Domestic Violence - Essay Example

Domestic Violence Introduction Domestic violence is a far- reaching and social problem which has raised many serious debates. While many sociologists argue that domestic violence is mainly a male- perpetrated issue, may others believe that women are as violent as men in intimate relationships. The issue of domestic violence especially against women is not new and infact the domestic violence movement is atleast 3 decades old. The movement has caught a lot of public awareness and has got many protective laws enacted. Many extensive network of services have been started to help the victims of domestic violence. I have chosen to discuss this topic through structural functionalism perspective. My idea of interest is to argue that women are more subjected to domestic violence in intimate relationships than men. Women are mainly targeted in what many sociologists call as "intimate terrorism" where in men control "their women" by means of various coercive control tactics which may include physical, mental and sexual violence. These victims may even suffer from economic abuse. There are actually 3 forms of intimate partner violence. 1. Situational couple violence- This is infact the most common form of intimate partner violence. In this type of violence, a disagreement turns into an angry argument landing up in violence. This type of violence can be mild or severe and isolated or recurring (Johnson, 43-52). 2. Intimate terrorism- This is the worst form of intimate partner violence. Here the batterer terrorizes and takes complete control of his partner by using physical and sexual abuse along with other forms of abuse. It is very rare that women are batterers in this case (Johnson, 43-52). 3. Violent resistance- This occurs when the victim of intimate terrorism fights back (Johnson, 43-52). Domestic Violence Any incident of threatening behavior, violence or abuse, of any form, between individuals who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members, or share a relationship, is known as domestic violence. The victims are usually women, children, elderly people, physically or mentally challenged persons and partners in gay or lesbian relationship. Domestic violence can be either physical - where there is danger of harm to any part of the victims body; psychological and emotional - where the offender abuses the victim verbally or criticizes her in front of others or causes embarrassment, despair, sadness or terror; sexual- where in the victim suffers rape or any other derogatory treatment; economical- the offender tortures the victim by causing financial tensions, not allowing her to spend or asking her penny-to-penny accounts of what is being spent; or social- where the victim is not given freedom to meet her friends and relatives or attend social gatherings. Other methods of harassment include blackmailing, following, unwanted mails and phone calls, etc. Children, elderly and the disabled may also suffer by sheer negligence like not giving food, shelter and clothes properly or not giving medical aid in time. Also, children may suffer by just looking at their mother being beaten up. Effects of domestic violence 1. Physical- bruising, fractures, burns, disability, loss of hair or tooth, choking and death. 2. Psychological effects- depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, eating disorders, post trauma stress disorder, suicidal tendencies, self harm, shame, insecure ness ,fear, terror, confusion, guilt, lost sense of self, isolation, despair, sadness, social phobia, etc. 3. Drug/alcohol misuse- the victim may resort to substance abuse as a means of solace. Underlying causes of Domestic Violence There are various theories for causes of domestic violence: 1. Biological theory: According to this theory, violent behavior is organic and biological with predisposing factors being genetics, biochemistry and head trauma. 2. Individual Psychopathology theory: This perspective suggests that drastic childhood experiences like being abused or watching domestic violence lead to dysfunctional personality structures. 3. Couple and Family Interactions Theory: According to this view, family dynamics and relations play important role in violence. 4. Social Learning and Development theory: This theory suggests that domestic violence is a learned behavior that is modeled, rewarded and supported by the family during early developmental stages. 5. Societal Structure theory: According to this theory, the perpetual male domination in the society over women and children, in many aspects like physical, economic and political causes superiority attitude in men. 6. Genetic theory: Abnormal levels of serotonin, dopamine and nor-epinephrine in the brain, as a result of mutation in the gene that codes for an enzyme, monoamine oxidase A have been implicated in aggression and criminal behavior (Brunner, 1993). 7. Brain damage theory: Repeated stress during childhood, on trauma to the brain can cause aggressive behavior in adulthood. Theoretical frame work Actually, battering is one topic which can be discussed based on any sociological theoretical perspectives. I have chosen to discuss domestic violence on women based on Structural functionalism Structural functionalism is a social paradigm developed by Talcott Parsons derived from the ideas of Durkheim, Malinowski and Radcliffe- Brown. The theory mainly addresses various social functions performed by different elements of the social system in regard to the entire system (Barnard). According to this theory, "natural laws" govern society and create a system of interrelated and interdependent parts which are expected to fulfill certain functions for proper functioning of the society, which is considered to be objective, cohesive and also stable. The theory also propagates that inequality and dysfunction are inevitable and infact functional for the society (Kesse). According to structural functionalism, "battering is accepted as normal and violence is considered legitimate as a way of solving problems" (Bois, 1998). The theory addresses that violence belongs at home. The weaknesses of structural functionalism paradigm are that, the ideas are quite conservative and express basically idealistic view of society. The ideas also underplay power differences among and between groups in the same society. The differences may exist between different genders, different races or between different ages. The most ahistorical aspect of this theory is that it considers that society is static. The theory is also biased towards equilibrium. Empirical Evidence According to the 1998 Commonwealth fund survey, nearly 31% of American women report being abused by their partners at some point in their lives (Common wealth fund, 1999). According to the ‘National Violence Against Women’ survey (1995-96), about 25% of women reported sexual domestic violence at some time in their lives. In the year 2001, 85% of the victims of intimate partner violence were women (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2003). There was no difference in rates as far as social, racial, geographical or ethnic differences are concerned. Also, 50% of men who assaulted their wives also assaulted their children. Conclusion Domestic violence is a much sought after problem for over decades. Though many researchers argue that there are as many men who are battered as are women, there is enough evidence to prove that women are the main targets of domestic violence. Hence women must be given help to fight domestic violence and must be advised not to accept it a part of family system. Works Cited Page Barnard, A. History and Theory in Anthropology. Cambridge: CUP, 2000. Brunner, H.G., Nelen, M., Breakefield, X. O., Ropers, H. H., & Van Oost, B.A. "Abnormal behavior associated with a point mutation in the structural gene for monoamine oxidase A" .Science, Vol. 262, No. 5133: 578-580. Bois, William Du. How Sociological Theories Explain Battering- Implications for Programs and Prevention. 1998. 26 Nov 2008 Health Concerns across a Woman’s Lifespan: 1998 Survey of Women’s Health. May 1999. The Commonwealth Fund. 26 Nov 2008 Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2001. Bureau of Justice Statistics Crime Data Brief. February 2003. 26 Nov 2008 Johnson, M. P. "Apples and oranges in child custody disputes: Intimate terrorism vs. Situational couple violence." Journal of Child Custody, 2(4),2000: 43-52. Kessel, David. Sociological Theoretical Perspectives. 26 Nov 2008 Read More