Shannon Crockett 1 Essays

Shannon Crockett 1 Essays Shannon Crockett 1 Essay Shannon Crockett 1 Essay and B. Duran) Victims often have some common characteristics which complicate yet streamline awareness during the counseling experience. Statistics show women who are victims of domestic violence often in high percentages in the following categories: Abuse alcohol or other substances. Have been previously abused. Are pregnant. Are poor and have limited support. Have partners who abuse alcohol or other substances. Have left their abuser before. Have requested a restraining order against the abuser. Are members of ethnic minority or immigrant groups. Have traditional beliefs that women should be submissive to men. Do not speak English. While it occurs far less often than men battering women, women sometimes batter their male partners. How often women abuse men is the subject of much debate. â€Å"Studies report that women are victims of domestic violence at least three times more often than men. † (Malcoe, L. , and B. Duran) However, some men’s groups argue that information on battered men is inaccurate. One reason for this, they say, is that some data have probably been kept out of studies because it is ‘politically incorrect’ or ‘embarrassing’. Also, a woman hit by a man is more likely to be seriously injured than a man who is hit by a woman. For this reason, male victims are less likely to seek medical attention or other help. So critics say that statistics based on reports to professionals or reports of hospital treatment doesn’t reflect the true number of male victims. Male advocates also argue that men don’t get equal protection under the domestic violence laws. In South Carolina there are not any DV shelters for men. The courts and police have previously practiced a double standard- when men are injured and report the attack to the police, they are not taken seriously. â€Å"Victimization rates vary among different minority populations. The highest reported rates are for Native American women. † (Malcoe, L. , and B. Duran) Incidentally this male population also has the highest reported alcoholism rate. Relationship of Domestic Violence Victims to Offenders Victim to Offender RelationshipNumberPct. Boyfriend/Girlfriend15,23628. 4 Spouse14,97727. 9 Common law spouse5,3119. 9 Sibling3,7757. 0 Parent3,5366. 6 Other family member3,2576. 1 Child3,0985. 8 Ex-spouse1,2852. 4 In-law1,1552. 1 Stepchild7011. 3 Stepparent5381. 0 Grandparent2310. 4 Child of boy/girlfriend2170. 4 Grandchild1860. 3 Homosexual Relation1170. 2 Stepsibling740. 1 Babysitter310. Source: SCIBRS, SLED Domestic Violence Victims by Race and Sex Race/SexNumberPct. White female20,22237. 7 Non-white female19,98237. 2 White male6,93612. 9 Non-white male6,51712. 1 Note: There were 68 cases in which either race or sex was reported as unknown. Source: SCIBRS, SLED It is important to note that although white domestic violence victims outnumber non-white dome stic violence victims, the white population in South Carolina is approximately twice the size of the non-white population. Ethnicity, defined within SCIBRS as Hispanic or non-Hispanic, was not a significant factor. Only 337 (0. %) victims of domestic violence were reported to be Hispanic. Victims of domestic violence were more often young and middle-aged adults. The single largest age group of domestic violence victims was the age 26 to 34 group which accounts for 30. 4%. Counseling victims of any ethnicity should be done in a manner which does not group or classify victims based on racial predispositions or slang thoughts. Domestic Violence Victims by Age Group AgeNumberPct. 0 to 122,3234. 3 13 to 173,7947. 1 18 to 2411,42921. 4 25 to 3416,25130. 4 35 to 4412,82124. 0 45 to 544,5278. 5 55 to 641,3662. 6 65 and older9191. 7 Note: 295 cases missing age data Source: SCIBRS, SLED The counseling field should be cautious of being more sensitive to a certain age group as being vulnerable even though vulnerability is evident in some groups. Allowing yourself to feel more empathy for one group verses another could easily be perceived as you believing perhaps another group could have somehow prevented the abuse. Audra J. Bowlus Shannon Seitz, 2006. Domestic Violence, Employment, And Divorce, International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 7(4), pages 1113-1149, November. Catalano, S. Intimate Partner Violence in the United States. Washington, DC: U. S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, December 2007, www. ojp. usdoj. gov/bjs/intimate/ipv. htm Hugo Mialon Sue Mialon, 2006. Violence against women, social learning, and deterrence, Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 367-382, October. Malcoe, L. , and B. Duran. â€Å"Intimate Partner Violence and Injury in the Lives of Low-Income can Women. † Violence Within the Family, including National Institute of Justice, grant number 5R03-DA/AA11154. Washington, DC: U. S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, 2004, NCJ 199703. ncjrs. gov/App/Publications/abstract. aspx? ID=199703 Criminal Offense Definitions Aggravated Assault: An unlawful attack by one person upon another wherein the offender uses a weapon or displays it in a threatening manner, or the victim suffers obvious severe or aggravated bodily injury involving apparent broken bones, loss of teeth, possible internal injury, severe laceration, or loss of consciousness. This also includes assault with disease (as in cases when the offender is aware that he/she is infected with a deadly disease and deliberately attempts to inflict the disease by biting, spitting, etc. ). Forcible