NCJ Number
54639
Date Published
1978
Length
31 pages
Annotation
PATTERNS OF PUBLIC CONCERN TOWARD FAMILY VIOLENCE IN ENGLAND ARE EXAMINED, AND VARIOUS SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES THAT ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN FAMILY VIOLENCE ARE CRITICIZED.
Abstract
THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF PRIVATE CITIZENS, GOVERNMENT, AND ACADEMIC SPECIALISTS TO CAMPAIGNS DEALING WITH CHILD ABUSE, BATTERED WIVES, AND 'GRANNY BASHING' (ABUSE OF OLDER PERSONS LIVING IN A YOUNGER FAMILY CONTEXT) IN ENGLAND ARE DISCUSSED. IT IS NOTED THAT IN MOST CASES, PRIVATE CITIZENS AFFECTED BY THE PROBLEM HAVE FREQUENTLY GAINED THE ATTENTION OF GOVERNMENT AND ACADEMIC SPECIALISTS WHO WERE LARGELY UNAWARE OF THE EXTENT OR NATURE OF VIOLENCE WITHIN FAMILIES. ACADEMIC SPECIALISTS, PARTICULARLY SOCIOLOGISTS, ARE DEEPLY DIVIDED ON ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH FAMILY VIOLENCE. ACADEMIC THEORIES OF FAMILY VIOLENCE ARE FORMULATED WITHOUT SUFFICIENT RESEARCH BASED ON EMPIRICAL DATA. IN BRITAIN MAJOR SPECIALIST CONTROVERSIES SURROUND THEORIES THAT CHILD ABUSE MAY BE INGRAINED IN THE CULTURAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, OR GENETIC MAKEUP OF A RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF FAMILIES, OR IN FAILURES OF EARLY BONDING BETWEEN MOTHER AND CHILD. THE FOLLOWING THEORIES ARE DISCUSSED IN THIS PAPER: (1) THE FUNCTIONALIST THEORY, WHICH EXAMINES VIOLENCE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE FRUSTRATION OF NEED-MEETING BEHAVIOR WITHIN THE FAMILY STRUCTURE; (2) THE BEHAVIORIST SYSTEMS MODEL, WHICH VIEWS VIOLENT BEHAVIOR WITHIN THE FAMILY AS LEARNED THROUGH REINFORCEMENT BY EXAMPLE; AND (3) RADICAL, FEMINIST, AND MARXIST ANALYSES, WHICH VIEW VIOLENCE WITHIN THE FAMILY AS BEING ROOTED IN THE NORMATIVE CULTURAL SUBORDINATION OF CHILDREN AND WOMEN WITHIN THE FAMILY STRUCTURE. THE MEANINGS AND CONTROL OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE IN INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE ALSO DISCUSSED IN DETAIL. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT IN DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM OF FAMILY VIOLENCE, PRIMARY ATTENTION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE GENERAL SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHICH STIMULATES THEIR VICTIMIZATION AND PREVENTS THEIR ESCAPE. THE SOCIAL POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF THIS PERSPECTIVE ARE INDICATED TO DICTATE THE PROVISION OF NETWORKS OF SURVEILLANCE AND REFUGES FOR THE CONTROL AND IMMEDIATE RELIEF OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE OVER THE SHORT TERM, WHILE ADOPTING LONG-TERM SOCIAL POLICIES DESIGNED TO CHANGE THE SUBORDINATE STATUS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN. REFERENCES ARE LISTED. (RCB)