Question:
Discuss about the Working Towards Safer Relationships for Physical Abuse.
Family violence, also referred to as domestic violence, can be described as an act of violence caused by one family member against another. According to the Australian Department of Human Services, it refers to any conduct which is threatening, controlling, coercive and violent intended to instil fear on a household member (Australian Government Department of Human Services, 2017). It may be verbal abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, psychological, financial, and sexual among other forms. A study conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2012 revealed that one in every eleven people has been a victim of domestic violence since the age of fifteen (ABS, 2013). Further narrowed down, this reflected one in every six women and one in every twenty men.
Of importance to note is that no single cause can be attributed to family or domestic violence; however, various factors raise red flags and have been noted as common risk factors for the vice. Alcohol and drug use, experiences of childhood abuse, financial stress and a weak social support system have illuminated a strong positive correlation with domestic violence (Mitchell, 2011). Family violence can lead to a lot of detrimental effects, the worse being homicide; further, it has adverse effects on mental and physical health, child development, as well as other economic impacts on the family and society alike. The following essay aims to examine the current efforts meant to reduce the impact of family violence on individuals and society alike and identify possible recommendations that would lead to the development of a more effective program driven by the principles of social justice and an adherence to human rights in the fight against family violence.
The current approach, though effective to a certain extent is still riddled with defects. The programs adopted lack clear focus on prevention measures and are more equipped in dealing with the aftermath of family violence (Rayns, 2015). As such, there are few programs that offer services to convicted parties or that monitor possible cases and engage measures of prevention before actual violence or consequences such as those aforementioned manifest.
Additionally, the philosophy behind most programs is flawed as it is based on the notion that violence or abuse on a domestic level is as a result of patriarchal ideologies. Most scholars and reformists identify women and children as the victims and men as the perpetrators. This approach shuts out a significant percentage of victims and perpetrators left with little to no recourse in the event they experience violent behaviour from a family member. Previous assumptions attributed female to male family violence as a result of self-defence; however, research continues to show that this is not always the case (Barnett, Miller-Perrin, & Perrin, 2011).
Another challenge emanating from the current programs and approaches undertaken to curb family violence is underreporting. As previously mentioned, data monitoring and sharing are a key component in combating the vice; it ensures relevant institutions have sufficient information to formulate strategies and allocate resources to dealing with family violence (Humphreys & Stanley, 2015). However, data is only available and relevant if it is reported and in most cases, family violence incidents go unreported. This is particularly a challenge with abuse and neglect where children are the victims (Finkelhor, 2005). Reports show that despite the high number of incidents of child abuse reported, the numbers are much higher and more cases of abuse and neglect go unreported.
Having considered the current situation on the ground and the challenges facing the fight against family violence, the following segment aims to propose a program that would reduce the impact of family violence. The proposal would serve as a recommendation on ways to mitigate the challenges mentioned above guided by the principles of social justice and adherence to basic human rights and the aim to promote safety and prevent further family violence. The action areas present an integrated approach to combating family violence as the success of one area depends on the success of the others so as to achieve the overall objective. The key action areas that will guide strategy development proposed in this program for the reduction of family violence include:
Freedom from any form of violence is a fundamental human right; it is recognised under the right to life, freedom of expression, right to be free from torture and the right to the highest attainable standard of mental and physical health among others. Although most focus is towards women’s rights in this regard, as a fundamental human right, these liberties should be enjoyed by all. This essay recognises that an effective program would require a shift in the current underlying principles and philosophies guiding program development. As such, programs aimed at eradicating family violence should adopt a less gendered approach in order to ensure violence that is meted out on male victims is also considered. As aforementioned, the current approach considers family violence as a product of the patriarchal underpinnings of current society where men are seen as the perpetrators and women the victims (Barnett, Miller-Perrin, & Perrin, 2011). However, as studies have shown, this is not always the case. Therefore in order to be effective in achieving its objective, the program should be based on an all-inclusive, non-gendered philosophy.
