Family Violence Essay

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Family Violence Essay

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Family Violence Essay

Introduction

As society has evolved, so has the definition of family; families are no longer considered

to take the traditional structure of the nuclear family, a family can therefore be considered to be

an intimate group of two or more people who live together in a committed relationship, care for

one another, and their children if any and form close emotional bonds. Families are expected to

be warm, nurturing, and loving environments, but in some cases, families can cause extreme

anguish to their constituent members. The American view of the family is at best idealized and

constantly reinforced by popular media. As such, violence that may happen within the family can

be hidden, ignored, or unnoticed since most families tend to present a socially acceptable façade

while the violence continues behind closed doors. Research indicates that the family is even

more violent than the military. Within the family, the risk of violence is 1000 times greater than

outside the family. There is, however, more focus on community violence since societal norms

consider family violence to be a private affair. The truth of the matter, however, is that women

and children are more likely to be victimized within the home than outside the home. More so,

80% of child maltreatment cases are perpetrated by the parents, 52% of women and 66% of men

report sexual abuse at the hands of a caregiver, and 46% of juvenile murder victims know their

murderers. This paper argues thereby argues that family violence is perpetuated in society

through culture and has long-lasting effects on people's lives.

Structural and Cultural Influences on Family Violence

Family violence includes child physical and sexual abuse, intimate partner abuse, and

elder abuse. Family is the center of all social institutions, including education, law, politics,

religion, economics, mass media, and medicine. Family violence can therefore be connected to

unemployment, miseducation, the abuse of religious principles, cultural norms and institutions

that support these norms, socialization, rigid gender identities, poverty, and systemic racism,

among other factors. Cultural norms often accept violence as a method of resolving conflict or

rearing a child; this thereby increases the likelihood of family violence. Societal attitudes

towards violence also influence familial violence; there is, for instance, the objectification of

violent men in movies and games, which can shape societal attitudes towards violence. As such,

various acts of violence within the family may not be treated with the gravity they deserve. Rigid

gender identities, on the other hand, often dictate specific expectations of men and women; men

are expected to be the breadwinners while women are homemakers. Men are often violent when

they feel that their masculinity is threatened. To change attitudes towards family violence, there

is, therefore, the need to shift perspectives on gender. The state of the economy also brings about

family violence; frustrations about employment and income often bring about family violence;

money brings about a lot of conflict within a family. The reason families are violent include

spending a lot of time together, power differentials within the family, and dependency issues.

Most forms of family violence are protected by the law as a way to give privacy and autonomy

granted to families. Changing these laws can therefore play a critical role in changing cultural

and social norms towards violence by making it clear that certain behavior is unacceptable.

Elder Abuse

Elder abuse is an issue that is not given enough attention. Elder abuse can be categorized

into physical abuse (assault), psychological abuse, material abuse, active neglect, and passive

neglect. Elder abuse can occur both in domestic environments and in institutions meant to ensure

their well-being. Material abuse refers to the illegal or improper exploitation of an elder's funds.

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1 Family Violence Essay Student’s Name Department, University Course Title Professor Date 2 Family Violence Essay Introduction As society has evolved, so has the definition of family; families are no longer considered to take the traditional structure of the nuclear family, a family can therefore be considered to be an intimate group of two or more people who live together in a committed relationship, care for one another, and their children if any and form close emotional bonds. Families are expected to be warm, nurturing, and loving environments, but in some cases, families can cause extreme anguish to their constituent members. The American view of the family is at best idealized and constantly reinforced by popular media. As such, violence that may happen within the family can be hidden, ignored, or unnoticed since most families tend to present a socially acceptable façade while the violence continues behind closed doors. Research indicates that the family is even more violent than the military. Within the family, the risk of violence is 1000 times greater than outside the family. There is, however, more focus on community violence since societal norms consider family violence to be a private affair. The truth of the matter, however, is that women and children are more likely to be victimized within the home than outside the home. More so, 80% of child maltreatment cases are perpetrated by the parents, 52% of women and 66% of men report sexual abuse at the hands of ...
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