Alcohol and Drug Abuse in Men Who Sustain IPV - Article Example

Alcohol and Drug Abuse in Men who Sustain IPV Summary The article aims at clarifying and addressing the issue of male Intimate Partner Violence (I) for an easier and better understanding by the readers. It offers solutions to the questions about the existence of an inherent relationship between alcoholism and IPV. The article presents numerous examples tending to answer and explain the highlighted questions. Hines and Douglas (2012, p.31) presents research by Simon et al. 2008 asserting that IPV victimization associates with increased rates of alcohol and drug use. The study proves that men are at a high risk of IPV than the women. The issue is a concern to many nations since the victims tend to adopt behavioral changes that significantly lower their productivity. The lowered productivity derails economic growth as it lowers the per capita income and the level of natural resource exploitation. The research involves location of credible literatures addressing the topic and using their weaknesses and shortcomings as the beginning point for the study. The literatures contain prior investigations that other people did about the topic under study before. The study will intend to go beyond the extents the prior literatures failed to reach to come up with a comprehensive outcome and result. The literatures are available scholarly websites and libraries such as ProQuest and EBSCOhost. For instance, the article research uses Kilpatrick et al. 1997 study asserting that alcohol and drug abuse are risk factors for sustaining IPV. The research herein in Hines and Douglas (2012, p.32) research advances from this point to address specific issues revolving around the pre-identified risk factor. Research by Kilpatrick et al. (1997) indicates that alcohol and drug abuse causes certain lifestyle changes and modification that increases an individual’s likelihood to be a victim of IPV. The second strategy will be to subject a given sample of the victims to a close monitor and observation. The monitor and observation will aim at identifying the behavioral and lifestyle modifications and changes. It is possible to conduct a thorough scrutiny on the victims given that a manageable portion is secluded specifically for the study. The researcher may gather a broad spectrum of information and effects as relates to the field of study. The final methodology that the research employs in extracting the essential information about the subject of study is through the administration of questionnaires. The questionnaires contain relevant questions on the subject of study. The questions are simple, precise, and easy for interpretation both by the literate and illiterate members of the society. Both the males and females will fill in the questionnaires including some of the children who form part of the critical witnesses to IPV. The analysis and scrutiny reveals a clear correlation that exists between alcoholism and drug abuse to IPV. The alcoholic and drug users tested positive for IPV from the monitor. Therefore, the victims should undergo a rehabilitation process to help them avoid alcoholism and drug usage to eliminate IPV as a menace. From a different perspective, the non-alcoholic and non-drug users tested negative for IPV. The non-alcoholic are rational hence there were no reports of IPV from the non-alcoholic families sampled. IPV victims opt for alcohol and other drugs as an alternative stress relief mechanism. The alcoholism stirs IPV further since the users’ reaction as subject to the substances compulsion. Avoiding alcohol can be a quicker means of stopping and dealing with IPV among partners. The state should enact strict policies regulating alcohol consumption and drug use. The policies will help in ensuring responsible alcohol consumption thus reducing instances of IPV. The research failed to give the exact percentage or probability that relates alcoholism and IPV. Further researches should be precise to include the exact probability figure that links alcoholism and IPV. The further studies should not be partisan and should be gender sensitive to incorporate both gender and ages for the research. Critique of the Article The article by Hines and Douglas (2012) has a broad title that does point to the direct course that the research would take. The research should be precise to specify a particular aspect that the research investigates concerning the field of study. The research does not specify whether the males or females plays are the primary contributors to IPV. The IPV problem is practically important since it is a determinant of the productivity and extent of natural resource exploitation within a country or state. The prevalence of the problem reduces human resource exploitation leading to wastage. IPV causes homelessness and divorce both of which are a menace to most states in America. The affected and unaffected states, therefore, should invest heavily in researches aiming to investigate and recommend the best preventive measures to take to eradicate the menace. According to Kilpatrick et al. (1997), as the cited in the article, two possibilities help in the approximation of the frequency of drug abuse and alcohol consumption. The first possibility asserts that alcoholism or drug abuse is risk factors for becoming a victim of IPV. The possibility entails many assumptions since there is no scientific proof given to affirm it. The second possibility asserts that IPV is a risk factor for alcoholism and drug usage. The two possibilities are not comprehensive since the research does not give scientific proofs or evidences to accord them credit. The study involved diagnostic interview as a methodology for extracting the essential study data concerning the relationship between alcoholism and IPV. The method used is not credible thereby rendering the research incomprehensive. Because the data collected is misleading, the subsequent drafts and tables drawn will be unreliable in formulating recommendations for practice. Hines and Douglas (2012) involved sampling of two classes of participants, an assisting class, and the other society class. The men sampled were adults of between 18 to 59 years of age with a target total participants size as 265. The sampling incorporated all the essential features to ensure that the samples were representative of the larger population. The research fully entrusted the respondents to express integrity and full honesty in giving valuable responses for the research. The full dependence on the respondents renders the discredits the research, as the respondents are prone to lies and exaggeration of issues. The physical assault scars used in the classification of respondents under assisting class is unreliable. There are not dependable formulae usable in linking the scars to IPV. The scars could be from diverse origins hence the information offered or acquired from this system are not all realistic. The research has a weakness in entirely focusing on the men making only the men respondents while IPV is a problem that cuts across both genders. The limitation of the central focus indicates the unfair and partisan aspects of the article. The study results hint at the existence of a link between alcoholism in men and IPV. Alcoholism reduces productivity of a country’s human labor; that lowers the extent of natural resource exploitation. The per capita will eventually reduce with increase in the dependency ratio, all aspects that derail the national economic growth in the affected states. The article is unfair in its failure to analyze and examine both genders in the investigation of the subject under study. It is, therefore, unethical to compel both genders to adopt and practice a one-sided research’s recommendations. The findings are, however, essential to mapping and designing strategies to recommend controlling alcoholism in men because of IPV. The states should impose hefty penalties on the perpetrators of IPV to discourage and reduce the prevalence of the menace. Overall Evaluation The article works on a variety of assumption rendering men as the only victims of IPV. From the rational and logical perspective, IPV affects both the men and women hence the article is not diverse in its comprehensive scope. The research compels users to assume a similar link exists between men and women as concern IPV. The article uses unreliable methods of sampling and data collection. The unreliability of the data collection compromises the quality of the results and the recommendations designed from them. The states and concerned authorities should ensure that future researches factor in both genders in its investigations. The article will be of benefit to men as it entirely considers them in the investigations. The men’s social life and behavioral modifications in relation to IPV and alcoholism is a major concern for this research hence it can help shape the men. The findings and recommendations that the research draws suits men as the whole investigation process focused on them. The research, however, is important since it reveals the link that exists between alcoholism and IPV. IPV induced alcoholism is best managed and controlled by eliminating the possible causes of IPV. The study, however, reveals partial and unfair data as it bases on the assumption that IPV only affects one gender. Future researches should focus on both the genders in its research for a link and comprehensive connection between alcoholism or drug use and IPV. Future researches should also design new strategies of sampling and categorization of the respondents into the classes. References Hines, D. A., & Douglas, E. M. (2012). Alcohol and Drug Abuse in Men Who Sustain Intimate Partner Violence. Aggressive Behavior, 38(1), 31-46. Read More