Domestic Violence by Women - Case Study Example

Domestic Violence Name Institution Introduction Traditionally, domestic violence has been understood to be a crime done by men against defenseless women. To date, few records have been kept about cases of men being abused by women. This case study is about John, aged 43, a victim of domestic violence by his wife Sally aged 42. Despite being hit by his wife in two incidences, he did not report until the third time when he went to an emergency after having serious cuts on his head. After this incident, they were advised to seek counseling and it appeared that from time to time Sally has been throwing things at him such as spoon, book, and tray with intention of hurting him. In other instances there were other times she would push him, and hit him. However, in all these cases, the two made up and continued staying together. Analysis of the Case and the Needs of Each Client The perpetrator (Sally) needed emotional security from his husband. She needed attention, acceptance, respect, passion, security and other things that a woman might want from a man in a relationship. John failed to fulfill her desire of feeling ‘safe’ with him. In the first incidence during their early twenties, sally slapped him while at a party when she saw him flirting with another woman. There was enough evidence for her to conclude that something was going on between the two since they held hands, smiled at each other, and kept eye contact for a minute without talking. This must have made her jealous and angry hence; the conflict. In the second incidence, John failed to remember a very important day in her life. Most women consider birthdays to be a special occasion and would want those close to them to take it seriously. For instance, a Russian woman killed her husband because he forgot her 45th birthday. In the third instance, John failed to show support while mourning her grandmother who was so close to her. She even set a date for them to have a quite night so as to talk with him and share how she missed her grandmother. When Sally arrived from work that night, she found him watching a movie. He did not even realize that he forgot her a very important moment for a wife. He watched the movie for two hours then went over to Sally and asked her what was there for dinner. She was so angry and she started throwing things at him. In the other instances, I am sure John must have also provoked her to push him or throw things at him because we cannot conclude that Sally is a perpetually violent person. The needs of the Victim and the perpetrator Men differ a lot from women. Unlike women, men do not find the importance of every aspect in life and attach less sentimental value to some things that seem important to women. They tend to forget things like birthdays and anniversaries. Such things are not a priority to them. Some men have busy schedules at work and would prefer others things such as watching soccer, movies or going on a fishing trip with the people. John needs to come home and do his work in peace; he also needs proper communication with Sally. Sally is interested in having John interested in her and paying attention to her. This has contributed to her frustrations and anger, and instead of expressing them well she has become violent (Adwoa, 2013). The counselor’s duty of care As a counselor there are legal obligations guide me towards providing reasonable care in my line of duty. In the process of counseling, I may ask certain questions that can drive the patients to the edge. Therefore, I should try to ensure that I do not exceed the limits: the principles of my duty of care are listed below: Confidentiality; mental health professionals should address the issue of confidentiality in a clear manner. Confidentiality is a legal standard and an ethical issue, which restricts volunteering of information outside the court and any other interested parties. According to Daniel Sonkin, confidentiality is important because of the sensitivity of the domestic violence, therefore, a counselor should begin assessment by procuring a proper authorization. Informed consent: it is important for each client to understand informed consent and agree to the rules of that program prior to the therapy treatment. According to Daniel Sonkin, informed consent should be represented in writing. It entails the limits of the treatment depending on the seriousness of the violence. Therefore, a specific statement to all parties will communicate the seriousness of domestic violence while at the same time present a sobering statement about the real chance that violence will continue and may become more serious over time (Welfel, 2008) Scope of license: people treating such cases of violence should be licensed and recognized by the laws. For domestic violent treatment to be effective it should be handled by professionals within the scope of practice. It is critical for domestic violence treatment providers to obtain a comprehensive training in domestic violence intervention and theory because some clients might be violent during treatment. Other ethical and legal considerations With recent increase in cases of domestic violence, there are mandatory laws for arrest and treatment programs around the country. Women arrested for domestic violence are referred for these treatment programs. Family safety is the main concern in these programs. There are legal and ethical issues that must be addressed when developing such programs. The decisions that show sensitivity to legal and ethical considerations must be made by