Domestic violence has always been seen to have a negative impact on society. However, only fairly recently has a youth witnessing or being exposed to these modes of sustained violence, whether psychological or physical, been recognized by Australia and international countries as a form of child abuse [ (Parliment of Australia, Research Publications, 2010, Nov 22) ]. It seems that with recognition of this as a form of abuse it has become a more prominent issue in our contemporary society, and as a consequence the increase in studies surrounding the effects of this abuse on the child in both current and future ventures has ensued. Hence, as our desire for a greater understanding of child …show more content…
Through out this essay the effects of this abuse will be researched in relation to these delinquent behaviors, as it seems that the older generations appear to have forgotten that it is them who educated the adolescence of today to hold the morals and social standards that are apparent in the youth culture of our society.
Child abuse can be seen as a social problem as it has adverse effects on communities and members of the community. At a personal level it increases the risk of emotional, physical and sexual abuse and can be associated with mental issues, social withdrawal, substance abuse and educational and employment deficiencies amongst youth and into later life (Parliment of Australia, Research Publications, 2010, Nov 22). This in turn creates a discontent in the community as members struggle to adhere to social norms and services are under pressure to meet the complex needs of these youth.
Almeida & Durkin describe domestic violence …show more content…
This is not to say that all delinquent activities are preformed by those who have been weakened by the constant abuse, but rather that those activities which the maltreated youth take part in may be a way for them to express their discontent with what hand society has dealt them (Developmental Issues in the Impact of Child Maltreatment on later Delinquency and Drug use, 2002)
It seems that it can not be simple enough to discipline the youth, or merely provide them with a respectable role model, but the charge must be taken to educate and prosecute if need be the adults who are committing these acts. It is only then, when the focus is shifted from the over-representation of the delinquent youth to the harsh reality of the “messy” domestic violence situation that we will start to witness a change in both attitudes of the elder population towards the youth, and a drop in the reported “youth crimes”.
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