TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page
Approval page
Dedication
Acknowledgment
Abstract
Table of content
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
1.2 Statement of problem
1.3 Objective of the study
1.4 Research Hypotheses
1.5 Significance of the study
1.6 Scope and limitation of the study
1.7 Definition of terms
1.8 Organization of the study
CHAPETR TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
CHAPETR THREE
3.0 Research methodology
3.1 sources of data collection
3.3 Population of the study
3.4 Sampling and sampling distribution
3.5 Validation of research instrument
3.6 Method of data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 Introductions
4.2 Data analysis
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Recommendation
Appendix
Abstract
This study explores the concept of trust in relation to social work process and household violence with emphasis on family case work approach. Trust is a complex notion. Borrowing from the arguments of Behnia that trust is the outcome of a process. The past decade has seen an increasing awareness of the emotional harm to children that can ensue from exposure to domestic violence. This study develops a framework for understanding social work process. It is argued that to understand what these developments mean in practice we need to develop our analysis of the value perspectives underpinning them. Issues facing those charged with implementing these sometimes ambiguous policy and practice changes are discussed in three levels of intervention: the macro, the intermediate, and the ‘street level.’ The study concludes by calling for closer collaboration between policy makers, practitioners and service users in the co-production of policy
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Social work is a discipline within human services. Its main goal is to assist individuals and families with their needs and solve their problems using a multidisciplined approach. In order to be effective, social workers work closely with many agencies and professionals. Violence is an interpersonal process (Busby, 2006), or an act carried out with the intention or perceived intention of causing physical pain, or injury to another person (Gelles and Strauss, 2008). Violence exists within the family. This is called Family violence or Domestic violence. Domestic violence is a pattern of coercive behaviour that involves physical abuse or the threat of physical abuse. It also include repeated psychological abuse, rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse, incest, progressive social isolation, deprivation, intimidation, economic coercion, and so on. It is now politically recognized as one of the most entrenched and pervasive forms of violence in our society (James, 2004). It is a form of violence perpetrated by adults or adolescents against their intimate partners in current or former dating, married or cohabiting relationships of homosexuals, gay men, lesbians, bi-sexuals and transgender people (Nevada Domestic Violence Prevention Council, 2004). Domestic violence may be against women (wife battering), children (physical abuse) or against elderly individuals (abuse or neglect of older persons). A lot of factors contribute to domestic violence. These include, hunger, difficulties with sleep, menstrual cycle mood changes, feelings of frustration and inadequacy, personality disorder, substance abuse (abuse of alcohol), brain tumor, head injury, personality change, and rarely mental illness and mental retardation (Ephraim – Oluwanuga, 2004). Domestic violence may be a factor of individual intolerance, incompatibility, selfish approach to issues, immaturity, lack of moral standard or lack of fear of God. Other causes of domestic violence include, failure to fulfill financial obligations to wife and children, poverty, denial of sexual intercourse, infidelity, disrespect and other social vices. Whatever be the causes or nature of domestic violence, it is imperative for the social workers or other care-givers to acquaint themselves with the consequences of domestic violence, its prevention and management. Social work is usually a part of the Human Services Department of a government. It serves as a link between the government’s clients and other government resources, such as: manpower training leading to employment, welfare payments towards financial assistance, legal consultation in dealing with legal problems, food and water relief at times of drought, famine and war, etc. As a social worker, you will also work closely with medical professionals in order to provide medical care for clients; with school personnel to identify children who are in need of help, and with counsellors and psychologists in order to provide psychological counselling. Today the problems faced by individuals and families are often complicated, and assistance from many agencies is needed. Social work provides an important service to society. Individuals and families in need of help are the focus of it, and are referred to as clients. As social workers, our goal is to help clients live a productive life in their own community. In order to reach this goal, we often enlist the assistance of family members, relatives, local religious leaders, tribal leaders and elders, and other influential members of the community. Although institutionalization may be necessary at times, it is a temporary solution. The goal is to help clients return to normal life in a natural setting. Today, social workers are not only the bridge linking clients to other helpers, they also provide their clients with hope, and encourage their first steps towards a new life. Social workers usually stand in the front line, and reach out to the clients soon after problems occur. They provide an initial assessment of the situation and mobilize other needed services. Social work uses a team approach and is multi-disciplined. Its goal is to provide a service to those who need help, especially the old, young, poor, abused, mistreated, handicapped, jobless, the sick and the homeless. Its approach is to use available resources to solve problems in order to empower clients to help themselves in the long term. With their professional mission to serve vulnerable populations—which is inclusive of children, women, and the elderly—social workers are at the forefront of the effort to eliminate family violence. According to the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, social workers are legally mandated to report abused and neglected children (Herman, 2007); according to the Older Americans Act, they are legally mandated to report abused older adults (Roby & Sullivan, 2000) to, respectively, Child Protective Services (CPS) and Adult Protective Services (APS). Failure to comply with these mandates can result in expulsion from the profession, loss of licensure, and both criminal and civil