VOA慢速英语2009-IN THE NEWS - Two Cases, Recession Bring New Att

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

President Richard Nixon used to say that the first civil right of every American "is the right to be free from domestic¹ violence." That was forty years ago, a time of civil disorder² and high crime. "Domestic violence" really meant crimes between strangers. Now it means the opposite, with two recent reminders³ in the news.
　
About 20 people in Caldwell, Idaho, marched against family violence last October as part of National Domestic Violence Awareness⁴ Month

On February twelfth, outside Buffalo⁵, New York, Muzzammil Hassan, a well-known local businessman, told police that his wife was dead. Officers found Aasiya Zubair Hassan with her head cut off. The couple created the Bridges TV network, an effort to unite American Muslims and increase understanding across cultures.

In the days before her death, Aasiya Hassan had taken legal steps to divorce her husband. She had also requested a restraining order demanding he stay away from her. Now he is charged with murder.

Another case involved two popular young singers. On February eighth, Los Angeles police arrested Chris Brown after a fight that reportedly left injuries on his girlfriend, Rihanna. No charges have yet been brought, but Chris Brown said in a statement that he was "sorry and saddened" over what happened.
　
Rihanna and Chris Brown performing together in New York last December

The Justice Department says domestic violence can be defined⁶ as a pattern of abusive behavior used by one partner in any relationship to control another partner. It can be physical, sexual⁷, emotional, or economic abuse -- controlling someone's finances⁸.

Women are more likely to experience domestic violence, but men are also victims. And groups are working to bring more attention to abusive teenage relationships.

In the United States each year, an estimated four out of one thousand females older than twelve are victims of non-fatal domestic violence. Justice Department researchers say this is down sixty percent from nineteen ninety-three.

Still, the National Network to End Domestic Violence says programs across the country served more than sixty thousand victims on any average day last year.

Researchers say women are more likely to be victimized by their partner during times of financial stress. The United States has lost more than three and a half million jobs since the recession⁹ began more than a year ago. But about half of those jobs have been lost in the last three months.

Richard Gelles at the University of Pennsylvania studies domestic violence. He says he does not expect an increase in domestic killings¹⁰ as a result of the economy. But he does expect an increase in other kinds of abuse. He also says the economic situation will make it more difficult for some victims to leave abusive relationships.

Physical abuse is always a crime, but domestic violence laws differ from state to state. Claire Wright at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California, says legal protections do not always cover all kinds of abuse. She also says abusers may simply change their method of exercising control, to try to reduce their chances of getting caught.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake. I'm Steve Ember.

1 domestic   

adj.家里的，国内的，本国的；n.家仆，佣人

参考例句：

• This is domestic news.这是国内新闻。
• She does the domestic affairs every day.她每天都忙家务。

2 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

3 reminders   

n.令人回忆起…的东西( reminder的名词复数 )；提醒…的东西；（告知该做某事的）通知单；提示信

参考例句：

• The film evokes chilling reminders of the war. 这部电影使人们回忆起战争的可怕场景。
• The strike has delayed the mailing of tax reminders. 罢工耽搁了催税单的投寄。

4 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

5 buffalo   

n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛

参考例句：

• Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
• The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。

6 defined   

adj 定义的; 清晰的

参考例句：

• These categories are not well defined. 这些类别划分得不太明确。
• The powers of a judge are defined by law. 法官的权限是由法律规定的。

7 sexual   

adj.性的，两性的，性别的

参考例句：

• He was a person of gross sexual appetites.他是个性欲旺盛的人。
• It is socially irresponsible to refuse young people advice on sexual matters.拒绝向年轻人提供性方面的建议是对社会不负责任。

8 finances   

n.(pl.)财源，资产

参考例句：

• I need a professional to sort out my finances. 我需要专业人士为我管理财务。
• The company's finances are looking a bIt'shaky. 这个公司的财政情况看来有点不稳定。

9 recession   

n.（工商业的）衷退（期），萧条（期）

参考例句：

• Manufacturing fell sharply under the impact of the recession.受到经济萧条的影响，制造业急剧衰退。
• A rise in interest rates plunged Britain deeper into recession.利率的提高导致英国经济更加萧条。

10 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。