treating the one with appropriate consultation from friends, supervisor, or family members (Moore, 2008) Domestic violence entails violating somebody’s rights and it is a criminal offence. As a counselor I should let the victims be aware of the legal options of domestic violence. Though victims come to counseling in order to avoid the legal option it is wise to inform them that there are other options. If the marriage cannot work because of violence, as a counselor I should refer the patient to groups that are against domestic violence. Such groups are safety havens and most of the time they provide free legal services for the victim. Other main ethical issues that I will have to observe during the counseling sessions are concepts of autonomy, justice, beneficence, non-maleficence, and self-interest. Counseling is way of helping people make better decisions in life. I will not dictate to Sally and John on how they are supposed to run their lives. They are individual people who can determine their own actions. It is ethical that I adhere to providing guidance only and respect autonomy. Beneficence is an ethical concept that guides counselors. It is our duty to ensure that our clients get better. Nothing is satisfying as seeing a client feel better about himself. As a counselor I will go out of my way to ensure that the issue between John and Sally is solved. If I cannot handle it, it is ethically expected of me to refer them to other professionals who will handle this case well (Pearson, 1997) Non-maleficence is an ethical consideration that is used commonly in the medical profession. Counselors have borrowed this term because the patients who come to see us are in need of treatment. Non-maleficence means do no harm. As a counselor, I have to assess the patient well before using interventions that might harm the patients. Depending on the assessment, certain interventions could have a negative impact on the patient, in Sally’s case if I adopt certain cases it might make her more violent Another ethical consideration that will come in handy is the justice. In this case Sally seems to be on the wrong, but we have to look at issues that might have brought the violent behavior. As a counselor, I am not expected to judge. Therefore I should not discriminate among the patients if I think the patient is wrong. As a counselor it is my duty to detect inequity in a person’s life or relationship and work on that, not to create one. In this case sally is perpetrator of violence, but I need to help her not judge her and make her feel bad. The last ethical consideration that will come in handy is fidelity. I need to nurture trust between me and my patients such that they will be free to tell me everything. As a counselor I need to put the needs of the client first and build a good relationship. Loyalty to clients is a good thing, because they will feel that I really have their backs (Welfel, 2008) Other legal considerations is ensuring the patients safety and avoiding negligence. A client- counselor relationship is a vulnerable relationship that needs a good environment in order to thrive. Physical and psychological safety is necessary, though john seems to need both more than sally in this case. Maintaining privacy and confidentiality as well as security of patients are ethical responsibilities that counselors are bestowed with. In dealing with violence against men such factors should be maintained because it is a vulnerable case. The society is accustomed to violence against women, not violence against men. However, there are certain areas where professionals face difficult legal and ethical decisions in treating this population particularly the court-mandated clients. These include the following (Anastasia & Suellen, 2008) Appropriate interventions Intervention in domestic violence entails protection, problem solving and healing. In ensuring a client’s protection there should be safety planning and lethality assessment. Safety planning entails coming up with techniques of reducing risks posed by the batterer. If the victim is going to stay in the relationship he should be armed with short term and long-term strategies surviving just in case violence strikes again. Theories that come in handy during the intervention are cognitive theories, psycho education and experiential theories. Under the protective stage I have to develop a constant and supportive relationship particularly with the victim. The next thing after ensuring the victim’s safety, is determining the cause of abuse and the abuse cycle. If john decides to stay in the relationship, he should be aware of the causes of violent behaviors. Psychological theories blame violence on personality or mental attributes of the perpetrator. Social theories, however, look at factors in the external environment that might lead to violence such as social learning and stress. As a counselor, it is my duty to determine what the cause of violence could be. Sally seems to react violently because of factors in the external environment. The first time she hit John was when she saw him with another lady, the next time was because she was stressed. John needs to be aware of stressful situations and deal with them well before she gets violent. John should learn to stay out of way when he senses violence; he should get rid of things such as knives, pans among others because they are used by women a lot in violence. John should strike a conversation at that moment. Straus and others (1980) pointed out that bedroom is the deadliest area at home. The best thing for a man to do when violence