Plan and Solution
The problem of domestic violence has been in existence in contemporary society for a while, affecting victims significantly and causing them massive psychological and physical traumas. The unwillingness to report instances of domestic abuse leads to a steep rise in the intensity of violence and the negative experiences that victims suffer. According to recent statistical data, about 10,000,000 people suffer from abusive relationships every year (Jewkes et al., 2017). The introduction of an approach that will encourage the participation of every member of the U.S. society should be regarded as a viable solution to the problem since it will help make the actions of offenders visible.
Rationale
The specified solution will require taking several steps to create the platform on which the management of the issue will become a possibility. For example, the introduction of changes on a legal level should be deemed as a necessity. Particularly, repercussions for not reporting an instance of domestic violence may serve as the basis for encouraging people to change the status quo. Afterward, a societal change must be encouraged. The identified step is going to be admittedly more difficult to take since it will imply altering people’s mindsets. Nevertheless, public redress can be achieved by using social media, in general, and social networks, in particular, as a tool for sharing information and prompting discussions. Finally, the victims of abuse must also be involved in the process. They need to be encouraged to share their experiences and receive community support. Thus, the process of healing will start.
Solution: Description and Deliverables
Since the rise in domestic violence, which can be observed at present, might be attributed to the lack of exposure and the absence of awareness among the members of American society, it is strongly recommended to shed some light on the issue. The promotion of education regarding the subject matter is critical to the well-being of the victims of violence. The significance of social support for the successful recovery of the victims of domestic violence can hardly be overrated. According to a recent study, the significance of disclosure is extraordinarily high for a victim, with social support and the emotional investment of family members and close friends is one of the essential components of the healing process (Sylaska & Edwards, 2014). Therefore, by creating the setting in which a victim can receive the required support and encouragement, one will be able to prompt faster identification of the instances of domestic violence.
The focus on building the environment in which a victim can feel safe and supported by the community and family members is critical to the identification and management of domestic violence cases. According to previous researches on the subject matter, it is the lack of security and the fear of being ostracized to an even greater degree than makes victims of domestic violence silence their situation (Chatzifotiou, Fotou, & Moisides, 2016). Even though numerous support groups for the people suffering from domestic abuse have been created, most victims are reluctant to shed light on their situation for the specified reasons (Crawford, 2017). Thus, offering the vulnerable population security is essential.
It is expected that the proposed solution will lead to a significant increase in the number of disclosed cases of domestic abuse. Although the specified outcome will not cause an immediate drop in the number of family violence cases, it will provide victims with a sense of security that will encourage them to seek help. As a result, legal; repercussions for abuse and the following drop in the number of family violence cases can be expected.
Benefits and Cost-Benefit Analysis
Using social support to address the needs of people that have suffered domestic abuse is crucial to the improvement of their physical and mental condition. However, determining the potential of the proposed strategy and considering the expenses that it may require is also imperative to the successful implementation of the objectives. In case the costs outweigh positive outcomes, the further deployment of the strategy will be unviable and will only lead to the mismanagement of the available resources.
As the chart provided above shows, there are multiple benefits to the considered when implementing the strategy in question. The ubiquitous nature of social networks and the following steep rise in the levels of awareness can be seen as the primary positive aspects of the offered tool for building awareness (Sylaska & Edwards, 2014). Since social networks help build a connection among no only friends but also community members, as well as take the conversation about domestic violence to a global level, victims of the identified phenomenon can gain the emotional support of a significant number of people. Therefore, the proposed tool can be seen as very powerful.
In addition, the expenses that the use of social networks implies are very few due to the nature of the identified tools. The active promotion of the program against domestic violence will require certain financial resources to make people notice the victims’ plight. However, the further change in the dynamics of the relationships between the target population and society will justify the expenses.
Materials or Resources
As stressed above, it will be crucial to ensure that the program receives enough financial support. Even though the initial requirements for the active promotion of victims’ well-being will cost comparatively little, the further use of expert healthcare services and the provision of the required assistance will demand extensive funding (Chatzifotiou et al., 2016). Therefore, it will be desirable to obtain a grant for providing the survivors of domestic abuse with the assistance of healthcare experts.
Furthermore, the help of a team of IT professionals will be needed to create a group for supporting the target demographic and advocate for their rights in the environment of the modern media. For instance, tools for attracting people’s attention to the problem will have to be designed. The specified step is critical to building the levels of awareness within the community and providing its members with guidelines for assisting the vulnerable population.
In addition, detailed information about the means of identifying domestic violence, reporting it, and seeking help will have to be provided. The said data will have to target both community members and the vulnerable population. As a result, people suffering from family abuse will be able to seek help independently and acquire the knowledge and skills that will help them recognize the necessity to disclose their situation. Particularly, the offered program will encourage domestic abuse victims to seek help as opposed to suffering abuse silently.
Conclusion
The problem of family abuse remains topical in modern American society despite numerous endeavors at improving the situation. The observed phenomenon can be partially attributed to the propensity among victims to silence their situation. The reasons for the specified phenomenon may vary, yet the fear of societal contempt combined with the possibility of intensified abuse can be listed among the key ones. Therefore, introducing a system of social support for the people that have been suffering from family violence is critical to the management of the problem.
Attracting people’s attention to the issue of family abuse, however, will require certain financial resources. For instance, it will be crucial to introduce a media campaign that will draw people to the subject matter and help them connect emotionally to the victims of family abuse. As a result, the latter will be able to receive the support that they need to disclose their situation and accept the help of healthcare experts. Furthermore, the services of psychologists, therapists, and other healthcare professionals will have to be funded to ensure the high quality of the proposed assistance. Finally, the information and guidelines that will be posted on social media and serve as the primary resources for both victims and community members must be designed by healthcare practitioners in a very careful and detailed manner. The specified task will also need appropriate financial support.
Therefore, the campaign will require the support of benefactors. Attracting patrons that will fund the program and help the victims of domestic abuse to receive the necessary assistance can become a possibility once the campaign gains enough attention in social media. As a result, the problem of silencing domestic violence may finally be resolved.
References
Chatzifotiou, S., Fotou, E., & Moisides, I. (2016). Best practices in liaising between the police and social services in confronting incidents of domestic violence. Social Cohesion and Development, 9(2), 133-142.
Crawford, N. (2017). The journey of probation domestic abuse interventions. Irish Probation Journal, 14, 164-175.
Jewkes, R., Fulu, E., Naved, R. T., Chirwa, E., Dunkle, K., Haardörfer, R., & Garcia-Moreno, C. (2017). Women’s and men’s reports of past-year prevalence of intimate partner violence and rape and women’s risk factors for intimate partner violence: A multicountry cross-sectional study in Asia and the Pacific. PLoS medicine, 14(9), 1-20. Web.
Sylaska, K. M., & Edwards, K. M. (2014). Disclosure of intimate partner violence to informal social support network members: A review of the literature. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 15(1), 3-21. Web.