The Consequences Of Family Violence In The American Family

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The high rate of violence in America has reached an epidemic level, unfortunately a major context for violence is within many American families. A child’s wellbeing can be impacted by their family structure, whether negatively or positively. The relationship between the parents, the amount of attention and care given to the children, the presence of substance abuse, and the overall family dynamics are factors consistently linked to a child’s well-being. However, many families have been destroyed, due to family violence and substance abuse. In particular, substance abuse is a contributing factor to family violence (The Dangers, 2016). Family violence can be defined as any abusive act towards children, significant others in a cohabiting relation, and towards the elderly. This is a complex phenomenon that includes, acts of “sexual, physical, emotional, and psychological abuse, or involve neglect or a denial of rights to the other person” (Wallace, 2011, p.35).
Family violence has recently become known to the public, even …show more content…

In Emmy’s situation, the micro perspective would be working with the victim and her surroundings to deal with the sexual abuse. Some of the short-term outcomes of sexual abuse, according to the Southeast Center for Sexual Assault and Violence are fear, helplessness, guilt, shame, responsibility, isolation, betrayal, anger, sadness and flashbacks (Psychological, n.d.). Emmy Eckhouse, experienced all of these emotions when dealing with her father’s abuse. She was fearful of her father and felt helplessness, because her mother was not there for her and because her mother did not support her when she found out about the abuse. Shame was also felt when she did not want to tell her boyfriend about the

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