Running head: EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Effects of Domestic Violence on Adolescents

Alyssa Clarkson, Alexandra Scribner, Blayre Helm, Chantelle Waby
Missouri State University

Effects of Domestic Violence on Adolescents

According to the World Health Organization, the definition of health is a complete state
of physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease (World Health
Organization, 1948). Health care professionals definition of health strongly resembles WHOs
definition. The definition of health can be explained as a balance of the mind, body, and soul
which is on an ever-changing continuum between being healthy and unhealthy. If one suffers
from a chronic illness but is not currently receiving treatment or is in a stable condition, they
may be classified as healthy. Adolescents that suffer from domestic violence may have a
different view of health. Because of their experiences, this vulnerability group may define health
as a feeling of being safe and in a positive environment. The importance of healthy relationships
would be just as significant as feeling a sense of balance in the mind, body, and soul with this
group. The health of this vulnerability group is not only experienced by the individuals directly
impacted, but also by those who observe domestic violence in the relationships around them. An

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example of this would be the parents, friends, siblings, or children of the adolescent engaging in
the violent relationship. Although this vulnerability groups definition of health may include
what health care professionals view health as, due to their situation their definition will also
include other contributing factors.
There are several areas of concern for a nurse that would address health promotion and
prevention of disease in adolescents that are exposed to domestic violence. Promotion and
prevention is a goal for not only the United States, but also for the Finnish health care system.
The nurse may need to address the adolescents fear of accessing healthcare, the effect of
domestic violence on the adolescent and the future generation, and education about the cycle of
violence. The United Kingdoms government specifically defines domestic abuse as "any
incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behavior, violence or abuse
between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members
regardless of gender or sexuality (Browne, 2012).
The nurse would need to address the abused adolescents fear of accessing health care. In
the UK, it is known that it is the nurses responsibility to not only address the adolescents fear
but to also protect them against domestic abuse which is known as safeguarding. This
adolescents case concern would need to be passed on to a safeguarding nurse or specialist who
could inform social services and investigate the matter further. According to the Royal College of
Nursing (RCN) it is the responsibility of every nurse to look for the signs of maltreatment of a
child or young person and to check the child protection register to see if the child is a known
risk (2014). The signs of maltreatment will be only be able to be identified if the adolescent
seeks care. Accessing health care may be extremely important in a client that has been abused
because they may have multiple physical injuries as well as psychologic injuries. The abused
adolescent may be afraid of seeking care for a couple of different reasons. They may fear that

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their abuser will abuse them more, they may be embarrassed that they have injuries from abuse,
they may not have money or insurance to pay for treatment, the abuser may not allow them to
leave to seek treatment, or they may not want their parents to know that they are suffering from
abuse (How domestic violence may affect your health, 2015). The victim may be afraid to seek
care because the abuser may have threatened to harm them further if people find out about the
abuse. The victim may think that they deserve to be abused, and thus be embarrassed that they
have done things to deserve the abuse. It is also possible that the victim does not have the
income or funds to seek help. The adolescent may not have a job and may not want their parents
to find out, so it may be impossible to pay for care without insurance. If the adolescent goes to
the hospital and it is filed under their parents insurance, they may be afraid that their parents will
find out. It would be important for the nurse to encourage the adolescent to seek health care to
prevent further problems from occurring.
There may be many different effects of domestic violence on the adolescent and the
future generation. The effects of domestic violence on the adolescent can be extremely
detrimental to the adolescents health status. In the UK 1 in 5 adolescents has been physically
abused by their partner (NSPCC, 2015). Females who are abused are twice as likely to smoke,
drink, and use illegal drugs when compared to non-abused females (Identifying and responding
to domestic violence, 2004). Smoking, drinking, and using drugs could lead to further problems
like lung cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, and bloodborne infections such as HIV or hepatitis. All of
these health problems would require extensive follow-up and would also be very expensive to
treat. The females who are abused also have a higher chance of bulimia with 32% of victims
reporting the eating disorder compared to 12% of females who are not abused. Abused females
are also more likely to drop out of school or receive bad grades if they even attend (Identifying