action. In consideration of these responsibilities, social workers must be adept at assessing and intervening for victims of family violence These assessment and intervention processes are assisted by the family health perspective, with its fluid definition of a family, evaluation of all aspects of the family’s health, and consideration not only of the family interactions but also of the family in relation to all levels of systems, even into the global community. Assessment of families can be in relation to their physical health (Wu et al., 2004), emotional health (Russell, Lazenbatt, Freeman, & Marcenes, 2004), mental health (Stipanicic, Nolin, Fortin, & Gobeil, 2008), spirituality (Sadler & Biggs, 2006); financial status (Kaushal, Gao, & Waldfogel, 2007), social relationships (Woods & Kurtz, 2007), and cultural issues (Roby & Shaw, 2006). Family assessment instruments continue to be developed in efforts to help professionals to determine the risk of maltreatment (Dorsey, Mustillo, Farmer, & Elbogen, 2008). Deciding when to act and what action to take requires social workers to use critical thinking, which integrates values, ethics, policy, and research (Gray & Gibbons, 2007). The family health perspective provides this foundation for taking the appropriate action.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The family provides important support for the individual in society. It caters for the physical, effective and emotional needs of the individual. It provides the individual with social and educational support. The family is also responsible for rearing and protecting children. It is the basic unit of socialization and cultural transmission, since children acquire their fundamental values and attitudes from their families. Indeed, it is the social cell in which human beings are born, and where they learn to become members of a wider human society. However, the family is also where many interpersonal conflicts occur, problems develop, and individuals suffer. All families have difficulties from time to time. Some families have resources to solve their problems while others do not. When a family is no longer able to deal with its problems, and cannot provide the basic physical, security, effective and emotional needs of its members, we call this kind of family ‘dysfunctional’. There are many reasons why a family becomes dysfunctional. Among others, they are alcoholism, drug addiction, physical illness, death, war, poverty, unemployment, mental illness, spouse abuse, child abuse, divorce and separation, and polygamy. It is in view of the above that the research is pertinent.
1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
The broad objective of this study is to examine social work process and household violence; the specific objectives are;
- i) To examine the efficacy of social work process in ameliorating household violence in families
- ii) To ascertain if there is any significant relationship between social work process and curtailing domestic violence in the study area
iii) To examine the impact of social work profession in curbing domestic violence in Nigeria
- iv) To examine the role of social workers in curtailing domestic violence in the study area
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;
- i) Does social work process in ameliorating household violence in families?
- ii) Is there any significant relationship between social work process and curtailing domestic violence in the study area?
iii) Is there any impact of social work profession in curbing domestic violence in Nigeria?
- iv) Does social workers play any role in curtailing domestic violence in the study area?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
The following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;
H0: There is no significant relationship between social work process and curtailing domestic violence in the study area
H1: There is a significant relationship between social work process and curtailing domestic violence in the study area
H0: social workers do not play any significant role in curtailing domestic violence in the study area
H2: social workers do play a significant role in curtailing domestic violence in the study area
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of great importance to the social work profession as the study seek to explore the crucial role played by social work force in combatting household violence in Nigeria, the study will also be of benefit to government in ensuring effective collaboration with the social work profession to combat the recent wave of domestic violence and child abuse in the country, the study. The study will also be of great importance to researchers who intend to embark on a study in a similar topic as the study will serve as a pathfinder to further studies, finally, the study will be of importance to students, teachers, social workers, academia's and the general public as the study will add to the pool of existing literature and also add to the knowledge bank on the subject matter.
1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study covers social work and household violence with emphasis on family case work approach, but in the course of the study, there were factors that limit the scope of the study;
- a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
- b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
- c) Finance: the finance at the disposal of the researcher is a major constrain to the scope of the study, as the researcher could not cover more grounds for the study.
1.8 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
Social work
Social work is an academic discipline and profession that concerns itself with individuals, families, groups and communities in an effort to enhance social functioning and overall well-being.
Household
A household consists of one people who live in the same dwelling and share meals. It may also consist of a single family or another group of people.
Violence
Violence is “the use of physical force so as to injure, abuse, damage, or destroy.
Household violence
Domestic violence also named domestic abuse or family violence is violence or other abuse by one person against another in a domestic setting, such as in marriage or cohabitation
1.9 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows. Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (background of the study), statement of the problem, objectives of the study, research questions, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope of the study etc. Chapter two being the review of the related literature presents the theoretical framework, conceptual framework and other areas concerning the subject matter. Chapter three is a research methodology covers deals on the research design and methods adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding. Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.
