By: Sierra Byrne
With October being Domestic Violence Awareness month it is only appropriate to mention the societal stigma that is currently in place and fight in hopes to break it one day.
Social stigmas are everywhere in our society, and most of the time these stigmas make it very challenging for people to speak up against them. They have the power to silence – and in the most heartbreaking situations, people are afraid to use their voices because of the social stigma that surrounds domestic violence.
Domestic Violence is an example of one of the most intense stigmas that I think pertains to society and why many individuals who are victims of domestic violence are so reluctant to report it. The feeling of humiliation, embarrassment, or self-doubt is constantly circling creating an even harder and more toxic environment to speak up against.
We live nowadays in a world where sometimes speaking up achieves nothing – causing individuals to fear the resilience and strength to fight. Many times people’s stories get shut down leaving them more discouraged and hurt than before; causing the stigma of standing up to domestic violence to become more prevalent.
The stigma surrounding domestic violence revolves around the idea that the victim is ashamed, and guilty and feels a sense of responsibility for being related to the incident. It is important to preach and shout that it is never the victim’s fault. Despite all of the thoughts that rush through one’s mind – society must accept the fact that the victim is never at fault. And with this, there is hope that the stigma surrounding Domestic Violence can change.
Breaking a stigma will not be fixed in a day or even a year, but slowly allowing people to share their stories knowing it will have a positive impact is a step in the right direction. The trauma that these victims endure should motivate people to recognize that change needed to happen yesterday. The continuous path that this stigma is on will only affect generations to come. Rules, laws, regulations, and stigma, need to end or be changed and not ignored.
I hope that we can work together to end the stigma that surrounds domestic violence and support people who are victims.
With love,
Sierra