effects of domestic violence on women and children. It was also helpful to see my classmates’ different writing strategies. While some people used graphs and other visuals heavily to support their arguments, others approached the topic as a narrative, referring to past research and the victims’ experiences. Reading other people’s work allowed me to enhance my writing by improving my understanding of different structures and visual support used in academic writing.
Overall, I enjoyed the class because it allowed me to enhance my research and writing strategies while also enabling me to pursue a topic that I find interesting. I believe that my chosen subject is vital to the society and I would like to explore it in my future academic work by focusing on some other aspects of domestic violence. The strategies and skills learned as part of the course will also help me in completing my academic career successfully and fulfilling my professional goals.
References
Heath, R. (2014). Women’s access to labor market opportunities, control of household resources, and domestic violence: Evidence from Bangladesh. World Development, 57(1), 32-46.
Swanston, J., Bowyer, L., & Vetere, A. (2014). Towards a richer understanding of school-age children’s experiences of domestic violence: The voices of children and their mothers. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 19(2), 184-201.