15C Health and Social Care Issue – Domestic Violence

Highlights:

1. Domestic Violence
Form
  • Physical abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Psychological abuse
  • Deprivation
  • Neglect
Target
  • Spouse battering
  • Child abuse
  • Elderly abuse
2. Factors Leading to Domestic Violence
Society
  • Societal factors such as the cultural norms that give absolute authority and power to male over female
Community
  • Organizations outside the family, including schools, companies, religious organizations, hospitals and community centres, in which domestic violence can be effectively discovered and intervened
Interpersonal Relationship / Family
  • How social relationships, e.g. family relationship, increase the risk for violence
Individual
  • Biological factors and personal history causing domestic violence, including the individual’s psychological response and characteristics such as impulsiveness
3. Impacts on Holistic Health (e.g. elderly abuse)
Physical
  • Death or physical injuries due to physical abuse
  • Complications or degeneration due to the neglect
Social
  • Social withdrawal due to the feeling of shame or unwilling to disclose family problems to others
  • Poor social relationships within or outside the family due to the family conflicts
Mental
  • Physical or any forms of abuse are stressors
  • Low self-image and self-esteem due to the loss of control or being victimized
  • Negative emotional health status or depression or due to the unhealthy relationships with the abusers
4. Support and Services Available for Individuals and Families
Primary prevention
  • Aims : to arouse public concern on domestic violence and promote family harmony
  • Example : Family life education
Secondary prevention
  • Aims : to identify risk factors of violence and provide surveillance, early identification and intervention
  • Example : referral (immediate referrals from healthcare professionals and social workers when they identify the signs of abuse in check-ups or counseling)
Tertiary prevention
  • Aims : to reduce relapse and casualty of domestic violence
  • Example : shelter home, crisis Intervention and support centre
Latest Update: October 2019
Power-point

Assessing my learning

  • What are the implications of domestic violence to an individual, a family, a community and a society?
  • How can we prevent domestic violence in different levels?