Running head: EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON YOUNG ADULTS

Effects of Domestic Violence on Young Adults

Tori Bell, Alex Roettger, Sarah Enke, Emma Lehtonen
Missouri State University School of Nursing
October 8th, 2015

Effects of Domestic Violence on Young Adults

EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON YOUNG ADULTS

Health is defined differently all over the world, and varies amongst different groups of
people. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as being in a state of complete
physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Healthcare students definition of health goes along with WHOs definition, but it goes into more
detail about what is included in the definition of health. As a group, healthcare students define
health as being in a disease and injury free state, as well as taking the steps needed to live a
productive life. Examples of health promoting behaviors would be exercise, receiving adequate
sleep, eating a balanced diet and trying to keep relatively low stress levels. The students also
describe health in a holistic way that does not just involve absence of physical illness or diseases,
but having positive connections between the mind, body and spirit.
Domestic violence is a problem that can negatively affect an individuals state of health.
There has been an increase in domestic violence in the young adult population, ages 18-25.
According to the Women and Childrens Health Network, some warning signs that indicate you
might be in an abusive relationship include: avoiding doing things just so your partner doesnt
get angry, your partner is constantly putting you down, your partner yells a lot, punches things or
harms you in any way, your partner threatens suicide if you leave, your friends are not welcome
into your home, or your partner is very possessive. These types of warning signs may make you
feel frightened, alone or worthless and these feelings are not something that one should be
feeling in a healthy, non-abusive relationship (Young Adult Health, 2014). According to the
Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, domestic violence can cause multiple effects on
the emotional and psychological states of an individual, often triggering panic attacks, posttraumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, depression and anxiety (Trauma, Mental Health and
Domestic Violence,). According to Nettiturvakoti, domestic violence can take on many forms. It

EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON YOUNG ADULTS

can be physical abuse or mental abuse, such as domination, threatening, humiliating and
breaking ones self-esteem. Shame, fear and secrecy are linked to domestic violence as well.
Young people are at a high risk of becoming isolated from society if they experience domestic
violence (Nettiturvakoti, n.d.). After researching the vulnerability of domestic violence in young
adults, their definition of health would be a state of physical well-being but more importantly
being in a state of emotional, psychological and mental well-being as well. Along with this, they
would also define being healthy as being in a safe environment where they feel loved,
appreciated, respected and where they are free from anxiety, fear and pain.
Domestic violence is defined as a pattern of coercive behaviors and methods used to exert
power and control by one individual onto another. There are 3 phases of domestic violence and
those include the tension-building phase, the acute battering incident and the tranquil phase. In
the tension phase, the one doing the abusing gets angry and starts blaming the victim for things
which in turn makes the victim start blaming themselves for these external factors. There is
arguing and yelling during this phase, so tensions start to rise. The domestic violence incidence
occurs in the acute battering incident phase. The batterer is triggered by an external event where
they lose control and hit, kick, push or punch the victim. After the violence takes place, the
tranquil phase occurs. This is also called the honeymoon phase because it is filled with love and
kindness. The batterer apologizes and tries to get forgiveness from the victim. Typically, if
intervention is provided, these phases occur all over again. Among the heterosexual couples,
approximately 95% of the perpetrators are men (Ladewig, 2013). Domestic violence can be
extremely detrimental to people and there are multiple concerns that occur to the women after
they experience a domestic violence incident. The two major concerns that occur are depression
and physical injuries.

EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON YOUNG ADULTS

Many individuals who suffer from domestic violence state that it takes some time
to re-adjust and cope with the traumatic event. It can affect ones thoughts, feelings and behaviors
and it can severely affect ones mental stability. In some, the traumatic event can completely take
over their lives. For example, all they do is think about the incident or have flashbacks of the
trauma. They cant eat or sleep because they are consumed with emotions from the traumatic
event. Depression remains the most common symptom that survivors of domestic violence will
show. Approximately 60 percent of women who have been involved in domestic violence report
having feelings of depression for long periods of time after the abuse. Symptoms of depression
can include long periods of sadness, feeling hopeless, crying, changes in appetite that can cause
weight loss or gain, loss of energy and interest in things that they once thought were enjoyable.
Depression can start to severely impact a victims thought process and it will inhibit their ability
to make decisions. In severe cases, depression can also lead someone to have suicidal thoughts
(Effects of Domestic Violence, n.d.).
Physical injuries are another common concern that healthcare workers have
regarding domestic violence. Approximately one in seven victims of domestic violence exhibit
physical injuries. Physical injuries include bruises, black eyes, red marks around the neck that
occur from being choked, bite marks, broken bones and many more. Other physical effects that
occur with domestic violence as well are chronic fatigue, shortness of breath, involuntary
shaking, eating and sleep disorders, and sexual dysfunction. While trying to cope with the effects
of domestic violence, survivors can start to get extremely overwhelmed with all of the emotions
that they are experiencing. They can start to feel out of control over their lives which can
ultimately lead to the person self-medicating themselves and injuring themselves to regain
control over their lives again. The types of self-injurious events could be cutting themselves,

EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON YOUNG ADULTS

burning themselves and many other events which can sometimes lead to severe harm and even
death (Effects of Domestic Violence, n.d).
Rehabilitation varies for different people. In general, its defined as returning something
to its original state (Abrahams, 2007). Most would think of rehabilitating an injury in order to
bring it back to a useable, healthy state, however when discussing victims of domestic violence,
the idea of rehabilitation is much different. As different as the rehabilitation process is, it doesnt
differ much between the United States and the global population. For the United States, it is best
to look at the rehabilitation process in the terms of Maslows hierarchy of needs. This can help
explain why its so difficult for victims to reach out for support, or why its difficult to leave the
relationship. When looking at Maslows hierarchy, physical stability is of the utmost importance
(Abrahams, 2007). If a victim comes into the emergency room with signs and symptoms of
domestic abuse, the physical wounds need to be seen to first. Vital signs need to be reconciled
back to normal, bones need to be set, and injuries need to be addressed. Next, safety and security
must be ensured to the victim. Reassuring a victim that he or she is in a safe place and that they
can no longer be harmed is crucial in the rehabilitation process (Abrahams, 2007). This builds a
trusting relationship between the victim and the person providing the care, whether it is a nurse, a
physician, or a technician. This can include things such as housing. The third hierarchy includes
connections to others and being accepted. At this stage, a support system is the best thing that a
victim can have because it will keep them on their road to recovery and away from the source of
the abuse. The victims were more than likely isolated from their support system while they were
under the thumb of their abuser. Helping them understand that they can now have a positive,
loving and safe support system is critical to their recovery. Once the support system is
established, self-confidence and self-respect are the next things to be managed in the

EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON YOUNG ADULTS

rehabilitation process (Abrahams, 2007). Many times, rehabilitation includes providing a safe,
nurturing environment in which the victim feels safe. Victims will need counseling to cope with
what they have been through, and in many cases, they will need help financially as well
(Waldrop, 2004). The perpetrator may have been withholding money from them, so they may
have no money or means to get out and get help.
Rehabilitation does not differ much in the United States than in any other place in the
world. Rehabilitation within Finland is at times difficult to find due to the fact that there are very
little cases that are reported to the local police (Ensi, n.d.). In many cases, people are ashamed of
themselves as well as their familys current situation. They are often confused about right and
wrong, so they tend to cover up and hide the truth about the domestic violence that is occurring.
In 2013, 483 domestic violence cases of victims between ages 15 and 20 were reported to the
police. In 2012, there were 420 cases reported, 430 in 2011 and 499 cases in 2010
(Nettiturvakoti, n.d.). However, these numbers are just a small percentage of the amount of
domestic cases that actually occur so this tells us that it is difficult for the victim to tell an
authority figure, like the police about ones situation of domestic violence. Another problem that
occurs with the rehabilitation in Finland is that with young adults, they often have problems
accessing rehabilitation facilities. On the other hand, a positive aspect about rehabilitation in
Finland is that there are multiple phone numbers and websites that these individuals who are
affected with domestic violence can utilize. This is easy for young adults because they dont have
to go anywhere and their identity remains anonymous. An example of these websites/phone
numbers that you can contact are Auttava puhelin: 0203 16116 and Help-line: 0203 16118.
According the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2003 National
Crime Victimization Survey, there were more than 500,000 victims of domestic violence in the

EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON YOUNG ADULTS

United States, (USDOJ). The Department of Justice works primarily with the Office on
Violence Against Women to assist communities in holding offenders of domestic violence
accountable for their actions and to bring aid to victims and their families. There are many
programs that the government provides and pays for to assist in the many stressors that victims
of domestic violence experience. The government provides these governmental organizations in
the form of grants.
The Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) currently administers twenty-four grant
programs which is authorized through the Violence Against Women Act. Many of these programs
focus on legal assistance, educational programs, housing assistance, and safe exchanges of
children. Some of these grant programs are formula grants meaning that within their
legislation, funds are specifically distributed and tell the governments how the fund must be
used. Other grant programs are discretionary, meaning that the OVW is responsible for setting
the parameters for the use of the funds provided. The goal of these grant programs is to reduce
the occurrence of all types of domestic violence nationally, by providing more readily available
services to victims and by holding offenders accountable for their actions.
One example of a grant program provided by the OVW is Civil Legal Assistance for
Victims Grant Program. This program strengthens the legal programs provided to victims of
domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, (USDOJ). This program could be beneficial for
young adults because they may not have the money to pay for legal assistance to help provide a
means to keep their abuser away from them. One grant that focuses more on the age of young
adults if the Grants to Reduce Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus. Eligible applicants of
this grant include institutions of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher
education. It works by increasing the collaboration between the campuses and local criminal

EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON YOUNG ADULTS

justice centers while also helping to educate and improve the campus communitys response to
domestic violence. Another example of a grant program provided by the OVW is the Transitional
Housing Assistance Program. This program supports organizations that help provide housing
assistance, emergency shelter services, or other crisis interventions services to victims of
domestic violence. Crisis interventions relating to this program may include transportation,
counseling, child care services, or employment services (USDOJ).
There are many services in Missouri that are accessible to young adults who are victims
of domestic violence. Harmony House is located in Springfield, Missouri and is a resource that
provides short-term emergency shelter, advocacy, and education for victims of domestic
violence. Hope House, located in Kansas City, Missouri, is similar to Harmony House in that
they too provide residential services, education, prevention, and support for victims of domestic
violence. The mission at Hope House is to break the cycle of domestic violence by providing
safe refuge and supportive services that educate and empower women and children
(HopeHouse). Safe Connections is located in Saint Louis, Missouri. Although they do not have
shelter services, they do provide crisis interventions, individual counseling, support groups and
services, and campus prevention education. Lastly, the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and
Sexual Violence does a lot of work to help provide services to victims of domestic and sexual
violence in Missouri. They are not a direct service provider to victims, but they do work to make
sure that advocates and allied professionals have the information and resources necessary to
provide support to victims. They also work to improve public policy and be the voice for victims
of domestic violence (MCADSV).
On September 10th, 2014, local and state domestic violence hotlines answered
20,845 hotline calls and the National Domestic Violence Hotline answered an additional 1,283

EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON YOUNG ADULTS

calls (Domestic Violence Counts). This is just in one day. Despite the increasing efforts to end
domestic violence, it still occurs at shocking rates. There is still a need for all people to recognize
the continuous rates at which domestic violence is occurring. Educational sessions, prevention
classes, and support classes need to be provided for different age groups, as they all respond
differently to domestic violence.
Finlands healthcare relates to the The Beveridge Model (Health Care Systems). Health
care in Finland is almost completely provided and financed by the government through tax payer
dollars. Every public sector hospital or clinic in Finland is owned by the government. The
doctors who work in these hospitals are working for the government and are paid from tax
revenues. When you go to a doctor working with the public sector, your bill will be less than 20
euros because the tax revenues will cover the rest. In Finland, there are also private hospitals and
clinics, where the doctors are able to charge for the examinations however they deem
appropriate. A big part of the help that is given for domestic violence victims are through
nongovernmental groups. These nongovernmental groups are maintained by different
organizations and volunteer work. Ensi- ja turvakotien liitto is one of the biggest organizations
helping young adults who have survived domestic violence. As of this September, Ensi- ja
turvakotien liitto has been operating for 70 years and altogether, they have helped over 58,000
individuals. Annually they help thousands of families and young adults (Ensi). These numbers
are really good compared to the annual amount of cases reported to the police. Based on the
amount of young adults that are helped each year, these organizations are doing relatively well.
In Finland, the government has addressed every municipality and their duty is to do
different actions to prevent domestic violence. Municipalities responsibility for domestic and
family violence prevention work is based on international obligations, Finnish legislation and

EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON YOUNG ADULTS

10

government programs. According to the Finnish Constitution the public sectors duty is to ensure
and carry out that all people are treated equal and that everyone has the same fundamental rights.
In the case of domestic violence, these include specifications on equality and the right to life, as
well as personal freedom and integrity. The responsibilities are to develop the services provided
to the victims of domestic violence (Murupolku).
If victims of violence are motivated to receive help and actually want to get help, they can
find it easily in Finland. Help can be found within the public sector or from different
organizations. If someone is in a direct emergency and they need to receive some help from the
police of if they need medical attention, they can call the general emergency number, which is
112 in Finland. Social service centers are also an option for victims of domestic violence to
utilize if needed. Public sector institutions that offer assistance are health-care centers, mental
health offices, family guidance centers, social welfare offices and congregations. (Vestliitto)
There are many different organizations in Finland that offer help to the victims of domestic
violence. There are some organizations that will be more approachable for young adults. This
holds true because these organizations are on the internet so it is accessible without having to
reveal your identity in person. Ensi- ja turvakotien liitto is a nationwide child welfare
organization and their goal is to support children and young people who are living in a difficult
and unsafe condition. This organization also works to prevent domestic violence. Ensi- ja
turvakotien liitto has 17 safehouses located all over Finland. These safehouses act as a sanctuary
for a brief amount of time when it is too dangerous to stay at home for these individuals who are
suffering. (Turvakodit) Nettiturvakoti is a website maintained by Ensi- ja turvakotien liitto and it
offers information about domestic violence, supportive phone numbers and chat rooms for
individuals to contact others who may be in the same situation as themselves.

EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON YOUNG ADULTS

11

With any healthcare issue, it helps to provide prevention against it before it

becomes a major problem. On the topic of domestic violence, providing primary, secondary and
tertiary prevention can greatly decrease the amount of domestic violence cases that are seen in
the world. The Neumans Systems Model by Betty Neuman is a great theory that pertains to
primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. It states that prevention can be used as the
intervention. Primary prevention should occur before one reacts to a stressor. It focuses on
strengthening a person and preventing the health issue from occurring in the first place by
prevention of the stressor and reducing risk factors. Some examples of primary prevention could
include health education and lifestyle changes. For the young adult group who suffer from
domestic violence, primary prevention could include having an education class based on what to
look for in a domestic violence situation and ways to get out of those situations by changing your
lifestyle. Some may not know that they are in a domestic violence situation because the
perpetrator has convinced them that this is normal and that they deserve the abuse. If an
education class in the community was provided, it could explain to the individuals out in the
community what signs of domestic violence are, what to look for and how to get out of a specific
situation and therefore domestic violence cases could be greatly reduced in the community.
Secondary prevention occurs after someone has already been introduced to the stressor or in this
case, the domestic violence. The goal of secondary prevention is to regain strength and energy
and to reduce any more symptoms of domestic violence from occurring. In this vulnerability
groups case however, it would be to reduce the damages from domestic violence by stepping in
and intervening so that another case of domestic violence does not occur. Tertiary prevention
occurs after secondary prevention has been incorporated. Tertiary prevention is there to maintain
the persons wellness and to treat any effects of the domestic abuse, whether that is a broken

EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON YOUNG ADULTS

12

bone or depression. Tertiary prevention works to keep the person strong and to help them treat all
of their symptoms in order to start working on getting themselves better. After tertiary prevention
is provided, primary prevention will sometimes start all over again (Gonzalo, 2015).
In conclusion, each country talked about within this paper differs in how they handle
health care. Domestic violence is prevalent all over the world and it can become extremely
detrimental to individuals. The physical and mental effects of domestic violence are at times
unbearable and both Finland and the United States are working on ways to prevent and treat
domestic violence within their countries. The governmental and nongovernmental organizations
within Finland and United States are working to get a handle on domestic violence in young
adults. There are also many rehabilitation options that are available to survivors in both
countries. To conclude this paper, domestic violence is growing in the world and with proper
treatment and prevention, domestic violence can be decreased within these countries.

References
Abrahams, Hilary. Supporting Women after Domestic Violence: Loss, Trauma and Recovery.
London: Jessica Kingsley, 2007. Print.
Adult Services - Domestic Violence - St. Louis, MO. (n.d.). Retrieved October 2, 2015.
Domestic Violence Counts 2014. (n.d.). Retrieved October 2, 2015, from
http://nnedv.org/downloads/Census/DVCounts2014/DVCounts14_NatlReport_web.pdf
Effects of Domestic Violence. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/learn/domestic-violence/effects-domestic-violence

EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON YOUNG ADULTS

Ensi- ja turvakotien liitto. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2015, from
http://www.ensijaturvakotienliitto.fi/
Gonzalo, A. (2011). Betty Neuman. Retrieved from http://nursingtheories.weebly.com/bettyneuman.html
Grant Programs. (n.d.). Retrieved September 30, 2015.
Health Care Systems - Four Basic Models. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2015, from
http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/health_care_systems_four_basic_models.php
HopeHouse. (n.d.). Retrieved October 2, 2015.
Ladewig, P.A., London, M.L., & Davidson, M.R. (2013). Contemporary maternal-newborn
nursing care. (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education
MCADSV - Our History. (n.d.). Retrieved October 2, 2015.
Murupolku. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2015, from https://www.avi.fi/web/avi/lahisuhde-japerhevakivallan-ehkaisytyo#.VhKh6N9Vikp
Nettiturvakoti | Apua perhevkivaltaan - turvallisuutta lhisuhteisiin. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.turvakoti.net/site/?lan=1
Trauma, Mental Health and Domestic Violence. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.fcadv.org/projects-programs/trauma-mental-health-domestic-violence
Turvakodit. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2015, from https://ensijaturvakotienliittofi.directo.fi/tyomuodot/vakivaltatyo/turvakodit/
USDOJ: FBCI: Domestic Violence. (n.d.). Retrieved September 30, 2015.
Vestliitto. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2015, from
http://www.vaestoliitto.fi/parisuhde/tietoa_parisuhteesta/parisuhdevakivalta/apua-uhreille-jatekijoille/
Waldrop, A. E., & Resick, P. A. (2004). Coping among adult female victims of domestic
violence. Journal of Family Violence, 19, 291-302.

Young Adult Health - Health Topics -. (2014). Retrieved from

http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=240&np=296&id=2115

13