Power and Violence in Families Chapter 12 Power and Violence in Families

Chapter Outline What is Power? Classical Perspectives on Marital Power Current Research on Couple Power Power Politics versus Freely Cooperative Relationships Family Violence Gender and Intimate Partner Violence

Chapter Outline Violence Against Children-Child Maltreatment Sibling Violence Child-to-Parent Violence Stopping Family Violence

Power Power is the ability to exercise one’s will. Personal power or autonomy – power exercised over oneself Social power – the ability of people to exercise their wills over the wills of others Parental power – power between parents and children Marital power – power between married partners

Six Bases of Power Coercive power – based on dominant partner’s ability to punish partner with psychological, emotional, or physical abuse Reward power – based on ability to give material or nonmaterial gifts and favors

Six Bases of Power Expert power – stems from dominant partner’s superior judgment, knowledge or ability Informational power – based on the persuasive content of what the dominant partner tells another individual

Six Bases of Power Referent power – based on less dominant partner’s emotional identification with the dominant partner Legitimate power – based on individual’s ability to claim authority

Bases of Social Power as Applied to the Family

Classical Perspectives on Marital Power Research on marital power began in the 1950s. Today, research in this area is highly politicized.

The Resource Hypothesis Spouse with more resources has more power in the marriage Focuses on background characteristics and doesn’t consider how partners interact Explains marital power only when there is no overriding egalitarian or patriarchal norm

Resources and Gender Power-granting resources are socially structured by gender and hence unevenly distributed in heterosexual relationships. Although more couples today are moving toward equal, or egalitarian relationships, research continues to support Gillespie’s insight that American marriages are not yet fully equal

Resources in Cultural Context Perspective that resources are not effective in conferring marital power in traditional societies that legitimate male dominance with a patriarchal norm. When traditional norms of male authority are strong, husbands will likely dominate regardless of the partners’ personal resources.

Current Research on Couple Power Current research measures couple power in the following four ways: Decision Making Division of Labor Allocation of Money Ability to Influence

Generations and Power How mothers and fathers spend their time, 1965 and 2011: Average number of hours per week spent on…

This family is having breakfast in a household where roles may be somewhat differentiated by gender. Working for wages or even outearning a husband are resources that enhance a wife's conjugal power. However, she still may not be a fully equal partner (Teachman 2010). In this photo, is mom standing so that she can more readily serve whoever might need something?

Diversity and Marital Power Because the United States is a pluralistic society, we expect to find varied visions and enactments of marital power. Egalitarian Unions Gender-Modified Egalitarian Unions Neotraditional Unions Immigration and Marital Power

Power Politics Versus Freely Cooperative Relationships Power asymmetry often characterizes dissatisfied couples Supportive partners avoid power politics.

Developing a Freely Cooperative Relationship Partners who see themselves as mutually respected, equally committed, and listened to when they raise concerns are more likely to see their relationship as egalitarian and are more satisfied overall with their relationship. Changing power patterns can be difficult.

Family Violence The use of physical violence to gain or demonstrate power in a family relationship has occurred throughout history, but only in the last 50 years has violence been labeled a social problem. Intimate Partner Violence: Spouses, ex-spouses, and current or former boyfriends or girlfriends, including same-sex partners, are considered intimate partners.

Intimate Partner Violence Nonfatal Victimization Rates, by sex,1993–2010

The Incidence of Intimate Partner Violence Intimate Partner Violence has declined significantly in recent decades. Family violence still makes up 11% of all violence and 1/3 of all police recorded violence.

Correlates of Family Violence Cohabitating couples have more IPV. Those who are exposed to family violence in childhood are more likely than other to abuse their own children and spouses. Stress is another contributing factor.

Gender and Intimate Partner Violence There are conflicting findings about whether IPV is asymmetrical (with men abusing women) or symmetrical (with both parties contributing equally. Evidence suggests that IPV by women is largely in self-defense.

Research on Intimate Partner Violence Situational Couple Violence Mutual violence between partners that often occurs in conjunction with a specific argument Involves fewer instances, is not likely to escalate, and tends to be less severe Intimate Terrorism Abuse that is almost entirely male and that is oriented to controlling the partner through fear and intimidation

Two Forms of IPV—Intimate Terrorism Versus Situational Couple Violence

Intimate terrorism and the cycle of violence

Facts about Families: Signs of Intimate Terrorism There are clear signs of Intimate Terrorism. Dominance Humiliation Isolation Threats Intimidation There are clear signs about commitment to change as well.

Power and Control Wheel: Behaviors Some Male Partners Use for Power and Control

Why Do Intimate Terrorists Do It? Attempt to compensate for feelings of powerlessness or inadequacy Attempt to maintain control over partners trying to become independent of the relationship

Why Do Victims Continue to Live With It? Fear Cultural norms – women encouraged to put up with abuse Love Economic dependence

Why Do Victims Continue to Live With It? Hopes for change Belief that it’s a woman’s responsibility to keep a relationship from failing Childhood experiences with domestic violence Low self-esteem

Conceptual Model of Abused Women’s Stay/Leave Decision-Making Process

Violence Against Children Child maltreatment: covers both abuse and neglect The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act defines child abuse and neglect as the “physical or mental injury, sexual abuse, or negligent treatment of a child under the age of 18 by a person who is responsible for the child’s welfare…”

Violence Against Children Child Abuse: overt acts of aggression Child Neglect: includes acts of omission, failing to provide adequate physical or emotional care Data from 1992 to 2007 show a 52% decline in physical abuse. Fatalities of children from abuse and neglect increased 15% from 2006 to 2007.

Violence Against Children Emotional child abuse or neglect: involves a parent’s being overly harsh and critical, failing to provide guidance, or being uninterested in a child’s needs Sexual Abuse: a child’s being forced, tricked, or coerced, by an older person, into sexual behavior for the purposes of sexual gratification or financial gain Incest: sexual relations between related individuals

Risk Factors For Child Abuse A belief in physical punishment Parents who have unrealistic expectations about what the child is capable of Parents who abuse were often abused or neglected as children. Parental stress and feelings of helplessness

Child-to-Parent Violence Relative little research in this area Adolescent boys are the most frequent perpetrators, with their growth in size and strength associated with increases in violence. Overly permissive parents and those who abandon their authority in response to the violence tend to see more of it.

Stopping Family Violence Micro, or Relationship Approaches Macro, or Structural Approaches

Stopping Relationship Violence Separating Victim from Perpetrator A network of shelters for battered women provides a woman and her children with temporary housing, food, and clothing to alleviate the problems of economic dependency. They also provide counseling, guidance in attaining employment, and legal assistance.

Stopping Relationship Violence The Criminal Justice Response Little legal protection for battered women in the past. Laws have changed to make arrests for domestic violence more feasible, and some states have policies that mandate arrest in certain situations. A literal reading of mandatory arrest law has resulted in the arrest of victims. The drop in male homicide rate is attributed to the greater availability of options for abused women.

Stopping Relationship Violence The Therapeutic Approach Approximately 25% of male abusers engage in repeat intimate partner violence. It is difficult to evaluate the success of intervention programs because of design problems, low response rates, and high dropout rates. Couples’ therapy programs are somewhat controversial because they proceed from the premise that a couple’s staying together without violence after an abusive past is possible.

Macro, or Structural Approach A macro approach notes the social, cultural, and economic context of family violence, then provides programs and services to help reduce or otherwise address it. Unfortunately, statewide, and regional budget cuts, along with increasing difficulty of competition for donor funding have resulted in program closings.