Domestic violence, also called spousal abuse, spousal abuse, or domestic violence, affects more than a million people in the United States alone. This can be done in different ways, including physically, emotionally, sexually, psychologically and/or financially. Its legal definition considers it to be “any assault, battery, sexual assault, sexual violence or any criminal offense resulting in bodily injury or death of a family member or household member by another who resides in the same accommodation” (Brown, 2008). In the United States, it is considered a major health problem, so much so that it was declared the number one health concern by the United States Surgeon General in 1992 (Peterman and Dixon, 2003). It is not only a growing health problem, but also a growing societal concern. Beyond the effects felt by victims and their families, it impacts our communities, our government, law enforcement and public service organizations. However, domestic violence is not a new problem in our society. For centuries, women were considered the property of men, giving them some leeway in enforcing domestic violence laws. Public opinion believed that as heads of household, they had the right to discipline their wives and children as they saw fit. Eventually, women came to view this dominant belief as truth. An inevitable consequence was their denial as victims. They simply saw him as he was and accepted him as such. Non-intervention has generally been the preferred method when it comes to family matters. The long-held belief that "what happened behind closed doors was no one's business but that of this family" governed societal attitudes, the legal framework...... middle of paper ......nal of domestic violence, 20 (6), 363-363-371. doi:10.1007/s10896-005-7798-4St Pierre, M. & Senn, C.Y. (2010). External barriers to help seeking experienced by Canadian gays and lesbians victims of domestic violence: an application of the barriers model. Violence and Victims, 25(4), 536-536-52. Stapel, S. (2007). Falling Apart: New York State Civil Legal Remedies Available to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Survivors of Domestic Violence. New York Law School Law Review, 52(2), 247-277. Tesch, B., Bekerian, D., English, P., and Harrington, E. (2010). Same-sex domestic violence: Why victims are more at risk. International Journal of Police Science and Management, 12(4), 526-535. doi:10.1350/ijps.2010.12.4.204 Tully, C. T. (2001). Domestic violence: the ultimate betrayal of human rights. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, 13(1), 83-98.