The people in the selected family include:
- Jackson (Husband);
- Nancy (Wife);
- Jimmy (Child/son).
Jackson and Nancy have been married for six years and are currently living in Newfoundland, Canada. The husband is 32 while Nancy is 31 years old. Jimmy is 3 years old.
The two met while in college and started dating within the first year. After completing school, the two moved in together and eventually decided to live as husband and wife. Within the first two years in marriage, the two enjoyed sharing ideas and sharing with each other.
A year after the birth of Jimmy, Jackson lost his job following the unexpected emergence of COVID-19. The imposed lockdown measures and absence of adequate family savings compelled him to start drinking. Within twelve months, he had already started to abuse alcohol. This outcome echoed some of the predicaments that Jackson’s family had encountered as a child. During his adolescence, Jackson’s father used to abuse alcohol and engaged in violent behaviors as a way of solving problems.
Nancy started to complain about Jackson’s misbehavior and inability to provide for the family. As a response, she started to threaten to leave and go back to her parents. Sometimes Jackson would use verbal and physical abuse as his way of solving problems. Jackson developed a weird habit of coming home drunk. At times he would smash utensils on the floor.
One day Jackson’s wife chose to leave and move on her life. She chose not to go back to Jackson’s place and instead began to focus on her son, Jimmy. After all, that was all that mattered the most to her at the time.
Feminist, Power, and Social Control Theories
Several theories can help explain the nature of domestic violence described in the case above. For example, feminist theory is a common framework that begins by explaining the origin and nature of gender inequality. For decades, males have assumed leadership roles while failing to appreciate the responsibilities and positions of women. Consequently, domestic violence has emerged as a social problem whereby men abuse women (Brubaker, 2021). Proponents of this model argue that some men will apply diverse tactics to manipulate and control women, such as domestic abuse and violence.
Power Theory
Power theory is another model that could help explain the cause and nature of domestic violence studied in Jackson’s case. Under this model, individuals tend to apply abuse and control as the best option for settling conflicts or avoiding responsibilities (Wagers et al., 2021). This issue would tend to occur between partners in intimate relationships. Those who learn such attributes from childhood, such as physical abuse and alcoholism, might begin to exhibit them. The emerging ideas become the best model for addressing emerging conflicts. This framework can shed more light on the nature of domestic violence.
Social Control Theory
Social control theory identifies abuse in the domestic setting as an outcome of social structures. Such attributes arise from practices whereby violence becomes a common method of addressing problems (Asian et al., 2019). A proper understanding of such structures can help people learn more about abuse, how societies approve it, and the best approach to deal with violence. According to this theory, violence emerges as an expression of control and dominance associated with those in positions of power.
Based on these theoretical frameworks, it is evident that social structures dictate the manner in which community members relate with each other. Such patterns determine decision-making procedures and sources of authority. In extreme cases, males tend to domineer and dictate the actions their women undertake. Role dynamics at the domestic setting could contribute to violence, abuse, or misunderstanding. Psychological issues attributed to alcoholism and stress can compel some people to become arrogant, thereby increasing their chances of oppressing others (Wagers et al., 2021). Similarly, enabling environments characterized by absence of security measures and other relatives could make some men more violent and abusive.
Existing Policies
In Canada, several policies exist that are intended to protect victims of domestic violence while holding offenders accountable for their actions. Established civil measures are designed in such a way that affected individuals can receive personalized interventions in a timely manner. First, the criminal code in Canada can restrain abusers from contacting or visiting the affected individual or other family members. Second, the primary law against all forms of domestic violence is the Family Violence Protection Act in Newfoundland (Martinson & Jackson, 2017). This code has provisions detailing how accused people need to be charged or punished. Peace bonds could also be considered in the event of property damage and injury. Third, many Canadian workplace environments have strict laws prohibiting all forms of violence against each other. All these policies treat violence against other people as a criminal offense that calls for proper disciplinary actions. Some of the common offenses include bodily harm, human trafficking, sexual assault, and forcible confinement.
