Family Violence

Research Objectives

The goals of the proposed research investigation are to: explore domestic violence, victimization and reporting and openness to disclose domestic abuse. The following aspects will be examined: social support, self-esteem, communication competence, coping, and openness to disclose. The primary aspects are communication competence. Additional independent aspects that may be assessed are ethnicity, ecommunity and income.

What does the individual experience of being in a violent relationship?

There is a relationship among social condition and openness to communicate domestic abuse among the victims.

There is also a relationship between the victim and the situation in a family violence case.

There again is a relationship between the social class and strata of the victim and the nature of violence in tht particular family.

There is also an inter-relation between self-esteem and victimization that disclose relational abuse.

Family Violence

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Special Report, Intimate Partner Violence and Age of Victim, "People who have been abused often end up abusing their own family and children." (Bureau of Justice Statistics, Special Report 1993-1999) Abuse can be violent behaviors such as slapping, punching and hitting, but it doesn't have to be physical. It can include verbal and emotional abuse as well. It can also involve sexual abuse and can happen to anyone, at any age, no matter what race or religion they are, no matter their level of education, economic background or social class. Domestic violence also occurs most frequently in marital relationships. Coping with the abusive violence are issues for many people that deal with the day-to-day issues versus seeking professional help. Most families seem to think that every family goes through an acceptable "the rough time" (denial) as his/her bump in their marriage that they will overcome in time. After the abused spouse decides to leave the abuser, then feelings of shame, embarrassment, withdrawal, distrust, fear, guilt and remorse start to influence their decision to return to the abusive partners household. Many abused partners often return fueled by promises of change that do not occur. According to the Commonwealth Fund Survey, Study of Injured Victims of Violence, "Ninety percent of the husbands will return to using violence after a brief transition and reunification period." (Commonwealth Fund Survey, 1992-1996) Abused individuals will continue to live in absolute fear in hopes of change. Spouses often hold the marriage together for the sake of family values, children, pride and a grim hope for permanent everlasting change. As the years pass by, the abuse that consisted of physical, mental and sexual abuse, increase steadily and the abused persons self-esteem and courage drastically decreases.

Violence and its threat are also cited in women's decisions to end involvement in productive employment. Abusive men to reverse the process of empowerment use this. By restricting the woman's ability to make free choices regarding employment and participation, it prevents them from making an economic contribution to their families as well as community. It is almost certain, that as the victim makes attempts to liberate herself, the abuser will try to regain ...