domestic violence

Question 1

define domestic violence

Answer 1

—>Any incident of controlling behaviour, violence or abuse who have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality.

Question 2

statistic of domestic violence

Answer 2

1) 99% of all incidents against women are commited by men

2) 1 in 4 women have been assaulted by their partner and one in 8 repeatedly

3) British Crime Survery for England and Wales : 2 million people reported victims of domestic violence

Question 3

Domestic violence - radical feminists view

Answer 3

-Domestic violence occurs due to patriarchal structures in society

-Dobash and Dobash ( interviewed women in women refugees) :
-Marriage legitimises violence against women & husbands were often provoked by challenges to their authority.

-sleeping with the enemy —> Greer

Question 4

evaluation of radical feminists

Answer 4

Elliot: not all men are aggressive : men can be aggressive too
-fail to explain female violence, including child abuse.

Question 5

Materialistic view on domestic violence

Answer 5

-focuses on economic + material factors e.g : inequalities in income to explain why some groups are at risk than others

-Wilkinson + Pickett (2010) see domestic violence as a result of stress on family members caused by social inequality

Question 6

evaluation of materialistic view

Answer 6

-Useful in showing how social inequality produces stress & violence in families.

• Does not explain why women are more likely to be vicitms.

Marxists feminists also see inequality causing domestic violence - Ansley (1972) - wives as ‘takers of shit’. Domestic violence is product of capitalism.

Question 7

Modern Western Notion of Childhood

Answer 7

• Pilcher (1995) - most important feature of modern idea of childhood - separateness.
• This view of childhood as separate age-status is not found in all societies.
• Wagg (1992) - childhood is socially constructed.
• Western cultures, children are defined as vulnerable.

Question 8

Cross-Cultural Differences in Childhood

Answer 8

Benedict (1934) - argues that children in non-industrial societies are generally treated differently.
- They take responsibility at an early age - Punch - rural Bolivia - five years old, take work responsibilities in home & community.
- Less value is placed on children showing obedience to adult authority.
- Children’s sexual behaviour is often viewed differently.

Question 9

Globalisation of Western Childhood

Answer 9

• International humanitarian & welfare agencies have exported western norm of what childhood should be.
• Campaigns have little impact on position of children in developing countries.

Question 10

Historical Differences in Childhood

Answer 10

-Aries (1960) - ‘idea of childhood did not exist’ in Middle Ages.
- Used works of art - children / adults dressed in same clothing.

Question 11

Reasons for Changes in the Position of Children

Answer 11

• Laws restricting labour.
• Introduction of compulsory schooling,
• Growth of idea of children’s rights.
• Declining family size.

Question 12

Disappearance of Childhood

Answer 12

Postman (1994) - argues television has led to disappearance of childhood due to the boundaries breaking down between adults & children.

Question 13

Information Hierarchy

Answer 13

Postman argues that childhood emerged as a separate status along with mass literacy.
- Television blurs distinction between childhood & adulthood by destroying the information hierarchy.

Question 14

Evaluation of Postman

Answer 14

Opie (1993) - argues that childhood is not disappearing - strong evidence of separate children’s culture over many years.
- It is valuable in showing how different types of technology can influence way in which childhood is constructed, but it is over-emphasised.

Question 15

Childhood in Postmodernity

Answer 15

Jenks (2005) - does not believe childhood is disappearing, but it is changing.
- It is undergoing change as society moves from modernity to postmodernity.
- Postmodern society - strengthens view of children as vulnerable. Childhood continues to be a separate status.

Question 16

Evaluation of Jenks

Answer 16

Evidence comes from small, unrepresentative samples.
- Guilty of overgeneralising - makes statements that imply that all children are in the same position.

Question 17

March of Progress View - Position of Children

Answer 17

Argues that position of children in western societies has been steadily improving & today is better than it has ever been.
- Aries - argues that today’s children are more valued.

Question 18

Child-Centred Family

Answer 18

• Higher living standards & smaller family sizes - means that parents can afford for children’s needs.
• March of progress sociologists - argue that it has become child-centred - focal point of the family.

Question 19

Toxic Childhood

Answer 19

Palmer - ‘Toxic Childhood’ - argues that rapid technological & cultural changes have damaged children’s development e.g. intellectual.

Question 20

Conflict View

Answer 20

• Argue that society is based on conflict between different social groups such as social classes or genders.
• Argue that march of progress view of modern childhood is based on a false & idealised image that ignores important inequalities.
• Inequalities among children / between children & adults.

Question 21

Inequalities Among Children

Answer 21

Gender Differences - Hillman (1993) - boys are more likely to go out after dark unaccompanied.
- Ethnic Differences - Brannen (1994) - Asian parents - more likely to be strict towards their daughters.
- Class Differences - Poor mothers - more likely to have low birth-weight babies - linked to delayed development.

Question 22

Inequalities between Children & Adults

Answer 22

• March of progress - argue that adults use power for benefit of children.
• Firestone & Holt (1979) - argue that many things that march of progress see as care & protection are in fact just new forms of oppression & control - ‘child liberationism’.