Social Construction of Family Violence

The Social Construction of Family Violence Silvia M. Straka CLSC René-Cassin

Agenda Social construction of social problems theory Practitioners’ roles in the social construction of social problems The example of “wife abuse” The example of child neglect The example of elder abuse Summary

What is a Social Problem? Social problems were previously seen as having an objective reality they exist separate from our interpretation of them they reflect a departure from a cultural/social ideal these “objective realities” were the focus of sociological research

Social Constructionist View Social problems are social constructions they are products of claims-making (Kitsuse & Spector) different claimsmakers have different agendas there are debates about how to define the problem and its solutions social constructionism is a different view there is an objective reality to most social problems, but the focus of study is on the claims-making process, rather than the problem itself

How are Social Problems Constructed? social problems are constructed at many levels culture: cultural images, categories and stereotypes mass media: primary and secondary claims-making public life human services and social control organizations (Miller & Holstein, 1997)

Practitioners’ Roles in the Social Construction of Social Problems this level of social problems work is very concrete workers and organizations define who is a client, therefore, who has the problem example of practice decisions: victim of abuse; perpetrator child abuse: “normal” spanking or physical abuse wife abuse: marital conflict, “mutual abuse,” or wife abuse? elder abuse: mental health, caregiving, elder abuse

Loseke’s Work on Battered Women three new terms in 1970s: social problem of wife abuse social collectivity of battered women social service of women’s shelters Loseke studied how shelter workers, on a case-by-case basis, transformed elements of individual women’s experiences and stories into those of a “battered woman” or “not battered woman,” and also into an “appropriate client” or “not appropriate client”

Shelters result of successful claims-making wife abuse is a social problem battered women are a special and deserving client population thus we need a new kind of social service

Wife Abuse originally it was about “wives” one-way violence victims who do not cause their abuse husbands repeatedly and intentionally use extreme forms of violence causing injuries to the victim set apart from “normal” violence note: currently referred to more commonly as conjugal violence, domestic violence, spousal abuse (result of counter claims-making)

Battered Women Question of why do wives stay? Answer: they are not only abused, but trapped for numerous reasons financial social conditioning about marriage, femininity, etc. fear psychological immobility from prolonged abuse abuse causes low self-esteem, etc. creation of collectivity of “battered women” creation of shelters to serve this collectivity

Definition of Shelter Clients Formal definition of clients: battered women, low on financial or human resources (in need) battered women women-in-transition (without safe housing for any reason): contested by workers Workers definitions of appropriate clients: need the shelter can be helped by the shelter likely to be acceptable members of shelter commune

Practicalities of Client Selection initially little or no client screening done, but too many women with too many kinds of problems were accepted needed to screen to maintain acceptable numbers of clients and appropriate clients difficult to decide on acceptable number unpredictability current mix of women and children special needs urgent cases

Client selection (2) difficult to determine appropriateness in practice heterogeneity of women and situations problems might be judged as “too severe” to be helped here are women’s stories truthful? woman has resources to go elsewhere but might “need” the supportive shelter environment workers judgments of appropriateness often conflicting Loseke shows how workers construct a woman as an appropriate client or not, and how complex, subjective and inconsistent this can be

Access to Services shelters: depends on being labelled “battered woman” accessing youth protection services in Montreal: which situations are easiest to get services for and which are most difficult?

Example of Child Neglect focus is on child abuse (physical and sexual) rather than neglect, even though half or more child protection cases are neglect media stories research theories child abuse is constructed as a problem of individual/family pathology and/or stress yet neglect is clearly associated with structural factors interventions are aimed at the individual/family level for both abuse and neglect

Child Neglect (2) there are virtually no interventions specific to neglect neglect continues to be responded to with a family preservation approach numerous short-term placements into foster homes, alternated with returns to the family interventions aimed at the mother empirical evidence shows these interventions are very ineffective for child neglect

Questions for Reflection Why have there been no alternative constructions of the problem with no alternative solutions? Who can advocate and become claimsmakers for such alternatives? What are the forces preventing this?

The Case of Elder Abuse child abuse (1960s & 1970s) wife abuse (1970s and 1980s) elder abuse (1980s and 1990s) social construction of older adult as frail, vulnerable, in need of protection old age viewed as a disability: loss and decline model of aging responses inspired more by child abuse discourse rather than wife abuse discourse protective legislation: quickly implemented without empirical evidence

Claimsmakers in Elder Abuse experts as claimsmakers: professionals in health care settings (geriatric, homecare, hospitals, etc.) whose clientele tend to be more frail researchers “ missing” voices: older adults community organizations thus we have a very specific construction of the problem from a very specific perspective

The Social Construction of Elder Abuse (by Professionals) what is elder abuse? self-neglect is considered elder abuse in the U.S. issue of intent: not needed, e.g. cognitive impairment caregiving paradigm caregiver stress is key theory of causality medical model: focus on risk factors, screening procedures, assessment, and treatment

Implications of the Current Construction of Elder Abuse emphasis on physical harm from abuse or neglect despite reports that the greatest experienced harm is emotional and psychological de-emphasis and lack of theories and specific responses to some categories of abuse conjugal violence perpetrates the “ageing enterprise” policy priorities and funding are often directed at health and social services agencies and institutions ex. training of professionals, development of protocols, development of instruments, multidisciplinary teams, etc.

Summary An opportunity to reflect on practice: family violence is a social construction the roles practitioners play in “social problems work” to be more conscious in your practice to sometimes challenge existing constructions to see how a social constructionist perspective can help renew practice

Social Construction of Family Violence

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Social Construction of Family Violence