In society, social workers cannot understand why people are in a certain situation without knowing who they are and the world’s history behind their issue. As Mills (1959) said that “neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both” (p. 3). In many cases this is true. We need to use the sociological imagination theory to help the individual when more than one person is being affected by it. We must understand the victim's background and society's history behind the issue. These two elements have an impact on the victim's perception and how we should reach out to them. For instance, no one would think that domestic violence takes place in the United States since the country defines …show more content…
When associating this issue, society rapidly deliberates that they are women and children from a color/foreign household but the victim can also be a male or a white American person. The victims are from different genders, ages and races. On the other hand, the abuser can also be anyone we see. To the public eye, they may be friendly and caring to their family. Behind closed doors, they like to abuse their loved ones to show them who is in control, either physically, emotionally, sexually or psychologically. This type of behavior is sometimes learned from when they were a …show more content…
The sociological imagination lets us analyze how society's history might influence this abusive behavior. At the same time, drive away from blaming the victim and the abuser. As Mills (1959) said, “sociological imagination enables its possessor to understand the larger historical scene in terms of its meaning for the inner life and the external career of a variety of individual” (p. 5). In other words, the social imagination helps us broaden our perspectives on how to reflect on how we can influence to stop the continuation of domestic violence. In addition, when we make the connection between the history and the person, we can help the victim understand they should not blame themselves for the problem. Later this will help them to take the first step in removing themselves from the environment and seek for help. In all, Mills' ideas help us learn in what ways can be help to stop the
Domestic violence has been plaguing our society for years. There are many abusive relationships, and the only question to ask is: why? The main answer is control. The controlling characteristic that males attribute to their masculinity is the cause to these abusive relationships. When males don’t have control they feel their masculinity is threatened and they need to do something about it. This doesn’t occur in just their relationships, but rather every facet of life. Men are constantly in a struggle for power and control whether it is at work, home, during sports, or in a relationship, this remains true. So the only way for them to get this power is for them to be “men”; tough, strong, masculine, ones that demand and take power. Where is this thirst for control coming from? Is it the natural structure of a man or is it a social construct? The answer is that it’s the social construction of a patriarchy that results in this thirst for control due to fear. The fear is being emasculated, whether it is by gayness, or femininity. Men use the fear created from domestic violence to gain control, but yet women do have some control in a relationship it is this vague boundary of how much control that leads to domestic violence.
Life is filled with many difficulties which affect us all in one way or another. However, we do not all face the same difficulties. If we are to survive we need to first understand what these difficulties or problems are, in order to learn how to deal with them. One such problem is, is domestic violence. It is necessary to determine whether the problem is personal one or due to society (social problems), so that the individuals involved can learn how to deal with their situation.
Historically, legal and social traditions in the United States have permitted and supported the abuse of women and children by the male head of household. This historical phenomenon helps explain why women are the primary victims of domestic violence. In this country, civil rights and legal responsibilities were first granted to free, property-owning men. Wives, children, and slaves were considered "chattel" or personal property of male citizens who were held responsible for their public behavior.
Today, modern society faces such problem, as domestic violence, which is common issue in majority of the countries, and USA is not exception. Statically in USA one of three women will be abused throughout her life. Domestic violence is mainly related with people’s behavior and psychology. This situation influence in different ways children, families and American society in general and it can’t be ignored, but at the same time this issue is so controversial, that it’s really difficult to find the solution.
Domestic violence can affect anyone. Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior used to establish power and control over another through emotional attack, fear, and intimidation. Domestic violence or battering, often, includes the threat or use of violence; this violence is a crime. Battering occurs when one person believes he/she is entitled to control another. Domestic violence affects people in all social, economic, racial, religious, and ethnic groups; whether the couple is married, divorced, living together, or still dating. Another reality is that abusers and their victims can be gay, strait, young, or old. Violence develops from verbal, physical, emotional, financial, and sexual abuse. Most domestic violence victims are women by men, but that doesn’t suggest that others cannot be battered or are perpetrators of abuse -- such as women on men, or same sex abuse. Battering or domestic violence, is now mutual and it is not a ‘couple’s quarrel’. Disagreements arise occasionally in all relationships, but battering involves every aspect of a relationship. While physical violence is the “enforcer” or the criminal act, other behaviors erode the partner or victim’s sense of self, self-determination, and free will; this is ultimately lethal for many women.