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and responding to domestic violence, 2004). This could affect many things later on in their lives,
especially their future job status and income level.
Another area of concern in abused adolescent females is their sexual history. They are
more likely to have intercourse by age 15, multiple sexual partners, become pregnant and have
repeat pregnancies, have miscarriages, and seek prenatal care later in pregnancy (Identifying and
responding to domestic violence, 2004). The adolescent having intercourse by age 15 and
multiple partners may indicate risky sexual behaviors. They are more likely to contract a sexually
transmitted infection or HIV if proper protection is not used. If the adolescent becomes pregnant,
they may be unable to financially provide for their child. They may also experience ambivalent
feelings toward the child if they were a result of violence. If the adolescent does not seek
prenatal care until later in pregnancy, the fetus may be at risk for multiple health problems. The
adolescent may not have followed the proper diet and may have not consumed the vitamins and
minerals necessary for fetal development. This could put the fetus at risk for neural tube defects,
abnormal brain development, and a variety of other problems.
The adolescent may become pregnant and have a child while still in the violent
relationship. This means that the child would then also be exposed to domestic violence.
According to Overlien, children who experience domestic violence are at an increased risk for
developing psychological and behavioral difficulties such as anxiety, depression and
aggression (2014). These psychological difficulties may lead them to attempt suicide, run away
from home, become involved in prostitution, and possibly even commit sexual crimes. They may
also experience trouble learning in school and become distracted when trying to focus on school
work (Identifying and responding to domestic violence, 2004). All of these behaviors would be
very dangerous in terms of the childs health and well-being. The children are also more likely to
become victims of physical violence and sexual abuse. These children are put at a higher risk for

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experiencing violent behaviors directed towards them just by growing up in a violent household.
In 30-60% of households where domestic violence is an issue, the children also end up being
abused (Identifying and responding to domestic violence, 2004). This is dangerous to the child
because usually they are too young and small to be able to escape the violence. When the child is
being abused, the adolescent parent may also try to protect the child or stop the abuse, thus
putting themselves at risk for injury (Identifying and responding to domestic violence, 2004).
The child might begin to experience symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, even if they are
not directly being abused.
It would be very important to teach the adolescent about the cycle of abuse and that abuse
may happen to boys or to girls. Many people, adults and adolescents, believe the abuser when
they say that the violent episode was a one-time occurrence. Some also believe that the violence
was their fault or that they deserved it. Education is vital to help the adolescent understand
how an abuser works and that it will probably not be a one-time event. It would be important to
teach the adolescent about the cycle of abuse. This cycle begins with a tension building phase;
during this phase the abuser may begin to insult different qualities about the victim. They may
also exhibit threats, accusations, and jealousy (The cycle of abuse, 2011). Their mood may
change quickly and rapidly, they may be distant, or they may try to control everything the victim
does. During this phase, the victim may try to keep the peace by doing everything the abuser
wants and they may try to calm them down. The next phase is the explosion phase. This is the
phase where the abuse usually occurs. The abuser may keep the victim from leaving, throw
things, swear and yell, hit, kick, punch, bite, or physically abuse the victim in some other way
(The cycle of abuse, 2011). After this violent episode has occurred the next phase begins, the
honeymoon phase. During this phase, the abuser may promise that the abuse will never happen
again and that it was an accident. They may also be extremely apologetic, respectful, attentive,

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and even promise to change (The cycle of abuse, 2011). It should be noted here, that this phase
eventually ends just like the other phases. The abuser will move right back into the tension
building phase and begin the cycle all over again.
According to Merriam Webster dictionary, rehabilitation, or rehab, is to bring something
or someone back to a normal, healthy condition after an illness, injury, drug problem, etc.; to
teach how to live a normal productive life; or to bring someone or something back to a good
condition (2015). This definition can generically be applied to all vulnerability groups. For
example, when one is suffering from a physical disability such as being impaired after a surgery,
rehabilitation, such as physical therapy will bring them back to their normal, healthy condition.
In Finland, medical rehabilitation concerns an individuals physical and mental health and aims
to improve it through specialist care and therapy. Medical rehabilitation is organized by
municipalities which are self-governing administrative bodies of a regional or local area. These
municipalities usually provide care free of charge, but a patient may decide to use their own
insurance. When compared to Finland, the UK provides free health services, including rehab to
people in need. Rehab is a large part of the health care system in the UK (Infopankki, 2014).
Those who suffer from a life and mental situational vulnerability such as neglect, abuse, ethnic
minorities, or single headed households would view rehab in a very different way when
compared to physically being brought back to a healthy condition. Instead, groups like this
would partake in rehab that would encompass support groups, talking to therapists, or help
centers. Although these are all very different kinds of rehabilitation, they will all help bring
someone back to a normal, healthy, good, and productive condition.
When speaking of adolescents who suffer from domestic violence, they would fall under
both categories of those who suffer from a physical vulnerability as well as those who suffer
from a life/mental situational vulnerability. Domestic violence is a form of abuse in which the