Throughout the adjudication and legal process, it is an offense not to comply with court, recognizance, and probation orders. At the family level, additional offenses that might occur include mischief, verbal threats, and criminal harassment (Brubaker, 2021). The creation and implementation of these policies is essential since it allows legal officers to monitor actions similar to the ones Jackson commits. The policies are capable of allowing Nancy to seek protection and ensure that her husband continues to take care of their son.
Critical Analysis
The selected policy for this discussion is appropriate since it resonates with the issues of violence described in the presented case scenario. The Family Violence Protection Act is an outstanding policy against domestic violence since 2005. The lieutenant-governor of Newfoundland, whose name Edward Roberts, is the author of the policy. This civil status is formulated in such a way that it identifies, defines, and outlines the best approaches to protect victims of different forms of abuse. The law presents a criminal code for holding wrongdoers at the domestic setting accountable for all forms of abuse, property destruction, and injury (Martinson & Jackson, 2017). Offenders are at risk of getting severe punishments, such as fines and imprisonments.
From an historical perspective, this policy emerged as a response to the complaints and challenges women and children were facing in their homes. The province lacked proper mechanisms to empower victims and hold offenders responsible. The Act would emerge as a response to some of these challenges while at the same time focusing on the problematic issue of gender inequality. Within the past years, the policy has helped minimize cases of domestic violence since individuals fear being punished for their actions. More victims are finding it easier to receive timely emergency services and services in accordance with the policy (Htun & Jensenius, 2020). The author had a strong background in legislation, a strength that helped him to focus on the best efforts to implement it. Roberts liaised with the relevant stakeholders and agencies to support its passage.
This policy has provisions intended to tackle any form of physical abuse and child neglect as witnesses in the case scenario. The law goes further to provide incentives for allowing victims to get immediate services and protection against all forms of abuse. Should Nancy should to report to the authorities, chances are high that Jackson would have increased chances of being punished (Htun & Jensenius, 2020). He could be restrained in such a way that he cannot communicate with Nancy. In accordance with the policy, Jackson might be compelled to provide for his son.
Unfortunately, the specific policy might be incapable of addressing the violence described in the scenario. For instance, Nancy might be unable to apply the Act to explain the events without a witness. Jackson might choose to deny such allegations since Jimmy is unable to provide his observations due to his tender age. Additionally, the policy might not apply to a situation whereby complainant is unavailable. Nancy needs to report the matter to the relevant authorities and ensure that proper actions are undertaken (Martinson & Jackson, 2017). Unfortunately, the current policy lacks proper mechanisms to protecting victims and encouraging them to seek the much-needed support. These key gaps in execution and application of the specific policy could affect the overall process of addressing the recorded issues.
To find a long-lasting solution, the use of the selected policy can support the formulation of an effective plan to attend to most of the problems recorded in the selected family. As a professional, it would be appropriate to begin by adopting the law to ensure that Jackson receives a befitting sentence in accordance with the committed offenses. A detailed strategy is possible to help Nancy seek the relevant support and protection (Martinson & Jackson, 2017). The law informs an effective plan for ensuring that Jackson meets the financial and social needs of her son. The policy could help restrain Jackson from visiting Nancy and the child.
References
Asian, M., Rosinaite, V., & Khojanashvili, L. (2019). Social control theory variables in conceptualizing bonding models of attachment theory and adolescent development. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 8(2), 199-207.
Brubaker, S. J. (2021). Embracing and expanding feminist theory: (Re)conceptualizing gender and power. Violence Against Women, 27(5), 717-726.
Htun, M., & Jensenius, F. R. (2020). Fighting violence against women: Laws, norms & challenges ahead. Women & Equality, 149(1), 144-159.
Martinson, D., & Jackson, M. (2017). Family violence and evolving judicial roles: Judges as equality guardians in family law cases. Canadian Journal of Family Law, 30(1), 11-70.
Wagers, S. M., Wareham, J., & Sellers, C. S. (2021). Testing the validity of an internal power theory of interpersonal violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(15-16), 7223-7248.