Deck 6: Assaults Against Children and Spouses

Question 1

What are some of the problems in defining child abuse? How was the 'battered child syndrome' discovered and why were doctors reluctant to disclose their findings?

Answer 1

Defining child abuse can be challenging because it encompasses a wide range of behaviors and actions that can harm a child physically, emotionally, or psychologically. Some of the problems in defining child abuse include cultural differences in what is considered acceptable parenting, the difficulty in distinguishing between discipline and abuse, and the reluctance of children to report abuse due to fear or shame.

The 'battered child syndrome' was discovered in the 1960s by pediatrician C. Henry Kempe and his colleagues. They observed a pattern of unexplained injuries in children, such as bruises, fractures, and burns, which led them to conclude that these injuries were the result of physical abuse. This groundbreaking discovery shed light on the prevalence of child abuse and the need for intervention and prevention efforts.

Doctors were initially reluctant to disclose their findings on the 'battered child syndrome' due to concerns about breaking doctor-patient confidentiality and the fear of legal repercussions. Additionally, there was a lack of awareness and understanding of child abuse as a public health issue at the time. However, as more research and evidence emerged, the medical community began to recognize the importance of identifying and addressing child abuse, leading to the development of mandatory reporting laws and child protective services.

Question 2

What are some of the characteristics of abuser? What roles do stress and power play in child abuse?

Answer 2

Some characteristics of an abuser may include a lack of empathy, a tendency to be controlling or manipulative, and a history of experiencing or witnessing abuse themselves. Abusers may also have difficulty managing their emotions and may use violence or intimidation to assert power and control over others.

Stress can play a significant role in child abuse, as caregivers who are under a great deal of stress may be more likely to lash out at their children. This can be due to a lack of coping skills or support, leading to feelings of frustration and helplessness. Additionally, power dynamics within a family can contribute to child abuse, as individuals with more power or authority may feel entitled to mistreat those who are more vulnerable, such as children. This can create a cycle of abuse, where the abuser uses their power to maintain control and silence their victims. Overall, addressing the underlying issues of stress and power imbalances is crucial in preventing and addressing child abuse.

Question 3

Describe the history of spouse abuse in America. What are the types of violence associated with spouse abuse? What are the nine sexist aspects of violence?

Answer 3

The history of spouse abuse in America dates back to the colonial era, where it was considered acceptable for a man to discipline his wife through physical means. Over time, societal attitudes towards spouse abuse have evolved, and laws have been enacted to protect victims and hold abusers accountable.

There are several types of violence associated with spouse abuse, including physical violence, emotional or psychological abuse, sexual violence, and financial abuse. Physical violence can include hitting, kicking, slapping, and other forms of physical harm. Emotional or psychological abuse can involve manipulation, control, and verbal attacks. Sexual violence encompasses any non-consensual sexual activity, and financial abuse involves controlling a partner's access to money and resources.

The nine sexist aspects of violence, as outlined by the United Nations, include:

1. Denial of autonomy and self-determination
2. Denial of equality and non-discrimination
3. Denial of the right to physical and mental integrity
4. Denial of the right to sexual and reproductive health
5. Denial of the right to work and to just and favorable conditions of work
6. Denial of the right to education and training
7. Denial of the right to participate in public and political life
8. Denial of the right to social security and social protection
9. Denial of the right to an adequate standard of living

These aspects highlight the ways in which spouse abuse is rooted in gender inequality and the subjugation of women. It is important to address these sexist aspects in order to effectively combat spouse abuse and create a society where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect.

Question 4

Describe the types of child molesters and their motivations.

Question 5

Professionals tend to agree on both the seriousness of severe injuries and the forms of physical punishment that constitute child physical abuse.

Question 6

The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (SPCC) was founded as the result of a well-publicized trial concerning cruelty to an 8-year old girl.

Question 7

Within 4 years (1963-1966) of the discovery of the battered child syndrome, 37 states had passed laws requiring that suspected abuse cases be reported by physicians.

Question 8

There is no precise agreed-upon definition of child abuse.

Question 9

Due to the nature of this crime, the true extent of child abuse is impossible to calculate.

Question 10

Many of the studies determining who the abusers are, are methodologically inadequate.

Question 11

According to Timothy B. Dailey, violence is but an alternative by which authority or power, may be asserted.

Question 12

Like child abuse, spouse abuse has gained more attention in recent years because of the increases in these types of violence.

Question 13

Until the early 1970s, legal reaction to wife beating was weak.

Question 14

In only half the states can husbands who are not living apart from their wives be prosecuted for raping their wives.

Question 15

Murray A. Strauss asserts that only when sexism and its inequalities are eliminated will violence in the home begin disappearing.

Question 16

The Dobashes claim that the first violent episode between a man and his wife, results in a retaliatory response by the wife.

Question 17

Eighty-five percent of all incest offenders have psychopathic personalities.

Question 18

Advocates of the "children's rights movement" argue that adult-child sexual contacts should not be permitted.

Question 19

Social perceptions of children have changed over time, and, in fact, the very notion of ___________ itself is relatively new.

Question 20

The battered child syndrome was discovered by ______________.

Question 21

Most researchers agree that the underlying cause of child abuse is _________.

Question 22

A study done by Patsy A. Klaus and Michael C. Rand concerning family violence concluded that, on average, __________ violent incidents were committed by spouses or ex-spouses annually.

