Abuse within Families
Family violence and abuse is a prominent issue in our society that has maintained its presence throughout our history. Familial abuse has a tendency to be masked by emotions, not being classified as “abuse” by the victims until it has become a reoccurring issue. In fact, most unreported violent acts are due to the victim’s desire to protect the related offender. The media usually develops news stories and articles revolving around the most sensational cases of family violence; their representation of the sensationalism of the issue is of no uniqueness. But due to the sensual aspect that the media seeks in presenting stories to the public, people are not aware of the commonality and routine violence that occurs in households behind closed doors. Society portrays family as a safe heaven; a place for care and love but indeed it is also a source of violence and mistreatment. Even the most loving individuals in a family display inappropriate behavior, sometimes losing their temper, raising their voice, and possibly physically lash out on others when provoked. It is culturally approved and common that aggression is typically normal and a factor of family life.
The idealized concept of a family is one that follows tradition and culture, which in turn exposes the less powerful members to being victims of abuse or violence. This notion can be referred to as the hierarchy of power in a household where the parent’s rights surpass their children’s and they actually dictate how they are to be raised. In addition the family is expected to have privacy and autonomy, were the member’s actions may be justifiable, even if it results in harm of an individual(s). Primarily the husband in the family dominates the hierarch...
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In this paper I will be telling you many different forms of domestic violence. I will include the physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, spiritual abuse, economic abuse, social abuse, and emotional abuse. I will also describe the "cycle of violence", teen dating violence, and why women stay with an abusive partner.
Violence has become prevalent within society; it is something the western world has learned to accept. With every minute that passes Canadians come face to face with certain acts of violence they may not have previously encountered (citation). Although, violence is not a subject that one can escape, women and children have unfortunately become the prime victims of violent acts. The media glorifies violence in other countries around the world it fails to address the presence of violence within Canada. Although violence is usually associated with gangs and guns, Canada experiences more violence related to bullying, sexual, verbal, cyber and domestic abuse (citation). Amidst the changing societal views towards treating women equally and eliminating objectification, of all these types of violence and abuse in our society, the most common still happens to be domestic abuse, which is mainly targeted at women and affects children. Domestic abuse is described as a form of abuse that takes place in the confines of the household (Citation). Though 51% of Canadians have said to have experienced or witnessed domestic abuse only 20% of those cases related to domestic violence are ever reported (citation). Domestic abuse has become more prevalent in modern society; however, it is an issue that is left un-noticed simply because its effects are invisible outside the walls of ones home. In reality the effects of domestic violence have severe negative effects on women, children and the social structure of today’s society. Without any notification of domestic violence the re precautions of this abuse can be dire. When an individual thinks of domestic abuse, their ideas quickly relate back to women, simply because women are the usual and most common victims of domestic violence. And therefore is an issue that must be resolved rather than ignored.
The people who hurt us the most are often our loved ones. That is why spousal murder is not a new phenomenon. Since the beginning of time, humans have had a nature of violence and have acted that violence out against another, especially the ones we love the most, like family. This is not surprising. Everyone has had some personal experiences with family violence or has witnessed it at the expense of others. In U.S. society, when a husband or wife is killed, the first person that law enforcement turns to is the spouse. The married partner automatically becomes a suspect. It is also common to assume that the perpetrator, if the couple is not married, could be the boyfriend or girlfriend. What is appalling is the fact that intimate partner violence is not seen as a universal social problem. In some countries, it is not recognized as a problem at all. (Barnett, Miller-Perrin, & Perrin, 492) When people examine intimate partner violence on a cross-cultural level, then cultural relativism should be practiced. Practicing cultural relativism will help keep an ethnocentric perspective out of the research. Spousal murders and other types of family violence are not discussed much because American culture views family as a private entity; therefore many people do not speak up when there is violence in the home. People do not want the government or law enforcement to be involved much, once an issue involves a family matter. The victims are also often afraid or ashamed to report. It is estimated that half of the women abused do not report their abuse. (Wallace & Roberson, 2011, p. 210) This fact shows us that violence is there, but it is just ignored or “put up with” in society. We have more violence than data shows because m...
The phrase “domestic violence” typically refers to violence between adult intimate partners. It has been estimated that every year there are about 3.3 to 10 million children exposed to domestic violence in the confines of their own home (Moylan, Herrenkohl, Sousa et al. 2009). According to research conducted by John W. Fantuzzo and Wanda K. Mohr(1999): “[e]xposure to domestic violence can include watching or hearing the violent events, direct involvement (for example, trying to intervene or calling the police), or experiencing the aftermath (for example, seeing bruises or observing maternal depression)” (Fantuzzo & Mohr, 22). The effects of exposure can vary from direct effects such as behavioral and developmental issues to interpersonal relationships, all of which lead to detrimental prospects on the child’s development. This paper will explore those effects and how it affects children.
Shannon Brennfleck, Joyce. Ed. Domestic Violence Sourcebook: Third Edition. Detroit, Michigan: Omnigraphics Inc. 2009. 276-279. Print.
