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Example research essay topic: Violence Against Women Domestic Violence - 1,395 words

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... miles who are prone to domestic violence, it cannot be possible to rely solely on stresses as an explanation of abuse. Most social-economic / socio -demographically stressed men do not abuse their partners. Another explanation of domestic violence that has been much researched and documented is that of learned behaviour which is sometimes known as the cycle of violence. These well-documented studies show that domestic violence may occur when a child has been exposed to, witnessed or experienced domestic violence in their family origin.

One such study carried out by Strauss et al (1979) found that there was a clear trend for violence in childhood to produce violence in adult life; Violence by parents begets violence in the next generation Their study concluded that men who were born to violent families were 10 times more likely to hit their partners than those raised in non violent families. Similarly, Stacey and Shop (1983) also came to the same conclusion as their research determined that out of their sample, six out of ten perpetrators of domestic violence had witnessed physical violence by their parents and four out of ten had been physically abused by their parents. Although the theory of the cycle of violence, sometimes better known as learned behaviour, is a popular one, a number of experts and academics have questioned its validity, and in particular the studies that are presented to support it. The main question concerns the empirical data put forward as evidence as it often relies upon self-reports from individual case histories and reports from service providers. Even if the data is provided from reliable sources, it is argued that the samples are too small and unrepresentative.

The samples are based upon groups of people known either to be violent in some way or to be the victim of violence, whose backgrounds are then examined for evidence of violence in their families of origin. Another problem facing these types of studies as I mentioned earlier is that there is no clear or consistent definition of domestic violence. When there is the definition it is often ambiguous and renders many studies inappropriate for comparative research. A final point that I would like to reflect upon is the link between alcohol and domestic violence The association between alcohol and domestic violence has been much studied and documented.

However there is much disagreement about whether alcohol is a cause of domestic violence or just a contributing factor. Widom (1989) believes alcohol is a cause of abuse as it impairs judgement, reduces inhibition and increases aggression. Further studies such as Gayford's produce further evidence regarding the link between alcohol and violence. His study shows that 52 per cent of his sample of women who had been abused by their partners stated that they were drunk at least once a week whilst 22 per cent indicated that violence only occurred when their partners had been drinking (Gayford 1978) In contrast to the above, Larouch (1986) maintains that although alcohol may lower both awareness and self control, a person who uses it is still both responsible for drinking it and for their behaviour. If this is so, then people cannot be held responsible for what they do under the influence of alcohol. As a consequence, perpetrators of domestic violence could be partly excused for their actions and society could be seduced into accepting that the violence is the fault of the alcohol.

If this happens then it could draw attention away from the fact that domestic violence is a crime and must be responded to as a crime. Others argue that although alcohol is no doubt involved in some incidents of domestic violence within the home, alcohol is also consumed in families where there is no abuse; in addition, all alcoholics are not violent. This side of the argument suggests that alcohol consumption is neither a necessary nor sufficient excuse for domestic violence. Figure 2; (Queensland Domestic Violence Task Force, Beyond These Walls, 1988, pg. 345). The Queensland Domestic Violence Task Force (1998) also recognises that excessive use of alcohol is often linked to domestic violence as indicated by figure 2 It maintains that it is more of a contributing factor rather than a causation of domestic violence.

In summing up, the explanations for the causes of domestic violence against women are varied. Some explanations seek the origin of the abuse such as patriarchy, some seek the issues in a broader social context within which violence takes place. Thus it does appear that there is no simple explanation for domestic violence against women. For instance, if we look towards socio-demographic explanations as the cause these might suggest that women should be more violent than men within the home as they have fewer life chances and fewer socio-economic resources from which they can derive power in relation to their partners.

The feminist explanation that mens violence, which is rooted in patriarchy, is the stand-alone cause of domestic violence is not acceptable as the data produced is open to interpretation and criticism because it only concentrates on one aspect of the cause of violence. Even the well-documented cycle of violence or violence as learned behaviour is criticised for relying too heavily on self-reports, which are often too small and unrepresentative, producing problematic data. Even the most popular societal explanation of domestic violence, alcohol, cannot be used as a stand-alone causal factor, only as a contributing factor. However, whatever are the contributing factors, nothing can take away the seriousness of the crime.

Indeed it is paramount that domestic violence is recognised as a crime and not left behind closed doors or considered the private matter many feel it should be. If this were to happen the actual amount of domestic violence that exists would not be known. In conclusion, I believe, in order to understand domestic violence better, academics and theorists must work towards an integrated sociological theory of violence and abuse because the explanations of domestic violence are complex and certainly multi-factorial. American Psychiatric Association (1994) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Orders (4 th ed). Washington DC. British Association of Social Workers: Discussion Document of BASW Working Party on Home Violence.

Social Work Today, (1975). (6) 409. Connell, R. (1987) Gender and Power. Sydney, Allen and Unwin. Dobash, R. E. and Dobash, R.

P. (1980) Violence Against Wives: A Case Against the Patriarchy. Shepton Mallet, Open Books. Family Violence Professional Education Taskforce (1991) Family Violence: Everybody's Business, Somebody's Life. Sydney, Federation Press. French, M. (1986) Beyond Power. Abacus, London.

Freud, S. and Breuer, J. (1893) Studies In Hysteria. London, Hogarth. Gayford, J. (1975) Wife Battering. A Primary Survey of 100 Cases.

British Medical Journal. (1) 194. Gayford, J. (1978) Battered Wives: Cited in, Steinmetz, S. (1977) The Cycle of Violence: Assertive Aggression and Abusive Family Interaction. New York, Praeger. Genes, R. and Straus, M. (1988) Intimate Violence.

New York, Simon & Schuster. Goode, W. (1971) Force and Violence in the Family. Journal of Marriage and the Family. (33), 624. Heise, M. et al (1994) Violence Against Women: The Hidden Burden. Washington, World Bank.

Hornung, K. et al. (1981) Status relationships in Marriage: Risk Factors in Spouse Abuse. Journal of Marriage and the Family. (47) 75 - 88. Johnson, N. (1985) Marital Violence. London Routledge, Kegan Paul. Johnson, N. (1995) Patriarchal Terrorism and Common Couple Violence: Two Forms of Violence.

Journal of Marriage and the Family, (57), 283 - 294. Larouch, G. (1986) A Guide to Intervention with Battered Women, London. Routledge, Kegan Paul. McCue, M. (1995) Domestic Violence. California, ABC-Clio.

ODonnell, C. and Crane, J. (1982) Family Violence in Australia. Melbourne, Longman. Page, J. (1985) Private Violence and Public Policy (ed). London, Routledge, Kegan Paul. Western Australian Domestic Violence Task Force. (1988) Beyond These Walls, 345.

Western Australian Government. Stacey, W. and Shop, A. (1983) The Family Secret: Domestic Violence in Stark M and Flitcraft T (1991) Domestic Violence and Female Suicide Attempts. London. Steinmetz, S. (1977) The Cycle of Violence: Assertive Aggression and Abusive Family Interaction. New York, Praeger.

Straus, M. (1979) Behind Closed Doors: Violence in the American Family. New York, Doubleday/Anchor. Straus, M. et al (1979) Measuring Inter family Conflict and Violence: The Conflict Tactics (CT) Scales. Journal of Marriage and Family. (41) 75 - 88 Widom, M. (1989) Does Violence Beget Violence? A Critical Examination of the Literature.

Psychological Bulletin, (106) 3 - 28 Bibliography:


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