Humans In Biological And Behavioral Continuum Essay

Humans In Biological And Behavioral Continuum - Essay Example In the behavioral and biological continuum, different animal species hold different positions. The determinant of this categorization based on a quantitative, rather than a qualitative approach. Humans rank as the most intelligent of all the other primates. This is the case if we define intelligence depending on thought patterns and ability to solve problems. Intelligence is a product of brain organ, which all primates own. The differences in intelligence level between human beings and other primates, therefore, rest on the differences in the capabilities of their brain matter. Human beings have a relatively larger brain as compared to chimpanzees and other primates, however, their brain processes and functions are the same (Lewis, Jurmain & Kilgore, 2010). Both human beings and other primates portray an array of related behavior. Parental love is vital for them all. The offspring of both humans and other primates need parental love, failure to which their growth will not be successful and whole, and will reflect in their adulthood years. All primate species show their need for bonding with others. In their early developmental years, young humans and other young primates depend on their older counterparts for general learning and adaptation to their new environment. Older members of human and other primates’ population are charged with the role of nurturing the young ones. All primates, including humans, react differently to different situations. The difference is that humans demonstrate a more adept degree of feelings and emotions such as cruelty, aggression, tenderness, altruism, and compassion. Humans can differentiate between ‘good’ and ‘evil’, unlike chimpanzees that do not even feel grief.

Politics in Texas Essay Example for Free

Politics in Texas Essay The Texan republicans stand for the ideas of individualism. That entrepreneurship is the key to unlocking the powers of the economy, according to the Republican Party. The Democratic Party respects the notion of small business and entrepreneurship as it also strives to encourage jobs for hard-working laborers. In conjunction with this, the Democrats want businesses to be more flexible and technologically friendly, along with finding creative, environmentally-sound ways of promoting business. The Green Party also claims to support the power of the small business, but they have a more environmental approach that specifies several details in which companies should abide. In accordance with this, the Green Party wishes to limit free-trade in exchange with environmentally and labor friendly trade. They also specify a set wage that would allow an individual to afford a one-bedroom apartment on thirty-percent of their income. In opposition to a heavily regulated economy, the libertarians seem like the Republican Party, but to a more extreme. They are against most taxation, including income taxes since they define a wage or salary as a trade of money and service, not an equity. I believe this to be a proper point. How can people promote the economy when a chunk of their wages is taken by the government? The Libertarians are also opposed to the use of eminent domain which I agree with. It should not be up to the government to choose how someone’s property may or may not be used.

Social Policy Responses To Domestic Violence Social Work Essay

Social Policy Responses To Domestic Violence Social Work Essay This essay will evaluate the current social policy responses to the social issue of domestic violence. Domestic violence is a multi-faceted issue affecting the perpetrator, the survivor and their families. This means that many agencies may need to be involved. Domestic violence is prevalent within all strata of society, rich and poor, with no regard for religion, ethnicity or geographical location, and accounts for fifteen percent of violent crimes (Home Office, 2009). It is estimated that domestic violence cost the nation  £23 billion per year (Womens Aid, 2007d). It is not only committed by men against women but by women on men and within same sex relationships. However as the majority of incidents are perpetrated by men against women with a greater risk of repeat offending and worse severity of violence experienced this essay will concentrate on this aspect. To fully understand this issue this essay will explore the historical roots of domestic violence, looking at how attitudes may have originated, what challenges have caused them to change and what further changes may be necessary. It will then explore changes in the legislation and how this affects the polices powers and their use of them. It will then go on to explore criminal justice responses, such as Specialist Domestic Violence Courts and Integrated Domestic Abuse Programmes, evaluating their efficacy. It will then examine the social policy responses affecting the survivors of domestic abuse, such as the creation of police Domestic Violence Units, sanctuary schemes, housing, support services, and child