NCJ Number
57678
Journal
Contemporary Drug Problems Volume: 5 Issue: 3 Dated: (1976) Pages: 385-440
Date Published
1976
Length
56 pages
Annotation
THE PROCEEDINGS OF A WORKSHOP ON THE INTERACTIONS OF VIOLENCE, CRIME, SEXUAL ABUSE, AND DRUG ADDICTION ARE REPORTED.
Abstract
THE REPORT CONSISTS OF A SUMMARY OF THE PROCEEDINGS, A VERBATIM TRANSCRIPT, AND A LIST OF PARTICIPANTS. THE WORKSHOP DISCUSSION FOCUSED ON CHILD ABUSE, INCEST, THE POWERLESSNESS OF CHILDREN, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THE SUBSERVIENT ROLE OF WOMEN IN SOCIETY, AND PRISON CONDITIONS THAT REINFORCE VIOLENT BEHAVIOR OF INMATES. THE EVILS OF THE NUCLEAR FAMILY, PARTICULARLY ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO CHILD ABUSE, WERE EXAMINED. THE POWERLESSNESS OF CHILDREN AGAINST VIOLENCE INFLICTED UPON THEM IN THE ISOLATION OF THEIR FAMILIES WAS BROUGHT OUT, AS WAS THE TENDENCY OF ABUSED CHILDREN TO PATTERN THEIR OWN BEHAVIOR AFTER THAT OF ABUSIVE PARENTS. WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS AGREED THAT THE POWERLESSNESS OF CHILDREN FOSTERS INCESTUOUS RAPE, AND THAT THIS FORM OF ABUSE BY SOMEONE IN A POSITION OF RESPONSIBILITY SCARS THE CHILD'S DEVELOPING PSYCHE. A STUDY THAT FOUND A HIGH INCIDENCE OF INCESTUOUS RELATIONSHIPS IN THE CHILDHOOD BACKGROUNDS OF MEN AND WOMEN WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS WAS REPORTED. THE PROBLEMS THAT ARISE WHEN A TREATMENT PROVIDER KNOWS A CHILD IS IN DANGER BUT THE COURTS PROTECT THE PARENT WERE CONSIDERED, WITH EMPHASIS ON THE NEED FOR CASEWORKERS TO ACT AS CHILD ADVOCATES IN SUCH SITUATIONS. ONE PANELIST PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF A FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, CITING STATISTICS INDICATIVE OF THE SCOPE OF THE CHILD ABUSE PROBLEM. PANELISTS AGREED THAT ALCOHOL IS THE MAJOR DRUG OF ABUSE RELATED TO SEXUAL CRIMES AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. RESEARCH ON PROSTITUTION AND ADDICTION, THE PROBLEMS OF ABUSED WOMEN, AND ABUSE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS BY WOMEN WAS REPORTED AND DISCUSSED. PANELISTS ALSO CONSIDERED PRISON CONDITIONS THAT PROMOTE HOMOSEXUAL RAPE, AGREEING THAT PRISONS FOSTER VIOLENT BEHAVIOR AND THAT TREATMENT IN PRISON IS DIFFICULT BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE. (LKM)