Chapter 5: Violence in Family Flashcards
Myths about extent/nature of family violence
- family violence is rare
- only poor people are violent
- abused children always become abusive parents
- battered women “ask” for it; women who are raped on a date, “were asking for it”
Defining Family Violence
2 elements
1) type of family relationships
2) form of violence
Defining Family Violence
Types of Abuse
- physical
- sexual
- verbal
- emotional
- financial victimization
- neglect
Child Abuse
History
- spans entire history of our nation
- children traditionally viewed as “property” until the 1900’s
- 1874 - case of Marry Ellen Wilson
- mid 1960’s - enactment of child protection laws
Types of Child Maltreatment
4 types
- physical
- emotional
- sexual
- neglect
Child Abuse
Risk Factors
- children living in single parent homes
- children in large families
- children from families with an annual income less than 15k
Child Abuse and Neglect: Characteristics of Victims
Gender
Gender
- minor physical abuse - equal risk for abuse
- major physical abuse - males at slightly higher risk (54-64%)
sexual abuse - majority of reports are female; male sexual abuse may be underreported
Child Abuse and Neglect: Characteristics of Victims
Age
Age
- the younger the child, the higher the risk for physical abuse
Prepubsecence ages 7-12 most vulnerable for child abuse
Characteristics of Perpetrators Relationship to victim
- relationship to victim
- parents most likely perpetrators of physical abuse (82% of cases)
- Male CSA victims; friend, acquittance, stranger
Female CSA victims; family member
Characteristics of Perpetrators
Psychological Characteristics
Psychological Characteristics
Emotional/Behavioural Difficulties - anger, low self esteem. rigidity Family/Interpersonal Difficulties - martial issues, isolation. abuse Parenting Difficulties - unrealistic expectations, negative bias toward child, used to meet adult needs
Effects of Physcial Child Abuse
- initial responses
- medical/physical effects
- psychological effects
- pain
- fear
- confusion
- poor self image
- disrupted attachment
- dissociation
- acting out aggressively with siblings
Family Violence Against Children & Youth:
What the Data Suggests (2018)
most common type of police reported family violence against children/youth
- physical assault
- physical assault was highest among victims aged 15-17
second common type of police reported family violence against children/youth
- sexual offences
- sexual offences peaked among those aged 12-14
Family Violence Against Children & Youth:
What the Data Suggests (2018)
-police reported family related sexual offences were nearly 5x higher for female children and youth than male
Family Violence Against Children & Youth:
What the Data Suggests (2018)
- family violence increased with victim age: 159 victims aged 5 and younger per 100,000 population
379 victims aged 15-17 per 100,000 population
Family Violence Against Children & Youth:
What the Data Suggests (2018)
-majority of child and youth victim of police-reported family violence live with the person who victimized them