During the 1980s and 1900s, domestic violence was one of the most unreported crimes that involve females and males getting hurt and dying. Kicking, choking, killing, and saying brutal or despise words that could hurt the victims physically or emotionally are considered domestic violence. In fact, many victims are afraid to seek for help. According to “The Domestic Violence Resource Center (DVRC), women account for approximately 85 percent of all intimate partner violence, with women aged 20-24 at greater risk” (Batten, par.16). Most pregnant women are at risk as well. “But underlying approach is still one that assumes the perpetrators are men and the victims are woman” (Haugen, par. 1). Moreover, both males and females believe that domestic violence is a solution to their issues.
Violent behavior by men against their family members were traditionally considered private matters. We recognize public violence as being morally wrong or socially destructive. Domestic violence and child abuse are two forms of private violence that were more or less immune from public scrutiny and considered inappropriate for "outsiders" to intervene in unless the problem reached extreme proportions.
However, domestic violence is not a new issue within our society. For centuries, women have been regarded as the property of men, offering them leeway in the enforcement of domestic abuse laws. Public opinion held that as heads of households, they had the right to discipline their wife and children as they saw fit. Eventually, women came to view this prevailing belief as truth. An inevitable outcome was their denial as victims at all. They simply saw it as the way it was and accepted it as such. Non-intervention has typically been the preferred method in regard to family matters. The long standing belief held that ‘what happened behind closed doors was no one’s business other than that family’s’ ruled the attitudes of society, the lega...
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is historically referred to as domestic violence. It describes a pattern of coercive and assaultive behavior that may include psychological abuse, progressive isolation, sexual assault, physical injury, stalking, intimidation, deprivation, and reproductive coercion among partners (The Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF), 1999). IPV leads to lifelong consequences such as lasting physical impairment, emotional trauma, chronic health problems, and even death. It is an issue effecting individuals in every community, regardless of age, economic status, race, religion, nationality or educational background. Eighty-five percent of domestic violence victims are women (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2003). More than one in three women in the United States have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime (The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2012). Thirty to sixty percent of perpetrators tend to also abuse children in the household (Edelson, 1999). Witnessing violence between parents or caretakers is considered the strongest risk factor of transmitting violent behavior from one generation to the next (Break the Cycle, 2006).
The main themes of this argument are the political and social attitudes of the subject and how the trends of Domestic Violence and Abuse persuade communities and individuals to feel about the matter; also how different locations and situations have an impact on how and why Domestic Violence and Abuse occurs. Why men feel they cannot report their cases of Domestic Violence and abuse to the police, how this crime type is measured and the historical and cultural relativity to Domestic Violence and abuse. Other themes will include the economy and the views of the Criminal Justice System.
“Domestic violence is a violent confrontation between family or household members involving physical harm, sexual assault, or fear of physical harm” (Stewart & Croudep, 1998-2012). In most places domestic violence is looked on as one of the higher priorities when trying to stop crime. Domestic Violence cases are thought to be influenced by the use of alcohol, drugs, stress or anger but in reality, they are just learned behaviors by the batterer. These habits can be stopped as long as one seeks help (Stewart & Croudep, 1998-2012). For instance, a child is brought up in a household that is constantly involved in criminal acts. As this child grows up, the criminal lifestyle will be synonymous with his/her behavior. With that being said, it is also a given fact that if a household and its members are surrounded with violence, the relationships between one another will be strained. Eventually this will end up in a divorce or even worse, death, depending on how far the violence goes. If there is violence in a family, then the ones who are affected by it may feel like they deserve it because of what the batterer is accusing them of doing. Battering occurs among people of all races, ages, socio-economic classes, religious affiliations, occupations, and educational backgrounds (Stewart & Croudep, 1998-2012). Domestic violence can affect families in more aspects than one; the husband-wife relationship, the children, and also the financial stability.
How does domestic violence between parents and parental figures affect the children who witness it? This is a question often asked by Sociologists and Psychologists alike. There have been studies that prove that children who witness domestic inter-parental violence experience mental health problems, issues with gender roles, substance abuse, the committing of crimes and suicide/suicide attempts later in their lives. This paper will explore all five of these 'effects' of domestic violence on children and show that there is evidence of a clear relationship in which increasing parental violence is associated with increasing outcome risks (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.8).
Violence is displayed everywhere in society through media like entertainment, in their schools and communities, and within their homes. It is difficult to imagine living in a world without some sort of violence due to it being so prevalent in society. Many children have been exposed to violence in their own homes or have become victims leaving detrimental short and long term effects. There are three forms of domestic violence in the homes. They are physical, sexual, emotional abuse. People often think of domestic violence as having bruises or a broken arm, but in reality it is an occurrence that happens repeatedly over a period of time. One study concluded “children in domestic violence shelters found that almost half their mothers had
Lemmey, D., McFarlane, J., Willson, P., Malecha, A. (2001). Intimate partner violence: mother’s perspectives of effects on their children. The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 26(2), 98-103.