Understanding Family Violence, Abuse, and Neglect

                                                             

Violence and abuse in the family refer to behaviours in a family that is physically and emotionally harmful that happens between members of a family or members of a household. This includes child neglect, child abuse, intimate partner’s abuse and violence, marital rape, and older people’s abuse. 

The violent, abuse and neglect of a household member could be a learned behaviour that can be unlearned through therapy. Perpetrators of this act try to isolate the family to keep it secret and avoid preying eyes that could report the abuse to appropriate authorities thus avoiding sanctions. 

They are also usually people who have some power and control over the other members of the family or household. Some of the perpetrators of the violent and abusive acts often are into drug use such drugs as amphetamine, PCP, cocaine etc.Abuse and violence could manifest in various forms like:

1. Physical abuse that includes hitting, kicking, punching, shoving, stabbing, shooting, and withholding food, medication, wheelchair, and fluids. 

2. Sexual abuse includes coercion, marital rape, and withholding sex. 

3.Psychological abuse includes threat, harassment, and blackmail.

4. Emotional abuse includes name-calling, insults, and ridicule.

5. Economic abuse includes total control over finance, running up bills, forbidding school or work.

Myths and Reality about Violence

Family violence occurs at all levels of society. Separation or divorce may not end violence. Abuser does not need to be provoked. Some people who have survived violence tend to blame themselves wrongly.

The ideal thing is to treat the violence as well as the alcohol, drug, stress, and mental health problems if any. Violence also occurs between gays and lesbians. Abused women are discouraged from disclosure by threats, fear, denial and disbelief expressed by ‘confidants'.

There are some major ways of handling abuse and violent manifestations in a home. The method where the therapist is seen as having more knowledge than the abuser; where the survivor of the violence is responsible for ending it.

The best approach however, is the method where the therapist, the abuser, and the victim should share knowledge and plan ways to handle the situation.