is building is to leave the house immediately. If a woman becomes increasingly violent the man should get rid of any potential weapons in the house that she might use. Most mental health providers say that women go to weapons earlier than men John is going through a stressful moment and being battered by a woman come with a wide range of emotions. Through means such as cognitive therapy, john will be able to gain back his self worth and confidence. John needs to be empowered and have a positive mindset, at the same time he has to be watchful for cues of violence (Jeff, 2013) An intervention that will help the perpetrator should start by looking at the triggers of abusive behaviors. Violent behaviors could be attributed to external factors such as stress, anger, and frustrations, which could be as a result of deep-rooted emotional problems being projected as stated by bio psychosocial theory. Violence is not caused by stress, but behaviors people get accustomed to even when they are young. As a counselor, it is my duty to help Sally and John to get back on track by listening to them and offering guidance. Both Sally and John are not fulfilling each other emotionally because of lack of communication. Sally needs to work on her frustration and hunger. She needs to manage her anger before she gets violent. With enough counseling Sally will change her beliefs; she will realize that she does not have to be violent in expressing her frustrations. Counseling should also enable the perpetrator take responsibility for her behavior. Finally, through counseling the perpetrator should be able to change her behavior. Appropriate referral pathways Many people find it hard to get out or to seek help in a violent relationship. The major turning points of a violent relationship can the incident of a more severe violence, further threat of violence and children or family members witnessing violence against their father. John was admitted into the emergency room, where he was referred to counseling. If counseling does not solve their problems, I can refer them to other specialists that are better suited at handling their problems. There are outreach services that help victims of abuse and hotlines that will come in handy when dealing with stress related to violence. If the victim cannot handle the stress and is worried about his safety, divorce will be the last option (Cooker et al 2002) Potential challenges There are several factors and barriers that prevent one from leaving a violent relationship. This can be constraining feelings and beliefs such as fear of financial security, fear of losing the good relationship he had with the children, fear of being alone and the hope that violence will stop in future. It can also be due lack of support from the informal or formal groups he confide in such as counselors, police, clergy, family and friends. Another reason why it is challenging to exit an abusive relationship is due to factors such as inadequate access to income, information, health and legal rights services (Knapp, 1994) Since the case involves domestic violence against a man, there could be a challenge in handling the case because of the misconception associated with violence against men (Alderman 1994) in the society; men who are abused hardly come out unless it is really serious. The society has associated violence against men with shame and cowardice. Such feelings could be a challenge in the recovery process. As a counselor I am advised against developing any stereotypes towards domestic violence because it can affect my assessment. Another challenge that could be affecting the counseling is if the perpetrator and the victim fail to open up. It is hard to get men to talk about their feelings, particularly when they are hurt. References Adwoa Akhu (2013). Rebuilding A Men's Guide to Healing from Intimate Partner Abuse. Create Space Independent Publishing Platform Adelman, S. A. (1994). Head injured males: A population at risk for relationship aggression, Violence and Victims, 9, 2, p. 153-166 Anastasia Powell and Suellen Murray (2008). Children and Domestic Violence: Constructing a Policy Problem in Australia and New Zealand: Social & Legal Studies, December 2008; vol. 17, 4: pp. 453-473. Coker, A. L., Davis, K. E., Arias, I., Desai, S., Sanderson, M., & Brandt., H. M. (2002). Physical and mental health effects of intimate partner violence for men and women. American Journal of Preventative Medicine 23(4), 260-268 E.M. Moore (2008). A Call for Injustice: Domestic Violence against Men. AuthorHouse  Farell, Warren & Steven Svobada. (2008). Does feminism discriminate against men? a debate. Oxford University Press Jeff, Hearn (2013). The sociological significance of domestic violence: Tensions, paradoxes and implications: Current Sociology, March 2013; vol. 61, 2: pp. 152-170 Knapp, S. (1996). Risk management for psychologists: Treating patients who recover lost memories of childhood abuse. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 27, 452- 459 Pearson, P. (1997). When She Was Bad, How and Why Women Get Away With Murder. Penguin Putnam, New York, Retamal, E. (1977). A Survey of domestic assault in Perth WAIT, Dept. of social work Sarantakos, S (1998). Husband abuse as self-defense, paper presented at International Congress of Sociology. Montreal, Canada Straus, Murray A., Gelles, Richard and Steinmetz (1980). Behind Closed Doors: Violence in the American Family. Newburry Park, CA: Sage Publications Walter, J. (2011). Working with fathers: from knowledge to therapeutic practice. Palgrave Macmillan Read More