protection. It will also look at methods used to identify possible domestic violence victims. It will show that the current emphasis on criminal justice responses is diverting resources away from frontline womens services, which can disproportionately affect women from Black and et hnic minority communities. Historically there has been no concept of domestic violence. According to Carlson Brown (1994) this is because of the patriarchal society that existed, and to some extent still exists, which was sanctioned by religious texts. It was the belief was that women and children were the property of the man and it was his duty to discipline them as he saw fit. This ideology was only challenged in recent decades by the rise of feminism. The introduction of the contraceptive pill in the nineteen-sixties gave women the freedom of choice over their reproduction, and therefore other areas of their lives. However, at first only physical abuse was considered domestic violence but in the nineteen-eighties sexual abuse began to be considered as domestic violence. In spite of this re-evaluation marital rape was not considered a crime until 1991 in England and Wales (Rape Crisis, 2008). In recent times the definition of domestic violence has been widened to the current government definition: Any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality (Home Office, 2009). This definition therefore covers less traditional family arrangements and practices from different cultures, such as honour-based violence, forced marriages and female genital mutilation. This means that domestic violence is not classified as a single offence but several different related offences, such as common assault, rape, false imprisonment and attempted murder. However there are still some incidents, such as psychological and emotional abuse, which whilst highly upsetting to the survivors are not prosecutable offences. This definition concentrates on adults and thus neglects those aged under eighteen, however a programme on youngsters in secure childrens homes revealed that girls as young as ten years old were experiencing physical abuse at the hands of their intimate partners (BBC Radio 4, 20 April 2009). Therefore there exists yet more of the population whos need for protection and support require addressing. One of the main ways for government to address the issue of domestic violence is through legislation. The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 was introduced to tackle the issue of domestic violence in a multitude of ways. The acts intention was to give greater power to the police and courts when dealing with the perpetrators of domestic violence whilst providing increased protection to the survivors (Home Office, 2008a). One of the ways of increasing police powers was to make common assault an arrestable offence, this can allow the survivor a period of reflection to help them decide whether they wish to continue with prosecution or not. This continues moves, started in the nineteen-eighties, away from the police trying to reconcile the parties involved towards zero tolerance of domestic violence. However this may lead to less incidents being reported as the survivor may not wish to criminalize her partner, especially if he is the father of her children. This is even more ap plicable within the Black and ethnic minority communities who, due to fears over racist discrimination, are less likely to look to the police for aid (Womens Aid, 2007a). A further change in police power was to make the breach of non-molestation orders an arrestable offence, which carries a prison sentence of up to five years. The nature of non-molestation orders was also changed to recognise the needs of same sex couples and non-cohabiting couples for the same protection afforded heterosexual cohabiting couples. It is hoped that these measures will reduce the number of breaches of these orders, and therefore afford greater protection to survivors, due to the greater sanctions now attached. This change also means that the survivor is a witness in a criminal matter and no longer responsible for taking action over the prosecution nor burdened with the costs of that prosecution. However this can mean that the Crown Prosecution Service may pursue cases that the survivor may wish dropped, which could lead to her being disempowered and feeling not in control once again (Womens Aid, 2007a). Also in making breach of non-molestation orders a criminal matter th is moved them from closed family courts, where only the parties involved were in chambers, to criminal courts, which allows both press and public audience, although press restriction can be put in place to protect the identity of witnesses in these cases (Womens Aid, 2007a). Another government response was to create Specialist Domestic Violence Courts (SDVCs). The SDVC programme started in 2006 with an initial twenty-three SDVCs, more have been accredited each subsequent year to give the current total of one-hundred-and-five. According to the Home Office (2006) the SDVC programme forms part of a multi-agency response to domestic