Domestic violence spans the range of violent encounters and includes physical assaults,
sexual assaults, verbal assaults, intimidation, threats, extreme emotional or
psychological neglect and even death. The hypothesis of this paper is do students
believe that partner abuse is a problem on college campus. To find out this I will
include a literary review, which will include theories of why it might occur and prof
from other sources. Most important a survey given out to Curry college students and its
results will be included. I choose this topic to educate students on the violence in
dating relationships.
Literary review
Partner violence is typically defined as an act carried out with the intention of
causing physical or mental pain to another person. Partner abuse is not only important as
a phenomenon in itself but also because it precedes marital violence and thus may provide
a link in transmission of violence. Here are some theories that may provide some reasons
how partner abuse occurs and the prof that it is a problem on college campuses.
On theory of dating violence is the social learning theory. This theory examines the
effects of either experiencing abuse as child or witnessing abusive between one's
parents. Reachers of dating violence have found that there is a history of abuse is
related to later involvement in an abusive relationship for both males and females.
Also, found that having been abused as a child predicted later involvement in abuse for
women but not for men.
Abusive men were more likely to have witnessed violence between their parents than were
women in an abusive marriage. Similarly, found that although more abused wives, they
still were less likely to have witnessed marital violence than had non husbands.
Therefore, although a history of either witnessing or experiencing abuse seems of either
witnessing or experience abuse seems prevalent between men and women in abusive
relationships, the exact nature of that influence on men and women remains unclear.
(Alexander, Pamela C Journal of marriage and the family p 657-667)
The Feminist theory has also been used to explaining the presence of violence between
males and females. Feminist theory views violence as a manifestation of the patriarchal
structure in our culture, which is reflected in the patterns of behaviors and attitudes
of individuals. Discoveries that abusive man frequently espouses more traditional views
about women than do non abusive men. Conversely more recent research has found no
difference between men's attitudes toward women and violent behavior toward their
partners. Evidence regarding women's attitudes is similarly mixed. There is no found
difference between abused wives and those in discordant or satisfied marriages in their
attitudes toward women. Also, no found relationship between adherence and feminist
ideology. Also, the experience of sexual aggression in a dating relationship. Other
researches have concluded that the discrepance between some couple's attitudes toward
women sex roles may be a more significant predictor of violence than the actual values of
either the man or the women. In summary support for a feminist conceptualization of the
integration transmission of violence requires of an association between violence and
patriarchal values both within an abusive couple and between generations. Also, Males
reported being more verbally abusive to their partners than did females as well as
receiving substantially more verbally abuse from their partners than they themselves
extended. On the other hand, females did not report as much verbal abuse in their dating
relationships. However, both males and females reported that their own level of verbal
aggression was similar to that of their parents. Also, males reported themselves for
being more physically violent than did females and for being more abused themselves by
their parents. Also the length of the dating relationship was found to be significantly
related to the amount of verbal abuse extended and received. It was not found to
predict physical violence in the relationship.
(Alexander, Pamela C Journal of marriage and the family 657-667)
The following paragraphs will include the prof from other surveys and studies that were
published. An article Maclean's magazine reported a study that was conducted in a
Canadian college. 3,142 students were question. The finding where that 22 per cent of
the women surveyed said that they have been physically abused. 29 per cent said that they
had been sexually abused, by boyfriends or male accountancies in the previous 12 months.
81 per cent of the female respondents said they have been abused in some way or another.
(Deacon, James Maclean's p54)
In the Journal of Interpersonal Violence a survey was given out to 465 college students.
The survey regarded of their frequency of inflicting and sustaining aggression in their
dating relation ships. Their findings suggested that males are less likely than females
to take responsibility for violence.
Also, males were found to be more likely to place the blame on their partner. It was
also found that males were found more likely to use alcohol or drugs during violent
episodes.
(LeJeune, Chad Journal of interpersonal violence p181-94)
Also, in another edition of the Journal of Interpersonal Violence had posted an article
on the psychological abuse in college students. 1,625 college students' males and
females were surveyed. The results showed that males in a relationship reported higher
levels of psychological abuse and fewer positive behaviors than did males.