Sally is interested in having John interested in her and paying attention to her. This has contributed to her frustrations and anger, and instead of expressing them well she has become violent (Adwoa, 2013). The counselor’s duty of care As a counselor there are legal obligations guide me towards providing reasonable care in my line of duty. In the process of counseling, I may ask certain questions that can drive the patients to the edge. Therefore, I should try to ensure that I do not exceed the limits: the principles of my duty of care are listed below: Confidentiality; mental health professionals should address the issue of confidentiality in a clear manner.

Confidentiality is a legal standard and an ethical issue, which restricts volunteering of information outside the court and any other interested parties. According to Daniel Sonkin, confidentiality is important because of the sensitivity of the domestic violence, therefore, a counselor should begin assessment by procuring a proper authorization. Informed consent: it is important for each client to understand informed consent and agree to the rules of that program prior to the therapy treatment.

According to Daniel Sonkin, informed consent should be represented in writing. It entails the limits of the treatment depending on the seriousness of the violence. Therefore, a specific statement to all parties will communicate the seriousness of domestic violence while at the same time present a sobering statement about the real chance that violence will continue and may become more serious over time (Welfel, 2008) Scope of license: people treating such cases of violence should be licensed and recognized by the laws.

For domestic violent treatment to be effective it should be handled by professionals within the scope of practice. It is critical for domestic violence treatment providers to obtain a comprehensive training in domestic violence intervention and theory because some clients might be violent during treatment. Other ethical and legal considerations With recent increase in cases of domestic violence, there are mandatory laws for arrest and treatment programs around the country. Women arrested for domestic violence are referred for these treatment programs.

Family safety is the main concern in these programs. There are legal and ethical issues that must be addressed when developing such programs. The decisions that show sensitivity to legal and ethical considerations must be made by treating the one with appropriate consultation from friends, supervisor, or family members (Moore, 2008) Domestic violence entails violating somebody’s rights and it is a criminal offence. As a counselor I should let the victims be aware of the legal options of domestic violence.

Though victims come to counseling in order to avoid the legal option it is wise to inform them that there are other options. If the marriage cannot work because of violence, as a counselor I should refer the patient to groups that are against domestic violence. Such groups are safety havens and most of the time they provide free legal services for the victim. Other main ethical issues that I will have to observe during the counseling sessions are concepts of autonomy, justice, beneficence, non-maleficence, and self-interest.

Counseling is way of helping people make better decisions in life. I will not dictate to Sally and John on how they are supposed to run their lives. They are individual people who can determine their own actions. It is ethical that I adhere to providing guidance only and respect autonomy. Beneficence is an ethical concept that guides counselors. It is our duty to ensure that our clients get better. Nothing is satisfying as seeing a client feel better about himself. As a counselor I will go out of my way to ensure that the issue between John and Sally is solved.

If I cannot handle it, it is ethically expected of me to refer them to other professionals who will handle this case well (Pearson, 1997) Non-maleficence is an ethical consideration that is used commonly in the medical profession.

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