violence, which is intended to provide greater safety for the survivors and call perpetrators to account through various means of intervention. Some of the measures used in SDVCs include using specially trained judges, fast racking of domestic violence cases and access to Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) to provide specialist support (Womens Aid, 2008a). In a Home Office (2008b) review of the original twenty-three SDVCs it was found that there was a higher percentage of arrests made for domestic violence crimes and there was a higher percentage of successful prosecutions when compared with non-SDVCs within the same area. There were high levels of support provided by the IDVAs both within and outside the criminal justice system which increased survivor safety and satisfaction. These results are believed to improve public confidence in the criminal justice system. However where SDVCs were found to have a lower percentage of successful prosecutions it was found that there was a higher percentage of Black and ethnic minority defendants. This shows that there are still issues to be dealt with when dealing with cases from these communities. Womens Aid (2008a) also calls into question the government emphasis on using the criminal justice system to tackle domestic violence issues as this means that only those who report an incident, about twenty-four percent of survivors, have access to this specialized help. This means that a large proportion of survivors are without support or accessing other domestic violence support services that are lacking political and financial support as a result. Another government initiative designed to reduce incidents of domestic violence is the Integrated Domestic Abuse Programme (IDAP). This is a programme for up to twenty-seven week for the perpetrators of domestic violence to address their offending behaviour. The perpetrator must have a Community Rehabilitation Order (CRO) or a Community Punishment and Rehabilitation Order (CPRO) with conditions to attend. Its aim is to challenge the perpetrators beliefs and attitudes towards domestic violence thus reducing the risk of reoffending. It also offers the partners of the offenders a support group (Home Office, 2004). This programme requires a lot of staff time and training; it also requires significant administration. All of which comes from the probation areas budget. Womens Aid (2007b) believes that these programmes can modify offender behaviour and provide support survivors with support. However these programmes are not always successful in changing the perpetrators behaviour and can gi ve survivors unrealistic expectations that may lead to unsound decisions around their own safety. They may also neglect supporting the survivor to concentrate on their role reporting on the perpetrators behaviour. Also reports have shown that due to budget restraints there are long waiting lists of up to two years for these programmes. This has lead to, in 2007, over four thousand orders by the court being handed down whilst only one thousand eight hundred being completed, with some cases of repeat offending whist waiting for a place on a programme (Doward, 2008). A government study shows that there is a strong link between domestic violence and alcohol abuse with sixty-two percent of offences involving alcohol and forty-eight percent of the sample group being alcohol dependant (Gilchrist et al, 2003). Therefore another approach to tackling domestic violence is ordering perpetrators with alcohol problems to attend treatment programmes. However alcohol abuse is not a cause of domestic violence but it is often used as an excuse for violent behaviour. In fact, according to Womens Aid (2005a) treating the perpetrators alcohol or drug issues can lead to an increase in violence especially during the withdrawal period. Therefore this must be tackled holistically addressing both the offending behaviour and the drug and/or alcohol problem whilst ensuring the survivors safety and that of her children, if any. Not all social policy responses deal with the perpetrators of domestic violence. Many focus on the survivors and their families. One of the main responses was to create dedicated Domestic Violence Units (DVUs) with specialist trained officers. The overriding aim of these units is to protect survivors and their families and ensure that domestic abuse is treated just as seriously as any other violent crime. These units specifically try to tackle the unwillingness of survivors to report incidents of domestic violence due to the belief that the police will not take them seriously or will be unable to help (Womens Aid, 2008b). This is particularly the case with women from the Black and ethnic minority community who can face stigmatism from their communities and may also fear institutional racism from the police. Those survivors with insecure immigration status may also fear deportation should they leave their partner and report domestic violence (Womens Aid, 2009c). To assist survivors DV Us can refer them onto other support services, which can advise