Question 23

The ____________ estimated the prevalence of adult-child sexual contacts based on the sexual histories of 5,940 white females.

Question 24

The majority of the offenders in adult-child sexual contacts are _____________.

Question 25

Professionals who deal with mistreatment of children may include which of the following as an example of child abuse?

A) Educational neglect
B) lack of supervision
C) Unacceptable parental sexual mores
D) a and b above
E) all of the above

Question 26

The concept of childhood:

A) is found among nearly all preliterate societies
B) dates from the beginning of Christianity
C) developed around 1200 A.D.
D) developed during the past 300 years
E) a and b above

Question 27

The first Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, founded in 1874, was unique because it would:

A) undertake legal action to remove children from their homes
B) use pediatricians to testify in cases of physical abuse
C) urge physicians to intervene whenever child abuse was suspected
D) educate pediatricians about the treatment of abused children
E) b and c above

Question 28

Child abuse was recently "discovered" by:

A) social workers
B) radiologists
C) pediatricians
D) the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
E) women's rights groups

Question 29

It is argued that child abuse is a "social construction." This means that:

A) harm to children is caused by social factors
B) the existence of harmed children is mostly imaginary
C) what constitutes harm to children is influenced by a labeling process
D) none of the above

Question 30

Which of the following family characteristics appear to be related to higher incidence of child abuse?

A) single parent females employed outside home
B) social isolation
C) premature births
D) inconsistent child discipline
E) all of above

Question 31

The two major competing theories of child abuse center on the concepts of:

A) learned aggression and inadequate socialization
B) power and stress
C) spontaneous aggression and economic deprivation
D) anomie and culture conflict
E) frustration and control theory

Question 32

According to critics of the feminist historical interpretation of spouse abuse, during the 1800s in America:

A) there was an awareness of wife beating, which was disapproved and illegal
B) there was an awareness of wife beating, which was approved although illegal
C) there was an awareness of wife beating, but it was both approved and legal
D) there was an awareness of wife beating, which was disapproved but legal
E) there was practically no awareness of wife beating although it was illegal

Question 33

The contemporary "discovery" of spouse abuse dates from:

A) the turn of the century
B) World War I
C) immediately following World War II
D) the last two decades

Question 34

Evidence on spouse abuse indicates that:

A) husbands strike their wives far more frequently than wives strike their husbands
B) when spouse abuse occurs in a marriage, it tends to reoccur
C) in the majority of marriages, at least one act of violence is committed against a spouse during the course of the marriage
D) all of the above

Question 35

Research on marriage and homicide indicates that the lowest rate of murder occurs among:

A) the "romantically involved"
B) common law partners
C) married partners
D) divorced persons

Question 36

"Normal violence" is a type of violence between spouses in which:

A) the violence is clearly necessary
B) one spouse is defending herself or himself against the other
C) both spouses regard the violence as justified
D) the cause is sex-related
E) the victim deliberately provokes the violence

Question 37

According to R. Emerson Dobash and Russell Dobash, who analyzed wife abuse in an historical context, family violence has its roots in:

A) the traditions of patriarchy
B) lower class stress and frustration
C) anomie
D) the macho image and compulsive masculinity of males
E) the biases of the justice system

Question 38

According to R. Emerson Dobash and Russell Dobash, who analyzed wife abuse in an historical context, a factor linked to the continuation of violence in a family is:

A) the mental instability of the victimizer
B) the acceptance by both husband and wife that the first act of violence is justified
C) the violent reaction by the victim
D) the sense of injustice experienced by both the victim and offender
E) the victim's assumption that violence is a means of displaying love and concern

Question 39

Adult-child sexual contacts:

A) are forbidden in all societies
B) are tolerated between males in some societies under some circumstances, but no society tolerates such contacts between opposite sexes
C) are tolerated under some circumstances between the same sexes and between opposite sexes
D) have been scientifically proven to be beneficial for the child

Question 40

Which of the following is characteristic of the typical child molestation offense?

A) nonviolent
B) noncoital
C) female victim
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 41

The "symbiotic personality" which appears to characterize most incest offenders, refers to their:

A) brutality
B) reliance on their children for affection
C) attributing to their children the symbolism of their own desire for sex
D) psychopathy
E) over-reliance on subcultural justifications

Question 42

Judith Lewis Herman proposes a feminist theory of incest which conceptualizes father and daughter as being in:

A) an economic relationship
B) a sentimental relationship
C) high interaction
D) a nurturing relationship

Question 43

The child molester whose occupation or hobby involves children and who relies on the cooperation of several familiar victims is which type?

A) asocial
B) career
C) high interaction
D) aged
E) spontaneous-aggressive

Question 44

Which of these types refers to the molester with an arrest record for both sexual and nonsexual offenses and whose molesting offense is spontaneous and noncoital?

A) asocial
B) career
C) high interaction
D) aged
E) spontaneous-aggressive

Question 45

The children's liberation movement for easing laws regarding adult-child sexual contacts:

A) is supported exclusively by fringe groups such as NAMBLA
B) has no support within the academic research community
C) has made significant inroads in favorably influencing state legislators
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 46

The movement to liberalize laws regarding adult-child sexual contacts is based on the assumption that:

A) children are the property of the parents
B) there is a need for children to learn about sex directly from their parents
C) children have a right to be sexual free from restraints
D) a true love relationship between children and adults can be attained only if sexual contacts are included
E) modern children are learning sexual behavior earlier than children of the past