Domestic violence or intimate partner violence, is a pattern of threatening or controlling behavior that involves violence or other abuse. Domestic violence can be between a heterosexual or homosexual couple. Children who see or hear domestic violence from parents experience negative outcomes because it affects children negatively both mentally and physically. Domestic violence is already bad enough, but when children are exposed, it affects their growth. It traumatizes them and puts them in danger. I think that educating people over the signs of domestic violence is important. Domestic Violence is a very big problem. 5 million children witness some type of domestic violence. 40 million adult Americans grew up with some type of domestic violence
Domestic violence affects a large amount of relationships in the United States each year. As the times have changed, abuse has become less accepted as a normal occurrence, and society has begun working together to provide awareness towards violence in intimate partner relationships. “Problems of family violence are potentially the most destructive in our society” (Kurland 23). Domestic violence is a problem that begins in the home, and spreads to affect the world around it. Violence is present in relationships of all demographics, be it race, sexual orientation, or social class. No one is entirely safe from experiencing abuse, but if society is taught to recognize the signs it can save a life or even prevent abuse from happening.
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.
In today’s society, I believe that domestic violence is either ignored or taken as a grain of salt. It is teaching the generations to come that it is acceptable to put your hands negatively on your spouse. In my point of view it is not okay no matter what the situation may be. I chose the subject of intimate partner violence because of hearing about specific cases such as Ray Rice’s a few years back really touched me in a negative way. This one in particular makes me cringe knowing that even professional athletes who are supposed to be role models to people all around the world are putting this kind of negative image out there for everyone to see. Domestic violence has many different viewpoints and branches that influence the violence itself
Domestic violence is a complex issue that plagues society regularly. Judicial systems all over the United States have attempted to create regulations to protect victims of domestic abuse. Furthermore, scattered scarcely throughout the United States are non-profit and small organizations which attempt to supplement the judicial protection with additional resources. Nevertheless, domestic abuse seems to be much bigger than any services these systems can maintain. Victims of domestic violence suffer with harmful issues even judicial and non-profit systems have yet to overcome and as society advances, even more issue seem to arise.
Domestic violence consists of verbal, financial, emotional, sexual, and physical abuse within the household, generally involving partners and families. This occurrence of violence is acted to gain and maintain control over somebody. Abusers have the tendency to enforce fear, guilt, shame and intimidation to brainwash and maintain power. The...
Thesis: In my paper, I will be examining the different types, possible causes, and effects of Intimate Partner Violence, and what treatments or programs are available to combat this growing problem in America. Regardless of differing approaches to fight it, statistics show that women all across the world suffer from the effects of domestic violence at a similar rate independent of class, race, or religion.
This paper examines Patriarchal Terrorism, a form of domestic violence against women. In the United States has being more prevalent among different races, social level, marital status, and educational level. The current increase of domestic violence rates globally have led researchers to study the importance of the rates in the United States for better methods of policy implementation. The theory that explains the causes of domestic violence is the Conflict Theory developed by Karl Marx. Conflict Theory explains how domestic violence emerged due to the result of gender inequality in patriarchal societies. In this societies, men were superior to women in the ability to obtain education, employment, financial income, creating law, and vote. As
Unhappy marriages and domestic violence document enriches the themes of violence and murder from this course, by giving an insight into social and economic roles that both males and females played during marriage. The focus will be on how economic factors, effects of alcoholic drinking and influences female status such as separation and divorce. In seventeenth to eighteenth century England, marriage played a significant role in both male’s and female’s lives. Not only due to the social and economic aspects of it, but due to the sexual morals associated with it. The Catholic Church placed immense significance on the sacredness of marriage and on its inseparability. It was legally binding in the eyes of god. It was very difficult to get a divorce
Domestic violence is a serious and heinous crime. America see’s it in every form, physically , emotionally , and even verbally. It affects all types of people, all genders, all races, all sexuality. This crime isn't new, nor is it ignored by the government but there is much more we can do together. This is the intolerance of domestic abuse in our society .