them about their rights, and liaise with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) over the prosecution of domestic violence. To help protect survivors from repeat victimisation DVUs can refer them to the Sanctuary Scheme which allows the survivor to stay within their own home, and avoid upheavals and further distress, as long as the perpetrator is no longer living with them. It does this by providing extra security measures such as sanctuary rooms where the survivor can remain safe from the perpetrator whilst waiting for the police to arrive. However not all home are suitable for this scheme due to their construction or location and not all survivors would wish to remain in their own home (Communities and Local Government, 2006). In these cases DVUs can refer the survivor to a refuge or the local authoritys homelessness unit. Domestic violence is one of the main causes of homelessness in women (Rights of Women, 2007) and is particularly problematical as there may be several issues complicating the matter. Womens refuges provide safe accommodation whether or not the woman has reported domestic violence to the police. However accessing a refuge is particularly difficult as there is limited provision with only 373 womens refuges in the whole country (Coy et al, 2009). Also not all refuges can accommodate large families, some place restrictions on the upper ages of male children, necessitating the splitting up of already distressed families. Some refuges are unable to accommodate those with physical disabilities or those with mental health and/or substance abuse issues. There are some refuges that specialise in meeting the needs of the Black and ethnic minority groups but demand far outstrips supply (Hall and Whyte, 2003). When a suitable place in a refuge is not available the local authority may have a duty to re-house survivors of domestic violence. There are certain criteria that must be met for the local authority to re-house survivors: that they have not made themselves intentionally homeless; they are in priority need; they are eligible; and they have a local connection. However it is up to the local authority to assess whether the survivor is in priority need. In some areas this means that those without children are not considered to be in priority need thus discriminating against those who for whatever reason do not have children. A further complication is that many survivors are financially dependent upon their abuser, although there help for some is available through the benefits system not all are aware of this, especially those whose main language is not English (Dhillon-Kashyap, 1994) and may have been kept unaware of this by their abuser as a means of control. Those subject to immigration control with no recourse to public funds would not be able to pay for a refuge place or other accommodation through housing benefit, as many do, but there other forms of funding sometimes available for refuges, but this is limited due to funding restraints (Womens Aid, 2007c). DVUs can also refer survivors to Womens Aid, which is a charity that provides specialist support and advice. However they do not limit themselves to those who have reported domestic violence, any woman suffering from domestic violence can access them. Womens Aid can help survivors access other forms of help such as helping children affected by living with domestic violence or experiencing abuse themselves, housing, benefits, mental health services and substance abuse treatment. Due to funding constraints there are waiting lists for this vital support. One of the most important aspects of Womens Aids work is their counselling service, as once a survivor has left their abuser one of the main indicators that they may return is whether they attribute of the responsibility for the abuse to themselves or the abuser (Worth and Tiggemann, 1996). The counselling offered examines this. Another indicator of return is the attitude of their family towards their actions (Worth and Tiggemann, 1996) , this is particularly pertinent for women from Black and ethnic minority communities who may face censure from their family and community. Womens Aid also supports those who wish to remain living with their violent partners, helping them to do so in the safest way possible. Womens Aid also works with other agencies representing its service users needs and experiences. Children who live in a home where domestic violence is taking place can be very badly affected and may experience behavioural problems (McFarlane et al, 2003). Although a child may not witness domestic violence they may be aware of it taking place: they may hear it; or witness the resulting injuries. If they do witness domestic violence they may get injured trying to intervene. Research has shown that between thirty and sixty-six percent of children that live in a home where domestic violence is taking place also face abuse themselves (Womens Aid, 2009b). In all of these cases it is more than likely that the child will need counselling to deal with the trauma experienced. Despite all this an abusive