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perpetrator physically abuses his or her significant other, which many times starts with or leads
to emotional abuse as well. Rehab for these adolescents would therefore fall into the category of
support groups, therapists or counselors, or abused help centers. If physically harmed enough a
person may be admitted to a hospital where the patient can be cared for until he or she is back to
a normal, healthy condition physically (Merriam Webster Dictionary, 2015). Since this
vulnerability group is made up of adolescents, how to go about seeking this help may be even
more difficult because the man or womans perpetrator may attend school with them. It would
therefore be hard to seek help through this resource. Witnessing the abuse may affect the family
and friends of the abused person as well, so all may eventually need to partake in rehab in order
to live a normal productive life once again.
Within the United States, there are countless opportunities for rehab. As mentioned
before, there are support groups, therapists, abused help centers, and physical therapy within
hospitals. However, there are also programs such as 28-30 Day rehabs for those who seek drug
or alcohol help, half-way houses, residential treatment, intensive outpatient programs, brief
interventions, cognitive-behavioral therapy, family therapy, or meditation. Within Springfield,
Missouri, there are resources that directly relate to domestic abuse including therapists Alison
Gragson, Susan Waldo, and Holly Harison, the Lakeland Depression Treatment Center, and the
Relationship Center (Psychology Today Therapists, 2015). The problem is not the lack of
resources within Springfield or the United States, but instead that many people are not willing to
seek help themselves. In the particular situation of domestic violence of adolescents, they may
not want to seek help in fear that their significant other will find out and hurt them even worse.
The victim may not ever be able to get away from their perpetrator if they attend school with
them. It is many times the family or friends that turn in the abuse or abuser so the person can get
help, but the person being abused must also be willing to receive help. For some it takes hitting

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rock bottom for the person to receive help, and many times they will go back to the person
who was abusing them. This is a serious problem within the United States.
According to Pechak and Thompson, the World Health Organization estimates that 1 in
10 people world-wide live with disabilities and 80% come from low-income countries (2007).
Common causes of these disabilities range from injuries from violence, to malnutrition, to
mental illness. Poverty plays a very large role in the lack of access to healthcare, malnutrition,
and violence. Children with disabilities may not have access to an education if they are living in
a developing country and an adult with a disability may have fewer employment opportunities.
This many times causes shame on the person and their family, but each country views those who
are disabled differently depending on their culture. However, in December 2006, the United
Nations General Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities that mandates that countries ensure people with disabilities be granted equality and
freedom from discrimination (Pechak & Thompson, 2007). The United Nations Standard Rules
on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities also stated that medical care
and rehabilitation should be requirements for persons with disabilities to enjoy equal
participation in their societies. The role of rehabilitation in global health is expanding as people
with disabilities are drawing more attention to their rights and needs. Non-governmental
organizations ship in materials needed for users in developing countries. Many times this is for
free as well as medical rehabilitation resources. Overall, rehabilitation within developing
countries is facing many concerns, but non-governmental organizations and developed countries
are trying to help them meet the needs of their citizens (Pechak & Thompson, 2007).
There are many governmental and non-governmental organizations found in the United
States and even more specifically found in the state of Missouri that focus on the effects of
domestic violence. Through the research and concerns mentioned above, one can see that

