Unlike in our country, violence against women is very obvious in some western and African countries. The basic cause of it lies in discrimination, which claims women inequality with men in all aspects of life. Violence is both origin in discrimination and serves to worsen discrimination.
Violence against women is a sign of historically unequal status of women compared to men, which has resulted into domination (控制,主宰) and discrimination against women by men and to the prevention of the full development of women. Violence against women is one of the important social means by which women are restricted into a secondary position in comparison with men.
As violence against women is spread worldwide, many women are targets because of their ethnic group, class, sex or disability status.
Many women think that the psychological consequences of abuse are even more dangerous than its physical effects. The experience of abuse often shakes women's self-respect and puts them at great risk of a number of mental health problems, such as:
Depression is becoming broadly recognized as a main health problem in the world.
Women who are abused by their partners suffer more depression and anxiety than women who have not been abused, according to studies in Australia, Nicaragua, Pakistan, and the US.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a strong anxiety disorder that can happen when people go through or witness a very unpleasant event in which they feel disappointed and helpless or fear death or injury. The symptoms of PTSD contain mentally reliving the upsetting event by means of flashbacks (闪回,倒叙) ; avoiding anything that would remind one of the events; experiencing discomfort in sleeping and concentrating; and being easily alarmed or frightened.
The severe violence is also likely to lead to suicide. Some women kill themselves or try to do so. Researches from some countries, including Sweden, and the US, have showed that domestic violence is closely connected with suicide. Abused women who have PTSD symptoms prove to be most likely to try suicide.
Abused women are more likely than other women to misuse alcohol and drugs.
When a person' s everyday life functioning or life alternatives continue to be influenced, a post-traumatic stress disorder may be the problem, requiring professional treatment.
Title:
I . 0f historically unequal status
Domination and discrimination from men , leading position and preventing
II. : women's self-respect shake and occur.
, a main health problem
Post-traumatic stress disorder, a strong , happens under certain conditions.
One of its symptoms is mentally reliving by means of flashbacks.
, especially for women with PTSD symptoms
Alcohol and drug misuse
III.
Professional treatment