parent can still apply through the courts to have contact with their child. It is commonly felt that it is in the best interests of the child to have contact with both parents. When there is the risk of abduction of further abuse of the child an evaluation by an officer from the Children and Family Courts Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) can be made to ascertain whether contact is advisable and is so what nature it should take. Contact may happen in a contact centre. However these centres are usually staffed by volunteers and may not be able to provide the continuous supervision necessary (Womens Aid, 2009d). If the mother does not comply with the contact order because of fears for the childs or her own safety she will be in contempt of court and can face sanctions such as fines, withdrawal of legal aid, transfer of residence and even imprisonment. Womans Aid may also need to refer their service users to drug and alcohol services because women suffering domestic violence are fifteen times more likely to misuse alcohol and those who report domestic abuse are nine times more likely to misuse drugs than women in the general population (Womens Aid, 2009a). This may be because they use drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism or their abuser has used drugs and alcohol as a means of control (Finney, 2004). Whatever the reasons this further complicates matters for the survivor. As mentioned earlier this can make it more difficult for a survivor to get a place in a refuge. Also it can be a hindrance in reporting domestic violence, as the survivor may fear being stigmatised as an alcoholic or a drug addict (Womens Aid, 2009a). If the survivor wishes to tackle their substance issues this can be difficult as funding for treatment is restricted and many treatment services are male-orientated and may have mixed groups where she may not feel able to discuss those issues affecting her (Womens Aid, 2009a). Another governmental response is attempting to identify potential survivors of domestic violence. As thirty percent of domestic violence starts during pregnancy and domestic violence is the prime cause of miscarriage or stillbirth, and maternal death during childbirth (Womans Aid, 2005b) the government has set up an antenatal screening policy to identify those at risk. This involves providing specialised training for midwives and other healthcare providers to help them encourage pregnant women experiencing domestic violence to disclose this, but it must be done in a safe way and this can be difficult with the, usually, controlling nature of the perpetrator. However it has been found that not all healthcare providers routinely question all patients as they believed that they were able to identify those who were experiencing domestic abuse and would only question those who they felt may be experiencing domestic violence (Jeanjot et al, 2008). Also midwives reported concerns about acces sing support for themselves and colleagues as almost nineteen percent had reported experiencing domestic violence themselves (Barnet, 2005). The Corston Report found that a disproportionate number of female prisoners, when compared to the general population, had suffered domestic violence (Corston, 2007). This may be for a variety of reasons: their abuser forced them to commit crimes; they committed crimes to go to prison and escape the abuse they faced; or they committed the crimes to support their drug and/or alcohol addiction. Whatever the reasons the Corston Report recommended that there should be mandatory provision of support for women who had been raped, abused or experienced domestic abuse in every regional resettlement plan (Corston, 2007). The government has accepted this recommendation and it is part of the Strategic Plan for Reducing Re-Offending, which was launched in spring 2008, and it is hoped that it will help prevent chronic social exclusion (Ministry of Justice, 2007). However it has not been implemented as yet. It has been shown that domestic violence is a highly complex issue where both the perpetrators and survivors tend to have multiple needs that must be addressed. Legislation has tried to meet the needs of people with different life-style choices. It has also been shown that the creation of Specialist Domestic Violence Courts has had some success in improving conviction rates and survivor satisfaction, but still needs to address conviction rates amongst Black and ethnic minority defendants. The Integrated Domestic Abuse Programmes have had limited success, due to budgetary restraints causing long delays in perpetrators being placed on a programme and their offending behaviour is difficult to change. Also any other issues the perpetrator may have need to be addressed at the same time. It has been demonstrated that the emphasis on a criminal justice response neglects the majority of cases that are not reported to the police. This can disproportionately affect women from the Black and eth nic minority communities, and those with insecure immigration status as they are less likely to report incidents of