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adolescents are greatly affected not only physically but also emotionally by domestic violence.
Governmental and nongovernmental organizations do everything in their power to work towards
a solution to decrease the prevalence of domestic violence in adolescents.
One governmental organization that specifically works towards ending this violence is
the Missouri Coalition against Domestic and Sexual Violence (MCADSV). This is a statewide
membership coalition of organizations and individuals working to end violence against women
and their children through direct services and social and systemic change (Missouri Coalition
against Domestic and Sexual Violence [MCADSV], 2015). This organization is based on
domestic and sexual violence as a whole and how to help women and children that have been in
a situation involving these types of violence. It also provides great information about teen dating
violence (TDV) which pertains to the adolescent age group. The definition provided for this
particular form of violence is a pattern of behavior that includes physical, emotional, verbal or
sexual abuse used by one person in an intimate relationship to exert power and control over
another, among individuals between the ages of 13-18 years of age (MCADSV, 2015). The
MCADSV also displays the statistic that approximately 25% of teens report experiencing TDV
annually (2015). Domestic violence is very prevalent in this age group and needs to be put to a
stop.
The MCADSV takes action in many different forms to control domestic violence and
sexual abuse. This organization coordinates regular meetings in the seven different regions of
Missouri and operates a toll-free helpline for Missouris advocacy community (MCADSV, 2015).
This allows for individuals in trouble to get help at any time that it is needed. Another major
action being taken by this organization is in the field of politics and governmental interventions.
The MCADSV works to establish effective partnerships with government agencies to ensure that
effective programs and policies are implemented in Missouri. These programs will assist the

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abused in the healing process, as well as advocate for them by improving laws, systems, and
policies to protect their rights. These governmental actions are put in place and primary
prevention programs are established because of the needs seen based on the statistics that this
organization has collected. The MCADSV collects statewide data and evidence in order to assess
what is happening in this area and provide specific ways to stop this act of violence before it
occurs (2015). It has been concluded that it is most important to focus on controlling the actions
of potential perpetrators rather that the victims behavior. If actions are taken early and in an
effective manner, less violence will happen in the first place. Overall, this organization is making
large strides in improving the lives of abused individuals and attempting to stop these situations
from occurring in the state of Missouri.
Another organization that provides support specifically for children and adolescents of
domestic violence is the Childrens Advocacy Center located in St. Louis, Missouri. This
organization works with children from ages 0-18 who have experienced any kind of trauma and
provide an array of services including sensitive forensic interviews, medical exams and
individual or family group counseling (Childrens Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis
[CASGSL], 2015). In these cases trauma does not always have to be violent actions made
towards the children themselves. Whether the children or adolescents are the ones being abused
or witnessing the abuse, it is considered a traumatic experience and this organization is there to
help. This is a multidisciplinary center that provides high quality trauma-focused services to
youth, families, and the community as a whole (CASGSL, 2015). This shows that this facility is
not only working with individual people to better their situations but is also working towards
reducing the occurrence of domestic violence seen in the communities of St. Louis. Working
towards prevention on a community scale is very beneficial and will help a wider range of people
in the long run. This organization has very strong training and outreach programs that attempt to

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increases the awareness in the community of trauma-related problems that affect children and
adolescents (CASGSL, 2015). This is a great asset of this facility because it is able to diagnosis
the major problems seen in a specific community and come up with ways to combat the issue
and develop a solution.
The Childrens Advocacy Center also attempts to promote resiliency, physical safety, and
emotional stability for the individuals using their services. These goals are being accomplished
through the research, forensic, clinical, educational, and advocacy programs that are
implemented (CASGSL, 2015). All of these different programs help make the topic of adolescent
domestic violence more known and gives individuals affected the tools to cope. A major
advantage of receiving care from Children Advocacy Centers rather than individual facilities is
that these centers have a team of representatives. These representatives may include members
from child protective services, law enforcement, prosecution, medical and mental health
professionals and the juvenile/family court to help expedite the individuals case investigation.
This allows for the children or adolescent needing help to only have to explain their situation a
limited amount of times and have all of the necessary team members in one location to help
them. Children Advocacy Centers are gaining more and more popularity based on the positive
work they are doing. There are now more than 400 Children Advocacy Centers and 246 associate
member Children Advocacy Centers across the country, with 16 centers in the state of Missouri
alone (CASGSL, 2015). These organizations are definitely making a large impact on the lives of
children or adolescents affected by domestic violence.
The organizations that are explained above are mainly focused on the communities of
Missouri. The National Coalition against Domestic Violence is an organization that is working
towards cutting out domestic violence not only on a state level but nationwide. It provides a
voice for victims and survivors and works as a catalyst for changing society to have a zero