(Caulfield, Marie B Journal of interpersonal violence p350-64)
Sampling
This survey was handed out to twenty random curry college students. Out of the twenty of
the students nine were male and eleven were female. Also, it was given out to all class
standing in college from freshman to seniors. Two of the twenty where freshman, eight
were sophomores, three were juniors, and seven were seniors.
Data Collection
To collect the data of the survey I gave it out at the Levin library which is located at
Curry college. It was given out during day and evening times.
Data Analysis
All figures and data will be included in the preceding pages after the conclusion. This
is the data concluded from the twenty surveyed students. Question one asks is it okay to
throw or smash objects during arguments with a partner. As you can see in figure 1 that
the majority of the students surveyed felt that it is not okay to throw or smash objects
during arguments with a partner.
Question two states is it okay to shove or grab a partner when angary. As you can see
in figure 2 the majority of the students surveyed disagreed or strongly disagree that it
is okay to shove or grab a partner when angary.
In question three it was asked is it okay to intimidate your partner with shouting or
threats. As shown in figure 3 the majority of the students surveyed disagree to strongly
disagree that it okay to intimidate your partner with shouting or threats.
Question four ask the students if alcohol contributes to an abusive situation. Figure 4
shows that the majority of the students surveyed strongly either agree or agree that
alcohol does contributes to an abusive situation.
Question five asks the student if they feel drugs contribute to abusive situations.
Show in figure 5 the students stated that the majority of the students surveyed strongly
either agree or agree that drugs contribute to abusive situations.
Question six states that abusive people probably come from abusive families. Figure six
shows that the students had a split decision. Forty percent of the students surveyed
agree that abusive people probably come from abusive families. Another 40% were
undecided.
Question seven asks the students if they have ever seen incidently of physical or verbal
abuse on campuses. Figure 7 shows that 75% of the students surveyed had seen incident
of physical or verbal abuse on campuses.
Question nine asks the students if they think that abusive relationships are a problem
at Curry. Figure nine shows that 60% of the students surveyed feel that abusive
relationships are a problem at Curry.
Question ten asked the students if they have ever attempted to prevent an abusive
situation on campus. Figure ten shows 70% of the students surveyed did not attempt to
prevent an abusive situation on campus.
Conclusion
The literature review states two theories that may explain the causes of partner abuse.
The first theory discussed was the social learning theory. Which examines the effects of
either experiencing abuse as child or witnessing abusive between one's parents. The
second was the feminist theory which view's violence as a manifestation of the
patriarchal structure in our culture, which is reflected in the patterns of behaviors and
attitudes of individuals. From the data of the survey it was found that the majority of
the students surveyed felt it was not acceptable to shove, grab, smash or throwing
objects, or to intimidate a partner during arguments. The survey students also felt that
alcohol and drugs do contribute to abusive situations.
The two most important findings that support my hypothesis. The first was that 75% of
the surveyed stated that yes they have seen an incident of abuse either physical or
verbal on campus. The second was that 60% of the student surveyed felt it was a problem
on Curry colleges campuses. It has been shown in this paper that domestic abuse in the
form of partner abuse is a problem on college campuses. I feel that this topic should be
researched more widely and should be dealt with.
Work Cited
Alexander, Pamela C. Journal of marriage and the family What is transmitted in the
interggenerational transition of violence. 53, August 1991: p657-667
Caulfield, Marie B Journal of interpersonal violence The Assessment of dating aggression:
Empirical evaluation of the conflict tactics scale v7 n3 sep. 1992: p350-64
Deacon, James Maclean's Sexes what is 'abuse'? v106 February /22/ 93 p54
LeJeune, Chad Journal of interpersonal violence Taking Responsibility: sex differences in
reporting dating violence v.9 n.2 p181-94 1995
Hypothesis: Do students believe that partner abuse is a problem on college campus.
Introduction 1
Literary review 1
Sampling 4
Data Collection 4
Data Analysis 4
Conclusion 6
Work Cited 7
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