The Causes and Effects of Domestic Terrorism

The study of domestic terrorism has many benefits to learners and society at large since it contributes to viable ways through which communities can plan to work against this kind of terrorism. Domestic terrorism has a long history and has impacted people’s lives over the years. Its effects cover economic, political, social lives etc. among others. Therefore, the study of domestic violence is important since it offers an opportunity for the learners to understand and learn more about tolerance and the best ways to cope with fear and face domestic violence with courage. One of the ways that domestic violence and its effects can be eliminated is through learning the dynamics of psychology of terrorists and understanding its effects so that people can strive to distance themselves from committing violence and other related issues.

The study of domestic terrorism provides reliable data that can help individuals to live in peace and harmony with others. Executing safety and providing security is a collective responsibility that an individual person cannot manage by himself/herself. According to Lieberman & Collins [1], the primary role of national security is to provide safety with the collaboration of other government agencies. The study’s other practical application is to provide people with the necessary intelligence to avoid domestic terrorism, especially those that occur at the family level (home violence).

This study is particularly of great interest since it offers an opportunity to understand domestic violence, and most importantly it provides an overlook for the affected people to conquer the fear and effects that precede domestic violence. Furthermore, strategic frameworks to counter the terrorism and its effects are vital for a peaceful society, and they can provide necessary skills to help maneuver or encourage individuals who might be interested in addressing domestic violence. The topic is wide, and its effects are vast and cover across various continents, which make it one of the important topics for this study. Some of the effects of domestic vi olence, like September-11 (9/11), a one-day incident that brought a new English language term in the US, affected many people in the US, and its effects are still felt. Therefore, this study is important to help learners understand and evade domestic violence when necessary.

The present study aimed to determine the impact of domestic terrorism in the United States. Some of the study’s objectives include; 1) the primary causes of domestic terrorism in the US. The causes also captured the most affected areas, the age groups that are most vulnerable to domestic violence, and the types of domestic violence that are widely experienced in the states, 2) The effects that this domestic violence has on the general population of the US and the most affected demographic population, including its political, economic, and social effects on these people, and 3) The solutions to domestic terrorism and the benefits or importance of curbing domestic violence in the United States.

Many studies have looked into domestic terrorism in the US, and most of these studies capture a wide range of topics. Taylor Helen, for instance, studied various criminal acts that attempt to curb terrorism in the country. According to Taylor [2], the complicated and strict legal definitions and public perceptions make it difficult for various law enforcers to prevent terrorism from the states. Some of the activities that result from media, politicians, extremists, or commentators might not clearly define the constitutional acts, while they can contribute to terrorism. The article gave a clear example of the 2015 Charleston Church mass shooting that came from a white supremacist who shot dead fifteen Black Americans to start a race war. While many argued that it was not terrorism since it didn’t result from politics, however other scholars had conflicting opinions [2]. Constitutional acts on terrorism pose a major challenge to combating terrorism whenever it occurs.

The United States has been on the frontline in the war against terrorism. The soldiers of the US have for long fought against terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq; however, the country still faces a harsh and hostile environment with domestic violence [3]. According to Peterson, domestic terror poses a major challenge to the peace and tranquility of the US, although the country extends a helping hand to deal with terrorism in other countries.

Domestic violence has come from individuals who execute their extremist behavior on innocent citizens through mass shootings, among other challenges. The challenges come from right-wing, leftwing, special-interest extremists, among others [3]. The research aimed to identify if frustrations of citizens with the US government connect with terrorism or whether they contribute to the extreme acts of terror that occur from these. The work further analogizes that there is an urgent need for the current US laws (which are inadequate) and requires repair to enable the relevant bodies to combat the ever-growing domestic violence that affects many areas of humanity.

The economic, social, and political lives play essential roles in shaping human lives as they help define prosperity. However, domestic and international terrorism can interfere with these vital values. The researcher argued that domestic terrorism has existed in the US for a relatively long period and has never left, threatening peaceful co-existence for a long time now [4]. However, the war against terror has never ceased as it needs to show its harsh side. It has threatened to hinder the desired peace in the US.

Bettinger-Lopez researched domestic violence and its correlation to terror attacks. The author opines that most minority groups like women, children, and the LGBTQ+ groups undergo domestic violence in many instances [4,5].

The researcher argued that most women reportedly suffered from domestic violence that can easily accelerate to severe effects and eventually birth of domestic terror [4]. This study, therefore, looked deeper into the effects of domestic chaos, starting from home-based violence to broader domestic terrorism that has extensive effects with wider coverage.

These previous studies have significantly helped in contributing to understanding domestic terrorism in the US. However, the studies have not successfully managed to give a viable elimination method of domestic terror attacks and to provide a concrete solution on some of the motives of the extremists, what makes them cause domestic terrors, and the level of the negative impact that they cause on the economic, political, and the social lives of the US citizens. A detailed statistic about domestic terrorism will essentially help eradicate, curb, and navigate domestic terrorism whenever they happen. Therefore, this research aimed to give detailed data about domestic terrorism, including the most vulnerable persons, the extent of the terrors in the US, elimination possibilities, and coping with the flaws.

The project entailed extensive research that required adequate planning and time to find relevant and viable sources to help complete the research study. Figure 1 shows the planning procedures and steps for domestic terrorism.

The research process underwent the above process for better results and adequate data. The initial planning step was to identify relevant resources that provided the researcher with the necessary information. The study found relevant sources from credible sites, including Google Scholar and JSTOR (Journal Storage). Extensive reading and skimming through these sources helped capture important information on the topic of study. Figure 2 shows the setup for data collection.

