Domestic Violence And Sociological Theories

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Domestic Violence is a crime which occurs on a regular basis in the United States and everywhere. It claims the lives of millions of victims each year. There really is no specific cause to explain why domestic violence occurs. However, it has been noted that domestic violence is a product of emotional, sexual, psychological, physical, and any other form of torment or torture that the abuser wishes to use to gain control or power over their victims (Gosselin, 2005). Due to this crime being so complex, many sociologists and criminologists have done many studies of its causes and effects in order to determine social policies and additional theories so they can better understand and explain the causation of domestic violence. The theories…show more content…
In my own opinion, the psychological theory and sociological theory best explains the causation of domestic abuse. The Sociological Theory, which is also known as the social theory, states that criminals commit crimes due to social forces, specific religious beliefs, cultural differences, and/or as a result of their surroundings (low income or poverty stricken areas) (Gosselin, 2005). The Sociological Theory is made up of two subtopic theories which are called subcultural and structural theories. The structural theory, which applies specifically to domestic violence, believes that people who possess low or lack of educational opportunities, a lack of community support, and/or a low income status are more likely to choose a life of criminal activity (Greene, Heilburn, Fortune, and Nietzel, 2007). This theory relates to domestic violence because it establishes that economic stress is a cause for abuse, along with cultural differences. Offenders who suffer from poverty, employment, limited access to cash or credit, or people that have someone who is dependent on them for support, are at times triggered by the stress and lash out on the victim in a physical or emotional manner which results in domestic abuse (Gosselin, 2005). Cultural differences, which include, beliefs that woman are inferior to males or that woman are the property of…show more content…
It is important to understand the concept of behavioral modification because it helps to understand domestic abuse when it occurs from a person who is a previous victim that has turned to a life of offending. There are many abusers who claim they suffered issues related to relationships with family, had adverse interactions with mass media (pornography), or have suffered adverse environmental experiences (unemployed or homeless) which have caused them to lack the appropriate skills that are needed to maintain a productive relationship within society. The study of family interactions has showed that children who are aggressive are part of a family whose members are using similar tactics with other, thus, implanting the seed for future violence and abuse. Secondly, studies which show the effects that mass media have on people has shown that television, video games, and other mass media which depicts violence in a rewarding way, severely influence a pen in a number of ways which can cause future criminal behavior (Siegel, 2008). Lastly, environmental studies regarding the effects of culture and society have on an individual, has shown data that concluded people from low income areas, which are riddled with crime, are proven to act aggressively more so than people who come from areas with lower crime rates (Siegel, 2008). Thus, learned behavior and

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