Physical Abuse Case Study

1. There are many issues in this case that center around physical abuse. Jenny’s father has a short temper and he gets angry very often. He recently came home drunk, and beat her and called her out of her name. Jenny’s boyfriend, Andrew also has a temper that he takes out on her. He has physically slapped and beaten her, and has gotten her to isolate herself from her friends due to his possessive behavior. She is now pregnant with his child, and still in high school. The police recently have been called by a neighbor due to the severity of Jenny’s shouting in a dispute with Andrew. However, when they arrived Jenny and Andrew denied any violence and the police could not take any further action. All in all, key issues in this case consist of: Jenny’s father’s temper and anger, Jenny’s boyfriend
physical abuse and possessive behavior toward her, and Jenny being pregnant.
2.
One vulnerability factor in relation to Jenny is Andrew’s possessive and abusive behavior. Andrew texts Jenny multiple times a day, and does not want her to hang out with her friends. Andrew also hits, beats, and yells at Jenny when he gets angry at her. Another vulnerability is Jenny’s father temper and anger. Jenny says that her father sometimes flips out, and when he is mad someone is going to get it. She goes on to express that she cannot remember a time when things were different at home. Jenny seeing and going through this violent behavior a home, is probably a reason why she puts up with Andrew’s behaviors.
3. The risk factors involved for Jenny and her unborn child consist of her not having enough money to support her child. Jenny is in high school and stays with Andrew, she has no financial means of support. Jenny could also drop out of school after her having the baby. This could be a result from her having to watch her baby or her having to find a job to support her baby. Another risk factor that presents itself is that the violence that Andrew is inflicting on Jenny, he could one day inflict on the child. Or he could beat Jenny so bad that she loses the
baby.
4. Jenny doesn’t just leave because she feels that Andrew loves her and that it is her fault when he gets angry. Jenny also views this behavior as normal. Her father does this to her mother, and she has had to witness this for most of her life. Jenny also probably doesn’t leave because she does not want to go back home, and since she has isolated herself from her friends Andrew may be the only person she can turn to. She denied any incident of domestic violence because she loves Andrew and she probably felt that it was her fault as to why the argument got out of hand.
5. Jenny is protective of Andrew and their relationship because she feels that the only reason he acts the way that he does is because he loves her.
6. The appropriate course of action for me would be to first build a rapport with Jenny, and find out what is going on with her. I will do this by having individual therapy sessions with her. In these therapy sessions we will discuss signs of domestic violence, and the options that she has for her pregnancy. We will too have family therapy sessions with the mom, dad, and Jenny. We will determine what the underlying problem is and find ways to fix the way that the family carries on. I will also link Lisa to support groups for teenagers that address domestic violence and teen pregnancy.