Family Violence: What the F*** is Wrong With You!?!

 

All training workshops on family violence have always focused on our first raw impressions about incidences of violence. I, for one, continually am perplexed and angry whenever I hear of incidences of family violence (spousal and elderly). And why not, since the base plot of many moving and heart wrenching movies pervades obviously in such cases: where someone "weaker" (physically or economically) is undermined and oppressed unfairly by someone more powerful. Such is the basis of many revolutions and revenge flicks of now, that we cannot help but feel a strong sense of injustice whenever we witness it. 

Hence, even more difficult when we try to intervene with the perpetrator of violent behaviour, who is usually a Man. Before we meet him, we have already formed stereotypes of a drunk heavy set low intelligence, and impatient person, whom we would approach with great condescension and a large degree of apprehension. It's hard to see them in a non judgemental way. 

So what exactly causes violence? Being able to assess NUS's vast online library, I decided to do some mini research on my own (by mini research, I mean just one or two readings...). 

Theories of family violence can broadly be categorised into 3 Categories (Gelles and Loseke, 1993)

1. Psychological Perspectives

• Individual pathologies and personality traits of the perpetrator and the abused.
• Violence may be attributed to interpersonal and psychological factors such as lack of impulse control, high anxiety, poor anger management, depression and other forms of mental illness. 
• Psychological factors may come under criticism as they may help to rationalise and normalise the incidences of violence in the family. 

2. Sociological Perspectives

• Socio cultural influences and the structure of the family that perpetuates family violence
• Largely gender neutral, focuses more on how the patriarchal society gives men rights over women, which include using violence to enforce this right. 
• This may be more useful in explaining common couple violence (CCV) where acts of violence are conducted by both spouses, and may not necessarily be deemed as abuse. In contrast intimate terrorism (IT), where the man systematically and regularly terrorises his wife is better explained by theories of Power control and and gender inequality stressed by feminist perspectives. 

3. Feminist Perspectives

• Gender inequalities shape our social structure such that violence of men against women are made possible. 
• Historically linked to the oppression of women, and imposition of power and control by men. 
• Violence reflects men's needs to have control over their female partners and thus women in society.
• Feminists hence see domestic violence as a social problem with roots in the structure of how society has been formed through history, and seek reform in legislation, publicity and public policy. True enough this movement has been influential in shaping intervention against family violence in Singapore.

How I integrate these three perspectives? On one hand, psychological explanations and theories may be useful in helping us understand the perpetrator's perspectives to establish a better working relationship, but this also a need to be aware that violence is not acceptable and be part of the movement to restructure this power and control imbalance (supported by the feminist and sociological perspectives.)

As practitioners we also need to be able to assess the risks and types of couple and family violence and identify CCV from the IT, to be able to formulate specific and effective intervention contracts and plans for our clients. 

Till the next post:

The Cat in the Hat

Comments

[Edwin]

I am interested to know how these perspectives are effective in dealing with the issues on hand.

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