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tolerance for domestic violence (National Coalition against Domestic Violence [NCADV],
2015). Promoting this zero tolerance policy is a good way to portray the importance of getting
rid of domestic violence for good. The three main ways that this organization is working towards
this goal is through effecting public policy, increasing the understanding of the impact of
domestic violence, and providing programs and education that will change the nations view on
domestic violence (NCADV, 2015).
Changing national policies and reviewing national laws is usually a very complex process
that would not be able to be done without a push from organizations such as the NCADV. This
organizations public policy office collaborates with other national organizations to promote
legislation and policies that serve and protect victims and survivors of domestic violence
(NCADV, 2015). This allows changes to prior legislation and new legislation to be put in place
in order for everything to be up to date and the most beneficial for individuals involved with
domestic violence. The NCADV also provides technical support to individuals and groups
seeking information on legislation, laws, policy, studies, and other resources pertaining to
domestic violence at the national level (2015). In order to provide these people support this
organization offers written publications with statistics and stories that show the importance of
ending domestic violence.
Another project that the NCADV is taking on is called Hope & Power, which is a
financial education program for victims of abuse (NCADV, 2015). Financial education seems to
be a small aspect of the overall problems that a person that has been abused would be going
through. However, one of the most common reasons for victims of domestic violence to either
stay with or return to their abuser is financial dependence. If these people have never handled
their own money before because their abuser was in control of everything, this can be a very
overwhelming task to take on especially if they are providing for children as well. In order for

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abused individuals to successfully handle their own financial situation, they might need extra
education on topics such as safety planning, budgeting, identity theft, banking, predatory
lending, credit, getting a job, money management, and taxes (NCADV, 2015). Overall, the
NCADV is working on ending this violence on a national level though law-making,
reinforcement, and assisting the victims.
An example of a governmental organization found in Finland is Kela. This organization
provides care for disabled communities and also those who are unemployed within a community.
The aim of Kela is to provide social security for these individuals during times of need (Kela,
2015). The student population of Finland also has a non-governmental organization called the
Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) that works alongside the student unions and sports
groups to promote health and well-being to individual students and within a student community
(Student Health Foundation, 2015).
In the UK, the National Health Service (NHS) provides care for all residents of the
country. This is a governmental organization that has a specific branch of community care that
includes teams of general nurses as well as specialists. There are also charities that provide
support, research an illness, and care for individuals and their families. These charities are nongovernmental organizations and are funded by public donations and sometimes national lottery
funding. The Governmental Department of Health funds an organization in the UK called Child
and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) that provides many services including
psychiatric help for young people especially those from abuse situations.
There are another two non-governmental organizations seen in the UK that are very well
known for their work with children and young people against abuse. These are the National
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) and Childline (NSPCC, 2015). The
NSPCC is a charity that works to protect children from all types of abuse. They remove children
from abusive situations and promote a healthy and happy childhood. This organization also

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works to prevent abuse by educating adolescents on the types and signs of abuse. This is helpful
when recognizing abuse in their own relationships and allows them to seek help before its too
late. Childline is another organization that works alongside the NSPCC. It is a hotline that
children or adolescents can use to report abuse within the family home.
As one can see in the above paragraphs, there are many differences and similarities seen
between the governmental and non-governmental organizations of the United States, Finland,
and the United Kingdom. All three of these countries have a variety of resources for adolescents
struggling with domestic abuse as well as services to help aid them in their recovery. The UK is
comparable to the United States in the way we care for patients using a team approach. These
multidisciplinary groups can be made up of nurses, doctors, and specialists that care for these
adolescents. Both Finland and the United States offer organizations that reach out to the student
population specifically. These organizations help to promote health and well-being in these
communities. Unlike Finland and the UK, the United States governmental and non-governmental
organizations seem to put more emphasis on promoting and creating new legislation in regards to
domestic violence as well as education on this topic.
There are several health services available for adolescents who are victims of domestic
violence. One of the first health services, as stated before, would be acute care for injuries.
Adolescents who are physically abused may suffer an injury, like broken bones, that needs to be
looked at by a health care professional. They may also need to seek counseling services to help
with their mental health. A common type of counseling that the adolescent may need to go
through is family counseling. This counseling may help the family understand the abuse the
adolescent has gone through and allow them to provide support. The adolescent may need
personal counseling which may provide them with a better understanding of what has happened
and also help them to heal (Domestic violence, 2015).

