Outline and Discuss the View That There Is a Dark Side to the Family Life.

Outline and Discuss the View That There Is a Dark Side to the Family Life.

  • Submitted By: naka
  • Date Submitted: 10/19/2008 2:45 PM
  • Category: Social Issues
  • Words: 860
  • Page: 4
  • Views: 4

Outline and discuss the view that there is a dark side to the family life.

In Britain domestic violence has become a much known subject in courts with families. The act of domestic violence is committed ever six seconds in Britain, Betsy Stanko (2000). It is estimated that a quarter of all violent crimes committed are ‘domestics’, British Crime Survey found that there are an estimated 12.9 million incidents of domestic violent acts (that constituted non-sexual threats or force) against women and 2.5 million against men in England and Wales. In 45-70% of cases, the father inflicts violence on the children as well as the mother (BMA Report, 1998). More than 1 in 4 women experience domestic violence in their lives.1 in 10 women experience domestic violence every year. For example violence ranges from being punched, choked, bitten, burning, starving and knifing, to being forced to have sex against their will. Domestic violence is more likely to occur during pregnancy. However public admission of the violence present in their family can make women feel a strong sense of failure. Support for battered partners is not always forthcoming from police, family, friends, or the welfare services. Therefore this shows that the family has a very strong and harming violence which affects, the mother, father and children.

Nevertheless functionalisms believe traditional family structures are necessary for social stability. The family transmits social norms and values to its members of the family. Murdock (1949) believes some form of family structure is presented in all societies the family is universal. Functionalism is about the structure and workings of society. Functionalists see society as made up of sections which work together to fulfill the functions necessary for the society as a whole. People are socialised into roles and behaviours which fulfill the needs of society. For example, roles in the institution of the family are of wife, mother, husband, father, son and...

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