Making observations, asking questions, consulting external sources, and analyzing the collected data helped propel the study to completion [6]. Generally, the process aimed to get more data for better results. The steps are vital in data validation and ensuring the data’s integrity. Since the research was much theoretical, there were not many experiments and setup studies for this assessment.

Figure 1:Planning Procedure.

Figure 2:Setup for data collection.

The topic of domestic terrorism is wide; its effects are vast, and it affects people of various groups. In the United States, domestic terrorism is common among marginalized groups, including women, school children, and Black Americans, however anyone can be a victim [7]. Therefore, this study conducted further analysis on the number of factors that cause these extensive effects and the extent to which domestic terrorism affects these groups of people.

The research applied secondary data findings through relevant sources. The study looked into available data online and engaged in experiments through interviewing and making observations. The quality of data collection method requires an observer to collect data from various sources for better analysis and have concrete results. This research further used qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods to help analyze and strategize data. The use of quantitative and qualitative data analyses methods is essential since the weaknesses of one method are balanced by the strengths that the other method possesses [8]. The research study process was highly diverse, which helped this study collect a wide range of data that aimed to improve the general outcome. The researchers used common ways of handling data throughout the study, including interviews, conducting questionnaires, and making observations. The researchers applied all these methods independently, and the participants’ data were anonymous.

The research interviewed women in various fields to help find data on their views on domestic violence and how much domestic violence they have undergone. The women were interviewed randomly, and the face-to-face interviews conducted during the study, the researchers interviewed women of different age and ethnic groups. Men from different races were also interviewed to gain insightful information about their views on domestic terrorism in the US. Observations and web-based questionnaires also helped in the process of collecting data throughout the research study process. After the successful data collection methods, the other step that the researchers considered was data analysis. The data collected during the research were subjected to regression analysis, text analysis, and factor analysis. The extensive data analyses methods led to the production of adequate results that were useful for the discussion process.

The research interrogated 200 women from diverse ethnic groups about domestic terrorism and their views, including the possibility and means of eradicating domestic terrorism. Further, a total of 100 men were examined or interviewed during this period to help dig deeper into domestic terrorism and how to eradicate this quagmire. All these data essentially helped drive a viable discussion that helped shape this study. The collected data was then subjected to critical text analyses and the subsequent information presented on pie charts and tables for easier presentation and interpretation. Presentation of data in visual diagrams helps easily present big data that could take up much space when listed [9]. That is why this study opted for the figures.

Among the number of women who participated was 200, 40% of the total number were black, 50% were white natives, and 10% were neither which is showing in Figure 3. The study revealed conflicting opinions about terrorism, with the majority arguing that domestic terrorism is committed by individuals with egocentric desires, either for political or financial gain. In addition, some pointed out psychological problems and life frustrations that lead others to mass shootings.

Figure 3:Number of participants according to their races.

25% of the black Americans had a view that most of the domestic terrorism had been castigated by individuals who are racists. 65% of argued that people who commit such terror get their motive from selfish desires and for financial gains, including political interests. 75% had an opinion that people will behave according to their environment and the activities that they underwent, including psychological challenges and other major problems that they undergo in their day-to-day lives. This data is showing in Figure 4.

Figure 4:Leading causes of Domestic Violence in the US.

According to the study, domestic terrorism is one of the leading causes of major mass killings and planned genocides in the US. More than 60% of the participants reasoned that factors like religion, race, political affiliations, and environmentally induced cir cumstances are the major causes of domestic terrorism. However, others opined that other situations like lack of proper guidance, poor parental care, domestic violence, and mental health issues also contributed to domestic violence in the US.

The best way to eliminate domestic violence is to understand the primary or core causes. Therefore, educating the general public on the benefits of mutual co-existence, learning to appreciate others through tolerance, and coping with environmental challenges in case they arise [10]. Therefore, the relevant authorities need to invest more in counseling, educating, and persuading the general public to remain vigilant and report any mild cases before they hatch into serious problems later.

Generally, the research found out that there is a need for the authorities to educate, detect, and prevent to have the measures on domestic terrorism to the general population. The study further found that political affiliations and power hunger are some of the major causes of domestic terrorism globally. Therefore, the US should learn to create an enabling environment for everyone to express their political ambitions to help curb extreme violence. Domestic terror can have adverse effects like loss of lives, destruction of properties, and causing harm to the affected people.

Both major and minor causes of terrorism in the US are serious criminal offenses that everyone needs to take seriously. Besides, certain additional challenges like mental health issues might arise incognito. Such challenges might lead to adverse effects of domestic terrorism and even lead to other additional gross losses. Anyone can be a victim of terror, either directly or indirectly. Actions like mass shootings can claim lives and live behind helpless dependents that can suffer in return and weigh much pressure on the societal setup. Therefore, preventive or curative measures are essential steps that can significantly help reduce the adverse negative effects of domestic terror incidents in the US. There is not much difference in domestic violence as far as gender is concerned. The participants had almost similar opinions based on the leading causes of domestic terrorism. Future works need to dig deeper into finding if the current acts and laws on domestic terrorism have managed to reduce the level of domestic terrorism in the US.

Financial support for this project came through the SynergIE Professorship Award for the Spring/Summer 2022. Authors would like to thank Prof. Dr. Lisa D. Morano, Director, Center for Urban Agriculture and Sustainability, Professor of Biology and Microbiology, Department of Natural Sciences, for her financial supports. The authors greatly acknowledge for the financial support of this work.

There is no conflict of interest.