WHY IS IT A DIVERSITY ISSUE

According to an article titled, "Definition of a Diversity Issue W!at

You Don"t #no$ You Don"t #no$", %y &y 'auricio Vel(s)ue*, in order for an issue to
%e considered a diversity issue t!ree t!ings +ust occur, T!e issue !as a different i+-act
on a -articular grou-, !a--ens +ore fre)untly in a -articular grou- and is +ore difficult
for a -articular grou- to overco+e. T!e issue of $!y $o+en stay in un!ealt!y
relations!i-s is adiversity issie, %ecause it !as all of t!ese t!ree c!aracteristics.
/eo-le of different religions, ages, socioecono+ic status0, educational %ac1ground
and cultures all !ave different o-inions on $!y t!ey stay $it! unfit +en. Eac! of t!ese
different as-ects influence t!eir definition and understanding of $!at is and is not
acce-ta%le for a +an to do. T!ese as-ects also affect an individuals co-ing +ec!anis+s
$!en t!ey are in un!ealt!y relations!i-s. 2or e3a+-le, a u--er class $o+an $it! a
+asters degree in -syc!ology and no c!ildren is li1ely to react differently in an un!ealt!y
or a%usive relations!i- t!an an i++igrant $it!out a !ig!sc!ool education and si3
c!ildren.
4eaving a relations!i- $it! a +an $!o !as an addiction, is a%usive, neglectful of
you or your c!ildren or is la*y is +ore difficult for so+e -eo-le. Wo+en $!o ad!ere to
t!e old5fas!ioned &a!a+ian %elief t!at t!ey +ust "-ut u- $it! t!eir +an", no +atter $!at
+ay find it +ore difficult to leave t!e relations!i-. T!ese $o+en !ave usually not %een
educated ot!er$ise and t!is issue of $!y $o+en stay $it! %ad +en $ould affect t!e+
+ore. 2urt!er+ore, $o+en $it! c!ildren +ay find it !arder to overco+e t!e a%use t!ey
!ave e3-erienced in t!eir relations!i-. T!is is %ecause t!ey !ave not only t!e+selves %ut
also t!eir c!ildren to -rotect. 'any $o+en are reluctant to end t!e relations!i- %ecause
t!ey are afraid of t!eir c!ild gro$ing u- $it!out a fat!er and t!e e+otional and financial
effect it $ill !ave on t!e fa+ily.
In an article $ritten %y Stan S!ernoc1 and &renda Russell, titled "6ender and
Racial7Et!nic Differences in 8ri+inal 9ustice Decision 'a1ing in Inti+ate /artner
Violence 8ases", t!ey s-ea1 a%out !o$ t!e difference in gender and et!nicity affect t!e
-revalence of -artner a%use. :f course, t!is issue affects $o+en +ore t!an +en, as it is a
gender %ased cri+e. T!ey stated in t!e article t!at, "Regardless of gender, &lac1
cou-les +ost often inflicted and sustained +inor or +oderate aggression, suc! as
t!ro$ing o%;ects, -us!ing, gra%%ing, and s!oving." It also said t!at, "Su%stance a%use and
use, +arginali*ed socioecono+ic status in t!e for+ of fa+ily and neig!%or!ood -overty,
e3-osure to violence during c!ild!ood as a $itness or victi+ of violence in t!e fa+ily of
origin are all factors t!at !ave %een consistently lin1ed to elevated rates of inti+ate
-artner assaults."