Fondling: The touching of the private body parts of another person for the purpose of sexual gratification, forcibly and/or against that person’s will; or not forcibly or against that person’s will where the victim is incapable of giving consent because of his/her youth or because of his/her temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity. Forcible Sodomy: Oral or anal sexual intercourse with another person, forcibly and/or against that person’s will; or not forcibly or against the person’s will where the victim is incapable of giving consent because of his/her youth or because of his/her temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity. Incest: Non-forcible sexual intercourse between persons who are related to each other within the degrees wherein marriage is prohibited by law. Intimidation: To unlawfully place another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words and/or other conduct, but without displaying a weapon or subjecting the victim to actual physical attack. Murder: The willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another. Rape: The carnal knowledge of a person, forcibly and/or against that person’s will; or not forcibly or against the person’s will where the victim is incapable of giving consent because of his/her temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity. This does not include statutory rape. ) Robbery: The taking, or attempting to take, anything of value under confrontational circumstance from the control, custody, or care of another person by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear of immediate harm. Simple Assault: An unlawful physical attack by one person upon another where neither the offender displays a weapon, nor the victim suffers obvious severe or aggravated bodily injury involving apparent broken bones, loss of teeth, possible internal injury, severe laceration, or loss of consciousness. Sexual Assault with an Object: To use an object or instrument to unlawfully penetrate, however slightly, the genital or anal opening of the body of another person, forcibly and/or against that person’s will; or not forcibly or against the person’s will where the victim is incapable of giving consent because of his/her youth or because of his/her temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity. Statutory Rape: Non-forcible sexual intercourse with a person who is under the statutory age of consent. (FBI, 1996) For years victims of domestic violence have been labeled co-dependent. The following is a set of characteristics of a co-dependent as offered by Co-Dependents Anonymous, compared with the reality of a woman who is abused. CO-DEPENDENT: I take responsibility for others feelings and/or behaviors. ABUSED: I am held responsible for my abusers feelings and/or behaviors. CO-DEPENDENT: I feel overly responsible for others feelings and/or behaviors. ABUSED: For my safety, I must be aware of my abusers feelings and/or behaviors. CO-DEPENDENT: I have difficulty expressing my feelings. ABUSED: If I express my feelings, I jeopardize my safety. CO-DEPENDENT: I have difficulty in forming and/or maintaining close relationships. ABUSED: It is dangerous for me to form or maintain close relationships. CO-DEPENDENT: I am afraid of being hurt or rejected. ABUSED: Having been hurt and rejected, I am scared of re-victimization. CO-DEPENDENT: I tend to harshly judge everything I do, think, or say, by someone elses standards. Nothing is done, said or thought good enough. ABUSED: My abuser harshly judges everything I do, think, or say. Nothing I do is good enough. CO-DEPENDENT: I question or ignore my own values to connect with significant others. I value others opinions more than my own. ABUSED: My values and opinions are questioned/ignored by my abuser. For my safety I do not express my own opinions. CO-DEPENDENT: My self-esteem is bolstered by outer/other influences. ABUSED: My self-esteem is systematically destroyed by my abusers tactics. Checklists to help you determine if you are in an abusive relationship. You are probably the victim of emotional abuse if your partner: Repeatedly gives you destructive criticism, verbal threats and browbeating. Always claims to be right. Excludes you from making decisions and claims to be the head of the household. Abuses your trust by lying, hiding important information and papers, cheating or being inappropriately jealous. Minimizes or denies abusive behavior. Constantly shows disrespect, puts you down or embarrasses you in front of others. Harasses you by following you or checking up on you. Prevents you from seeing your relatives or friends or insists on going everywhere with you. Monitors your phone calls. The next list includes signs of physical abuse. You are a victim of physical abuse if your partner: Intimidates you through angry or threatening gestures. Destroys your belongings or household items. Coerces you to have sex or perform sexual acts against your will. Kicks, bites, stabs, pushes, burns or chokes you. Uses weapons to thr eaten or harm you or others you love. If you answered â€Å"yes† to one or more of these questions, or experience these forms of emotional and physical abuse in your relationship, you should seek help. Abuse is not acceptable behavior and is not something you should just learn to live with. Don’t be a victim that keeps this a silent disease. Seek help from relatives, friends, law enforcement or community resources. With their help, you may be able to stop the abuse or, if necessary, leave the relationship. Realize that once the abuse has started, it will nearly always get worse.