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A previously mentioned, the adolescent may need to go to a domestic violence shelter

which helps them with domestic violence abuse problems. These shelters can look like normal
apartment buildings, but they are designed to keep the victims location unknown to the abuser to
help with safety. The amount of help the victims receive can depend on their situation. Some
shelters can help the victim find a job, watch their children if they have them, and help with food
costs. These shelters are in many different cities and can be located by calling the local police
department or the National Abuse Hotline (Gluck, 2015). The abused adolescent may also
consider going to support groups as stated before. This would help the adolescent talk with and
listen to the experiences of other people their own age. This may allow them to feel a connection
to people who have had similar experiences (Gluck, 2015). These groups provide a safe
environment for abused adolescents to heal and make new friends that know how to support
what they are going through. The people who attend these groups form connections on
understanding how each one of them feels. These support groups may be done in person or on
different websites that have online support (Gluck, 2015). Another available resource is a day
rehab program. This is an outpatient program that can help victims with physical and mental
rehab. Since victims of domestic violence are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, they may
also need to go to a day rehab for treatment of those addictions (What is day treatment?, 2015).
In Finland, for substance abuse is well-known and commonly talked about in the media. Some
may argue that it is the most difficult form of rehabilitation because it aims to get rid of an
addiction and deal with the consequences of substance abuse. The Hideout may be helpful for
adolescents that are experiencing domestic violence. This is a website for children and
adolescents to see what is considered abuse and what they can do about the abuse (teenSPEAK
have your say, 2015).

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Throughout this paper, one can see that the goal of ending domestic violence and the
overall concerns seen in the specific adolescent age group involves prevention of this horrible
act. Action needs to be taken to stop the violence before it starts. Once violence has occurred
correct safety and health screenings should be performed. If needed, treatment of physical,
emotional, and psychological injuries should be done as well. There are many different nursing
theories that can be applied to improve the situation of the effects of domestic violence on
adolescents but the one that would be most beneficial is Newmans Systems Model.
The Newman Systems Model was created by a woman named Betty Neuman who
wanted to focus on the response of the patient system to actual or potential environmental
stressors. This model uses primary, secondary, and tertiary nursing interventions in order to attain
and maintain patient wellness. Primary prevention is considered focused education of the public
in order to prevent stressors and other problems in the community. Secondary prevention is
mainly focused on screening individuals for problems so that they can be caught early and not
become a larger issue. Tertiary prevention is focused on after the problem has been diagnosed
and treatments are provided to recover. These three types of prevention are all needed to
successfully limit the effects of this horrible action of domestic violence.
This theory relates to the effects of domestic violence on adolescents in many different
ways. As for primary prevention, education on the topic of domestic violence and the effects it
may have on adolescents has become more prevalent in the community. The schools have begun
to educate the children and adolescents about the effects of domestic violence. Education can
also be provided to the public in the form of educational programs or publications by the
organizations listed above. Explaining the importance of reporting these violent acts is also part
of primary prevention that needs to be expressed. Primary prevention is the first step in dealing
with domestic violence. As for secondary prevention, this could be considered screenings and the

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evidence collecting process after the event has happened. Ensuring that the abuse victim is
physically and emotionally sound is a very important aspect of the medical professionals job.
This can take patience and understanding especially with children and adolescents that have gone
through a traumatic experience. Medical centers and places such as the Childrens Advocacy
Center provide tremendous secondary prevention opportunities for the victims. Tertiary
prevention involves the full treatment and healing of the victims as well as advocating for this
cause. This involves not only medical care but also rehabilitation of the mind, body, and spirit
after this act of violence. Support groups, long term rehab facilities and organizations that
promote a change in the community are good resources that strive to improve the tertiary
prevention. Overall, the Newman Systems Theory plays a big role in how nursing professionals
look at putting an end to domestic violence.

References
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How domestic violence may affect your health (2015). The People's Law Library of Maryland.
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