Additionally, another challenged arising from current approaches to combating family violence is that they tend to consider the aftermath and are less prevention focused. In order to be effective in the overall reduction of family violence incidents, it is paramount to nip the issue in the bud. As such, strategies should be formulated that focus on prevention measures (Rayns, 2015). Effective prevention measures will require the involvement of all key stakeholders which includes community leaders, the government and the workforce. Family violence is a social problem and has come to be rightfully recognised as such. The strategies that are in place at the moment are as a result of government and community initiatives which have led to the development of social strategies that aid in the prevention of violence and the protection of women and children who are the most common victims. Further, there has been a rise in the establishment of centres aimed at creating a safe harbour and support system for victims as well as advocating for their rights and protection from relevant institutions (Hart, 1995). This has evolved from merely offering shelter and counselling to victims to being the drivers for reform. With this in mind, the current program should endeavour to further exploit and expand the involvement of communities through community leaders. Supporting community leaders and strengthening the community capacity through awareness and training programs will contribute greatly to early detection and prevention of family violence that in turn contributes to a reduction of its impact on the community.
Further, setting up an effective and secure data collection and monitoring system is paramount to ensuring a successful and effective program is put in place; it provides the necessary evidence for the development and assessment of strategies. As aforementioned, underreporting cases has been identified as another challenge towards the fight against family violence (Humphreys & Stanley, 2015), as such, it is a significant factor to consider and address in the development of an effective program. Reporting cases of abuse creates a database which aids institutions in developing effective combative strategies; the more accurate and conclusive the data, the more effective the strategy. With this in mind, any program which aims to be effective in this era will rely heavily on social justice to ensure effective data collection. This is achievable by ensuring more community involvement and awareness in matters of family violence and therefore ties in with the proposal to ensure increased engagement of communities and community leaders the ultimate goal being early detection and prevention.
Another action area the program will consider in order to minimise the effects of family violence on potential victims is integrating early intervention measures into the program. Early intervention measures include improving the response models of relevant players in the implementation of the program. That is the intervention of community leaders and organisations, intervention of the police and justice systems, intervention of key players in the workforce and education systems among others. The public health perspective to abuse and neglect recognises that early intervention is one of the key components to a holistic approach in violence prevention and reduction particularly against children (Fawcett & Waugh, 2008). Early intervention relies greatly on a well-informed and up to date database. The database guides key players in identifying risk factors, persons at risk and signs of possible violence thus allowing for early intervention to prevent violence, further violence and the impacts thereof.
An equally important strategy that the program aims to consider is the protection of victims of domestic violence. Protection is vital especially at areas of first contact; victims who feel secure are more comfortable and open to participating in any civil or criminal proceedings that may arise (Hart, 1995). Participation is not merely a procedural requirement but rather has proven to contribute to the psychological healing of the victims. As such in order to encourage reporting, expand the database and promote restorative justice the program should ensure it secures the protection of victims. This strategy will also require community involvement and awareness as community centres are usually the first places of contact with family violence victims. The program should, therefore, provide training avenues for communities so as to equip them with the necessary knowledge to effectively support victims thus creating a safe harbour for more victims to open up about their plight leading to the collection of more data which ensure more effective future programs.
The program would be incomplete without the inclusion of a strategy that aid victims to rebuild their lives once they have been separated from the violent environment and received justice through available legal channels. The rebuilding strategy should include support programs that avail mental, physical, financial, legal, emotional support which may be necessary for victims to regain their quality of life. The services offered in this regard should be tailored to meet the needs of victims guided by the information gathered from data collection and monitoring. Further, the programs should be flexible so that they can be adapted to meet the needs of each individual victim. The purpose of this stage in the program is to enable the victims to heal and move on with their lives. Research shows that victims of abuse or violence have significantly higher levels of emotional and mental health challenges and distress as compared to other individuals (Fawcett & Waugh, 2008). In children, this can lead to developmental issues such as anxiety, depression as well as challenges in school (Richards, 2011). As such, the program should ensure victims receive counselling, financial support, medical support and any other assistance necessary to ensure they heal and rebuild their lives.
