{"id":5591,"date":"2008-06-18T17:05:00","date_gmt":"2008-06-18T17:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"\/Articles\/Family-Violence-and-Abuse.aspx"},"modified":"2014-04-24T17:21:51","modified_gmt":"2014-04-24T17:21:51","slug":"family-violence-and-abuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hisriches.com\/family-violence-and-abuse\/","title":{"rendered":"Family Violence and Abuse"},"content":{"rendered":"
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My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.  I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest. Psalm 55:4-8<\/b><\/p>\n

For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company. <\/b> Psalm 55:12-14<\/b><\/p>\n

He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.<\/b>  Psalm 55:20-21<\/b><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Current studies do not seem to give a single, accepted definition of spousal abuse. However, spousal abuse generally refers to brutal rather than accidental or insubstantial physical contact. Physical violence includes any act or course of action that inflicts bodily harm or that is proposed to inflict physical harm. Physical violence may be composed of kicking, hitting, shoving, choking, throwing objects, or use of a weapon. The severity of physical assaults may range from a slap across the face to homicide. Emotional abuse may include ridiculing or demeaning another person, with-holding affection or privileges and blaming him or her for family interpersonal problems. Emotional abuse often occurs in conjunction with physical violence. Physical abuse leaves broken bones or bruises that is often evident. Emotional abuse tends to lower one’s self esteem and leaves one with a feeling of helplessness, often causing one to be broken in spirit.<\/p>\n

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Threatened violence is a particular form of emotional abuse. Whether or not the threatened violence acts are carried out, the resulting apprehension and skepticism regarding possible physical assaults maybe more damaging than the violent act itself.<\/p>\n

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In the vast majority of cases: females are the victims of abuse. However, there are statistics that indicate that men are victims as well. Studies show that approximately thirty five million women and two hundred and fifty thousand men in the United States are battered by their spouse or intimate partner.<\/p>\n

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Physical assault, any use of force or attempted use of force against one without their consent, including slapping, punching, shoving, shaking, cutting, or burning, as well as sexual assault, any forced sexual activity without consent, are all criminal offenses punishable by law.<\/p>\n

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Throughout history male violence towards women and children has been socially, legally and religiously endorsed. For countless generations the man was not just the head of the household, he was the household. In ancient Greece, the wife and children were also the man’s absolute property. The order of priority was; father, cattle, mother, children. It is then easy to see how custom could dictate violence toward wives.<\/p>\n

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Paul’s message was delivered to a society with a history of female subduing. The prevalent view permeating all of Jewish law was that a woman was not a person, she was property, with no legal rights. She was her husband’s possession, and he was free to do with her anything he pleased. Under the Jewish divorce law she could only divorce if her spouse became a leper, an apostate, or engaged in a disgusting trade. On the other hand a man could divorce his wife for almost anything, and he did by simply giving her a bill of divorce in the presence of two witnesses.<\/p>\n

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The idea of a man managing and controlling his family with absolute authority made its way into European society and law. Physical punishment was justified by so-called "laws of chastisement", known today as abuse.<\/p>\n

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Teachings from the church taught that a spouse had the right, and sometimes even the obligation to beat his spouse. Society viewed women as needing strict control. The 16th century Protestant Reformation did very little to improve the social position of women in Christian Europe. A woman could not prosecute her husband for beating her, since, in the eyes of the law of the land, she did not exist.<\/p>\n

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For a long time an attitude of permission toward striking a woman was a part of the American tradition. For many years the battering of women was assumed and accepted as a males’ right in American society.<\/p>\n

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Spousal abuse is not only a violation of a persons’ right to safety and security; it contaminates the lives of children who live with the violence. Violent patterns of behavior are transmitted from generation to generation. One of the most consistent findings is that abusing parents often report having been abused themselves as children. Abusive parents raise their children as they were raised.<\/p>\n

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The cycle can and must be broken! Sinful human nature will always be with us, but it is necessary for Christian counselors and Pastors to spread The Good News and help restore the broken hearted.<\/p>\n

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Child abuse refers to the mistreatment or neglect of a child by a parent and or guardian or care-giver that results in injury or significant emotional or psychological harm to a child. It is expressed in several forms: Physical, Sexual, Neglect, Emotional.<\/p>\n

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Physical Abuse: Is the deliberate application of force to any part of a child’s body that results in, or may possibly result in a non-accidental injury. It may involve a single incident or a pattern series of incidents. Child physical abuse is unique among the various aspects of family violence because it is often connected to or confused with punishment. Physical abuse may result in permanent damage to either limb or body function. Physical abuse can effect the central nervous system resulting in seizures, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, hearing or visual damage or learning disabilities. Mistreated children have lower IQ’s, poorer language skills and show less completed academic progress than other similar children. The abused child lives in an unpredictable, unhappy, confusing world that may be violent or simply grossly inadequate. Survival may take all the energy a child has. The child may be excessively withdrawn, aggressive or fearful of other people. Abused children have difficulty forming healthy relationships with others.<\/p>\n

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Sexual Abuse: Occurs when a child is used for the sexual gratification of an adult or adolescent. It involves the exposure of a child to sexual contact, activity or behavior and may include invitation to sexual touching, intercourse or other forms of exploitation, such as juvenile prostitution or pornography. As child sexual abuse is largely a hidden crime, its omnipresence is difficult to assess. The nature of the problem, its secrecy and shame, the criminal penalties it entails and the young age and dependency of its victims, all serve to less voluntary reporting.<\/p>\n

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Research evidence consistently reports that most children do not disclose their abuse. Even when they do, families may be reluctant to seek assistance.<\/p>\n

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The most extensive study of child sexual abuse in Canada was conducted by the Committee on Sexual Offenses Against Children and Youth (Badgley, 1984). It claims that:<\/p>\n

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