Chapter 14

Summary:

Chapter 14 is about abuse, violence, and other health issues.  Violence that occurs between husband and wife or boyfriend and girlfriend is called intimate partner violence or IPV. There are three different types of IPV, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and mental abuse. Abuse has decreased between partners since the early 1990s but it is still more likely for females to be victimized than males.  Men are also more likely to use deadly weapons when abusing a woman. Women between the ages of 15 and 44 are the most likely to be killed through IPV. Characteristics of abusive households include being young, poor, and abuse alcohol and drugs. Sexual abuse is quite common in marriages, particularly marital rape. In dealing with abusers, women that are abused often kill their abuser and are found innocent due to self-defense. There are three difference phases of the “battered women phases”; the tension-building phase, the acute battering phase, and calm or “honeymoon” phase.

Many outsiders looking in abuse, people often ask why these women stay. There are many reasons. For one, they believe that the abuser will actually change. Other reasons include fear of money problems, especially when it comes to their children, they feel same and fear, or they blame themselves.

The chapter then takes time to talk about women who abuse men. Women’s abuse usually stems from arguments and verbal abuse. However, when women are the abuser, it is much easier for men to leave because they are larger than the women and the women have to take care of the children. Speaking of children, child maltreatment is another issue the chapter discusses. There is physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and emotional abuse. It is difficult to think about why a parent would abuse a child but there are reasons such as alcohol and drugs, stress, socio-economic status, abuse from their spouse, or a combination of all of these factors. Adolescent abuse is the same as child abuse but just with older children that are in their teenage hears.

Siblings can also abuse each other, both physically and emotionally. They do this though a lot of verbal abuse, like name-calling. Older siblings often intimidate each other. Or they destroy each other’s things or even kill a pet.  Sexual abuse and incest are common between siblings as well.

Elder abuse includes physical abuse, being neglected, psychological abuse, deprivation of food and drink, isolation, and withholding of medication. Most abused are hidden and are abused by their caretaker.

Violence between same sex couples occurs about as often as it does in heterosexual couples. However, the reasons are different, things like internalized homophobia and frustration from discrimination.

There are a few different theories to try to explain abuse. One is Patriarchy theory, which says that men create the violence. Social learning theory says that those who are abused in their childhood or see abuse in their childhood are more likely to become abusive. Resource theory says that women deal with abuse because men have the resources they need such as money and social status. Exchange theory says that people stay in abusive relationships because the benefits outweigh the costs. Ecological systems theory say that relationships and circumstances determine abuse.

Other health issues can affect families in the same way abuse can, particularly substance abuse. This can be illegal drugs or over the counter drugs or alcohol. Depression is another health issue that seriously puts strain on family because with depression comes the thread of suicide. Eating disorders are another problem in families. This can be over eating or not eating at all.

Preventing and intervening in family abuse and violence is obviously a very important point and what the chapter ends on.

What I learned:

I really like figure 14.1, which shows Violence Rates by an Intimate Partner, by Sex.  I always heard that more men were abusive than women, but I was not sure that it was actually true for a few reasons. I thought that it was just not as widely shown in the media that men were abused and I often wonder if men are embarrassed to report when they are physically abused, as if it may emasculate them.

Question for further discussion

I would definitely agree with social learning theory, which says that children who see abuse tend to be abusive. In high school, a friend of mine was in an emotionally abusive relationship. Her boyfriend’s father had emotionally abused him and his two older brothers and physically abused his mother. His father’s father had abused him.

What do you guys think? Is there a theory you agree with more?