The final strategy to consider in ensuring the development of an effective program for the reduction of family violence is ensuring perpetrators are held accountable and rehabilitated for their actions where possible. This strategy aims to ensure that perpetrators are identified and held accountable for their action. Further, it is concerned with reducing the rate of recidivism; that is, ensuring perpetrators do not repeat offences after conviction or rehabilitation. Additionally, it aims to ensure that the rehabilitation systems are alive to the issues contributing to family violence and are well equipped to tackle these issues so as to ensure adopted change programs are effective. This is a proactive approach towards the reduction of family violence (Rayns, 2015), it enables reformists to collect vital data that would aid them in identifying risk factors and patterns that would ensure prevention measures are undertaken before it is too late. Perpetrator involvement in the reduction strategy also promotes restorative justice as mentioned above.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is evident that the proposed program should consider a change of philosophy and adopt a more restorative and social justice approach bearing in mind fundamental human rights. A change of philosophy refers to a shift from the current mindset that family violence is strictly a product of the patriarchal underpinnings of society. In order to effectively combat the vice, it is important to keep in mind that men, as well as women, can be both victims and perpetrators. Additionally, in order to encourage reporting, the program should ensure effective community involvement by creating awareness and availing training to community-based programs on how to identify and deal with risk factors and support victims. Early intervention frameworks should also be considered by re-evaluating and strengthening response strategies with regard to the police, educational institutions, workplaces and community settings. Of equal importance is the protection strategies adopted by the program, they should be tailored to ensure the victim feels safe and comfortable and supported so as to encourage them to seek justice and to rebuild their lives. The program should also invest in support programs and services that are tailored to meet the needs of victims as a whole and at their individual levels. Finally, in order to adopt a more preventive approach, the program should consider more offender engagement for purposes of rehabilitation as well as data collection to prevent future incidences through early identification of risk. The program proposed above presents an integrated approach to family violence reduction as the success of one strategy depends on the effective implementation of the others.
References
ABS. (2013). Personal Safety Survey, Australia. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Australian Government Department of Human Services. (2017). Family and Domestic Violence. Retrieved September 26, 2017, from https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/subjects/family-and-domestic-violence
Barnett, O. W., Miller-Perrin, C. L., & Perrin, R. D. (2011). Family Violence Across the Lifespan: An Introduction (3rd ed.). London: Sage Publications Inc.
Fawcett, B., & Waugh, F. (2008). Addressing Violence, Abuse and Oppression: Debates and Challenges. Oxon: Routledge.
Finkelhor, D. (2005). The Main Problem is Underreporting Child Abuse and Neglect. In D. R. Loseke, R. J. Gelles, & M. M. Cavanaugh (Eds.), Current Controversies on Family Violence (pp. 299-310). London: Sage Publications Inc.
Hart, B. J. (1995). Coordinated Community Approaches to Domestic violence. Washington D.C: Strategic Planning Workshop on Violence Against Women, National Institute of Justice.
Humphreys, C., & Stanley, N. (2015). Domestic Violence and Protecting Children: New Thinking and Approaches. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Mitchell, L. (2011). Domestic violence in Australia- An overview of the issues. Parliament of Australia.
Rayns, G. (2015). New Approaches to Domestic Abuse. Retrieved September 26, 2017, from Strategic Planning Workshop on Violence Against Women, National Institute of
Richards, K. (2011). Children’s Exposure to Domestic Violence in Australia. Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice(419).
Essay Writing Service Features
Our Experience
No matter how complex your assignment is, we can find the right professional for your specific task. Contact Essay is an essay writing company that hires only the smartest minds to help you with your projects. Our expertise allows us to provide students with high-quality academic writing, editing & proofreading services.
Free Features
Free revision policy
$10Free bibliography & reference
$8Free title page
$8Free formatting
$8How Our Essay Writing Service Works
First, you will need to complete an order form. It's not difficult but, in case there is anything you find not to be clear, you may always call us so that we can guide you through it. On the order form, you will need to include some basic information concerning your order: subject, topic, number of pages, etc. We also encourage our clients to upload any relevant information or sources that will help.
Complete the order form
Once we have all the information and instructions that we need, we select the most suitable writer for your assignment. While everything seems to be clear, the writer, who has complete knowledge of the subject, may need clarification from you. It is at that point that you would receive a call or email from us.
Writer’s assignment
As soon as the writer has finished, it will be delivered both to the website and to your email address so that you will not miss it. If your deadline is close at hand, we will place a call to you to make sure that you receive the paper on time.
Completing the order and download