The Challenges to Specific Populations

The Challenges to Specific Populations

Misty A. Hamm

Walden University

The Challenges to Specific Populations

Domestic and dating violence impacts children so severely that the trauma may carry over into adolescence and adulthood. Adolescents who have grown up in violent homes are at risk of recreating the abusive relationships they have seen. Domestic violence can be viewed as behavioral pattern that is caused by learning and reinforced (Turning Point, 2012). Typically violent behaviors such as domestic violence are learned through observation. Studies have found that nearly one half of abusive men grew up in homes where their father or step father was an abuser.  Therefore, violent behaviors are learned and reinforced in the family as well as in all of society's major institution such as, social, religious, educational, medical and mental health (Turning Point, 2012).

         Like adult domestic violence, teen dating violence is a pattern of controlling behavior, in which one partner evokes power through physical, emotional, verbal, psychological, and sexual abuse (Domestic Action Center). This will often be coupled by instances of jealousy, coercion, manipulation, possessiveness and an overall threatening demeanor. If the relationship continues the severity of the violent episodes increase as the relationship progresses further into the domestic violence cycle. Dating violence can affect people from all socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, and occurs in heterosexual, gay, and lesbian relationships (Domestic Violence Action Center).

Domestic violence among the adolescent population is a big problem, affecting youth in every community across the nation. It is reported that nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year. One in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence (Domestic Violence Action Center, 2012).  Girls and young women between the ages of 16 and 24 experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence, which is almost triple the national average (Domestic Violence Action Center, 2012). Violent behavior typically begins between the ages of 12 and 18 (Turning Point, 2012). When an abuser starts to demonstrate violent and aggressive behaviors during adolescent relationships, the severity of the behaviors continually escalate.

Prevention research on the related problems of child abuse, youth violence, and domestic violence has been accelerating over recent years (Wray et al, 2004). Domestic violence has been viewed as a learned behavior because individuals observe behavioral responses.  Other factors that influence domestic violence are culture, personal experience, family, communities, school, and friends.  Early prevention in early adolescence means identifying the warning signs, and creating social awareness to help decrease teenage dating violence that will carry over into adulthood. Majority of the time domestic violence is viewed as culturally defined to specific populations. However, reports stated that the Caucasian community has a higher rate of domestic violence than the African American Community. According to the Institute of Domestic Violence in the African American Community,  14% of African American youth  reported that a boyfriend or girlfriend had “hit, slapped, or physically hurt them on purpose.”  Therefore, boys (13% ) and girls (14%) equally reported to being a victim of dating violence (Institute of Domestic Violence in the African American Community).

Programs such as the Date Safe Program and Choose Respect,  offer educational materials and resources to adolescents form health relationships and prevent dating abuse before it occurs. Both programs reach out to schools, families and communities to bring social awareness about domestic violence and dating violence. Prevention starts by identifying early warning sighs such as increased aggressive behaviors, oppositional and defiance, and obsessive compulsive behaviors and bringing awareness and education; so that individuals at risk can get the help that he or she needs.

One challenge in providing prevention to adolescents is making sure they perceive the seriousness of the problem. Teenage years are very emotional for most, they question their self-esteem, and may feel that the abuse is warranted because it is culturally accepted, or they experienced it throughout their life. Majority of youth with low- self-esteems, think they need to put up with abuse and struggle with breaking free from situation (Wray et al, 2004). I cannot recall how many times I have heard from clients “he loved me, and I never had that before.” Therefore, it is important to make sure the information is on the level with teens so that they can relate to the information. It has been my experience, that adolescents that have been traumatized all their life perceive a crisis type state as the psychological norm. They easily defend their perpetrator and will become offensive or feel easily judged. The way the information is delivered is overall important and impactful.