Understanding Abuse in Family Life

     Sadly, abuse in the family unit is a topic that far too many young adults, and simply individuals have had to face and navigate. The church's definition of abuse is simple, "Abuse is the physical, emotional, sexual, or spiritual mistreatment of others. It may not only harm the body, but it can deeply affect the mind and spirit, destroying faith and causing confusion, doubt, mistrust, guilt, and fear." The Lord has made it clear through His teachings and through His servants that there is no room for any degree of abuse. However, as we know mortal beings are imperfect and as a result, abuse exists in our current world. 

    It is important that the general population of the church, especially the young adults, understand how to navigate such a complex and difficult topic. Many studies and research has been completed on what factors contribute to an increased likelihood of abuse happening in the family unit. Findings illustrate that poverty, poor parent-child relationships, low parental involvement, low parental warmth, an authoritarian parenting style, single parenthood, poor marital quality, dissatisfaction with the child, unrealistic expectations of children, stress, and low impulse control all contributed to higher abuse rates. 

    Such abuse, especially child abuse, can have long lasting impacts on the victim. Based upon statistics from 2002 by WHO, it is estimated that 20 percent of women and 5 to 10 percent of men will be the victim of sexual abuse as children. It is important to note that these numbers are likely higher as a result of many abuse victims never reporting their abuse. However, child abuse can range from a variety of forms, including but not limited to sexual, emotional, and neglect abuse. 

    Considering how widespread of a problem abuse in the parameters of a family can be, it is important for victims and non victims to understand the best ways to prevent and decrease the rates of abuse. The laws governing reporting of abuse vary. It is important for victims or those that suspect an individual is being abused to research their state's laws on this topic. For example, some states require the reporting of suspected abuse without direct evidence. Simply keeping these suspicions to yourself may be breaking the law. It is also important to note that states often have confidentiality policies around these reports, meaning victims and those knowledgeable of abuse do not have to worry about the abuser discovering their identity after reporting the abuse. 

    There are also many ways individuals can work to simply decrease the troubling abuse statistics our society currently faces. This includes volunteering with organizations that work to end abuse, supporting local and national policies aimed at decreasing abuse rates, and being personally vocal about denouncing all forms of abuse in one's personal day-to-day life. 

Works Cited: 

Successful Marriages & Families: Proclamation Principles and Research Perspectives by A. Hawkins, D. Dollahite, & T. Draper.

Brigham Distributing, 1st Edition. 2011