DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Domestic Violence: A Conflict perspective

Domestic Violence: A Conflict perspective

Introduction

The most common form of violence which prevails in every society in the world is Domestic violence. It shows the instability and gender relations between men and women based on the institution of marriage. Most recently it has become a significant issue which has grabbed attention of public, political and academic audience. At the social level, it involves ideological beliefs and institutional policies and practices. At the individual level, it involves personal attitudes and prejudices as well as individual behavior and conventions of daily life.

Discussion

Domestic violence is an abuse which manifests itself when a spouse or a family member violates another physically or psychologically. The term domestic violence is normally used for violence between husband and wife but also encompasses live-in relationships and other members of families who live together. Domestic violence is synonymous with domestic abuse. Domestic violence is common all over the world in all cultures, classes and ages. Violence can take place between men and women, people of same sex or people of different ages like between child and adult ,elderly and youth and vice versa. Domestic violence can occur in many forms and take many dimensions. It can be physical, sexual, social, psychological or economical. Also mental pressures amongst men give rise to such issues and further the children at home are affected.

Therefore, in sociological research this particular topic has been repeatedly questioned and further many researchers have been conducted in order to come up with concrete evidence regarding such an issue. Moreover, different sociological perspective has stated their opinions about domestic violence. For example according to the functionalist perspective domestic violence prevails in the household due to the incompatibility between the spouses, whereas on the contrary according to the conflict perspective domestic violence is due to the merger of two different classes in an institution of marriage. They further argue that due to the different class backgrounds of the spouses, domestic violence is uprooted. The conflict sociologist see the society as similar to the Marxist perspective as Karl Marx was the initiator of the conflict perspective and believed that since their where two main classes of people prevailing in the society namely the bourgeoisies and proletariats, conflicts were bound to happen , despite of the harmony if it existed .

Moreover, according to the conflict perspective, the society is seen as a whole in which all the individuals dwell and they see the society as a constant conflict between the groups and classes of people living with each other. They also believe that the society is held by dominant groups and classes which want the weaker people to be submissive and obey to the rules set by them. Since the conflict perspective is highly influenced by the works of Karl Marx, they argue that the social stratum is the main reason for domestic violence. According to Emile Durkheim marriage and families are composed of people who have different ideas, values, personalities and ...