Assessment 2

...

The psycho-social effects of domestic violence deal with both the psychological and social aspects relating to the social conditions and the mental health of individuals. According to the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, the Psychological effects of domestic violence can be defined as "The systematic use of malicious manipulation through nonphysical acts against an intimate partner, child, or adult". Jeff Packer MSW and Associates declared that Psychological Abuse (Emotional Abuse) is all too often seen as less than important or less serious than physical abuse. GoodTherapy.org suggests that Emotional Abuse is a form of deliberate manipulation that can be used (often by a romantic partner, parent or family member) to maintain control. These types of verbal attacks are usually humiliating and consist of; verbal or physical rejection of one's presence or conversation, intimidation, bullying and even isolation. Therefore, in many cases of abuse (especially intimacy or partner violence), couples' therapy is not recommended as it often leads to further abuse of the said victim or victims. Therefore this type of abuse, unlike that of a physical nature leaves no visible scars or bruises, making it harder to detect according to Cahill, Kaminer, and Johnson (1999). The service providers may not link a person's current issues to earlier psychological abuse. However, there are cases where a victim has doubts about his/her perceptions and fails to connect their problems to past psychological trauma. According to livestrong.com, “the long-term effects of this form of abuse are devastating; longstanding such are depression, withdrawal, low self-esteem and self-worth, sleep disturbances, suicidal inclinations and substance abuse”. If untreated this can affect an individual for the rest of their life and at times, continues even after treatment for the said abuse. Healthyplace.com states that the abuse victim stands a chance of being rehabilitated to a near state of normalcy, but this can only occur when the abused person opens up about the abuse in its entirety. Therefore, the best-recommended treatment for this form of ill-treatment is therapy. Commonly used examples are Individual Therapy, Group Therapy, Journaling, Psychotherapy (talk therapy), Cognitive behavioral therapy and Counseling noted by HealthPlace. Therefore, only with the aid of therapy and counseling will the victim be able to heal and deal with the problems they've faced and those in times to come. Although Psychological and Emotional Abuse occurs in domestic relationships, another form is Social abuse. Sociological effects of abuse are usually well-hidden forms of violence which supports and reinforces other forms of abuse. This type of abuse exists by limiting the victims’ contact with relatives, friends, co-workers and other people. It can also occur by restricting the person's activities and thereby increasing their sense of isolation. Also, this form of abuse can exist in the family, church, school system or social media setting. Feelings such as anger and depression, work as a defence mechanism for individuals that are not as capable at coping or deemed as inferior to their abuser. Societal roles should ensure that abused individuals are protected, and social behaviors maintained and controlled. The symptoms and signs of this form of abuse are as follows: confining a person to their home or room, hindering a person from answering the phone or door, denial of access to transport, intentional embarrassment in a public domain and stalking as acclaimed by Seniors Rights Victorias. Therefore, counseling and therapy can also aid with the relief of this said sociological effect. One philosophy that may help and eliminate the gradual increases in domestic violence is "help a brother in need", talk to a sister who needs an ear and Report abuse to the relevant authorities. Although,psycho-social is one effectof domestic violence another effect is Sexual abuse.(Antoinette)

According to the American Psychological Association, sexual abuse is any unwanted sexual advances or activity, with perpetrators using force, making threats and or taking advantage of victims. Most times, the victims and perpetrators are familiar with each other. A survey conducted by the National Crime Victimization in 1998, aver that Patriarchal Ideology was one of the leading causes of Sexual Abuse against a woman. The belief that men are superior to women and should control all important aspects of society has led to domination over women by men (Tischler 2007, 283). Tischler also affirmed that Gender Role Socialization plays a huge part since men are taught to be dominant and aggressive. This often leads to hyper-masculinity and male peer support for sexually aggressive outbursts/.behaviour. It is of great significance that the victim speaks up and take charge of the situation preferably sooner than later. We now turn our attention to look at sexual assault as an act of violence being the next contributing factor to sexual abuse as declared by the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Centre. It was explained that by this factor, sexual assault is not an act of sexual desire but more desire to hurt, control and humiliate the victim. Sexual assault is, therefore, an act of violence, with sex being the weapon of choice. The reality is that sexual assault in itself is a vicious, violent act whether or not it is accompanied by other forms of violence. Research shows that the primary motivating factors are anger and the wish to dominate but rarely: sexual desire. As proclaimed by The Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN), learned behavior is another contributing factor in Sexual Abuse. This theory states that cultural norms and expectations facilitate acceptance of sexual assault. Male honor, masculinity, and sexual entitlement contribute to a doctrine of male superiority, thus fostering an environment where sexual assault is both common and accepted. RAINN also indicated that for many people who have been impacted by sexual assault, current and long-term safety can be an ongoing concern. Safety planning is a must and frequent brainstorming ways to stay safe may help reduce the risk of future harm. A major consideration, especially in cases where sexual abuse is a result of violence, may be becoming aware of your daily routine and beginning to alter it over time, constantly changing up the way you commute and taking different routes or various modes of transportation usually proves to be a useful measure. In conclusion, Sexual abuse is a serious social and public health issue in today's world. Most times, women are comprise the majority of victims of sexual abuse, while men are nearly always the perpetrators. A National survey in the United States estimates that one in six women has experienced an attempted or completed