domestic violence for various reasons. The emphasis on the criminal justice approach to tackling domestic violence also means that a disproportionate amount of funding is directed away from other important measures, such as refuges and other support services, that could be of more help to the vast majority who decide not to report incidents of domestic violence or do not want to engage with the criminal justice system. This funding could also be used for increased staffing at contact centres to help ensure the safety of children and their mothers, whilst still allowing them to interact with their fathers. Or it could be used for female orientated substance misuse treatment. Extra funding, which could come from other sources such as that allocated for the use of CCTV, could also identify and help other survivors through antenatal screening or within the female prison po pulation. Word Count: 3649 REFERENCES Barnet, C. (2005) Exploring Midwives attitudes to domestic violence screening. British Journal of Midwifery. Vol.13, No.11, 702-705 BBC Radio 4, (20 April 2009) Inside the Child Prisons. Carlson Brown, J. (1994) Because of the angels: sexual violence and abuse. In Schà ¼ssler Fiorenza, S. and Copeland, M.S. (eds) (1994) Violence Against Women, London: SCM Press. Communities and Local Government (2006) Options for Setting Up a Sanctuary Scheme. [Online] Available from http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/154295.pdf. [Accessed August 2nd 2009]. Corston, J. (2007) The Corston Report: A Review of Women with Particular Vulnerabilities in the Criminal Justice System. London: Home Office Coy, M., Kelly, L. and Foord, J. (2009) Map of Gaps 2: the Postcode Lottery of Violence Against Women Support Services. London: End Violence Against Women. Dhillon-Kashyap, P. (1994) Black women and housing. In Gilroy, R. and Woods, R. (eds) (1994) Housing Women, London: Routledge. Doward, J. (2008) Pledge to cut domestic violence has failed The Guardian 17th February. [Online] Available from http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/feb/17/ukcrime.justice. [Accessed August 10th 2009]. Finney, A. (2004) Alcohol and Intimate Partner Violence: Key Findings from the Research. London: Home Office Gilchrist, E., Johnson, R., Takriti, R., Weston, S., Beech, A. and Kebbell, M. (2003) Domestic Violence Offenders: Characteristics and Offending Related Needs. London: Home Office. Hall, T. and Whyte, D. (2003) At the margins of provision: domestic violence, policing and community safety. Policy Politics Vol. 31, No.1, p3-18. Home Office (2009) Crime Reduction Domestic Violence Mini-Site. [Online] Available from http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/dv/dv01.htm. [Accessed August 3rd 2009]. Home Office (2008a) Crime Reduction Domestic Violence: National Plan for Domestic Violence. [Online] Available from http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/domesticviolence/domesticviolence51.htm. [Accessed August 3rd 2009]. Home Office (2008b) Specialist Domestic Violence Courts Review 2007-8: Justice with Safety. [Online] Available from http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/dv/dv018a.pdf. [Accessed August 2nd 2009] Home Office (2007) Crime Reduction Legislation: The Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004. [Online] Available from http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/dv/dv016.htm. [Accessed August 3rd 2009] Home Office (2006) Specialist Domestic Violence Court Programme Resource Manual. [Online] Available from http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/domesticviolence/domesticviolence59.pdf. [Accessed August 1st 2009]. Home Office (2004) Crime Reduction Domestic Violence. [Online] Available from http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/domesticviolence/domesticviolence43.htm. [Accessed August 10th 2009]. Jeanjot, I., Barlow, P. and Rozenberg, S. (2008) Domestic violence during pregnancy: survey of patients and healthcare providers. Journal of Womens Health Vol. 17, No. 4, 557-567. McFarlane, J.M., Groff, J.Y., OBrian, J.A. and Watson, K. (2003) Behaviours of children who are exposed and not exposed to intimate partner violence: an analysis of 330 Black, White and Hispanic children. Paediatrics, Vol. 112, No. 3, 202-207. Ministry of Justice (2007) The Governments Response to the Report by Baroness Corston of a Review of Women with Particular Vulnerabilities in the Criminal Justice System. [Online] Available from http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/docs/corston-review.pdf. [Accessed August 11th 2009]. Rape Crisis (2008) Rape in Marriage / Rape by Partner. [Online] Available from http://www.rapecrisis.org.uk/rape/maritalrape.html. [Accessed August 7th 2009]. Rights of Women (2007) Domestic Violence, Housing and Homelessness. [Online] Available from http://www.rightsofwomen.org.uk/pdfs/dv_housing_homelessness.pdf. [Accessed August 1st 2009] Womens Aid (2009a) The Survivors Handbook Alcohol and Drugs. [Online] Available from http://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-violence-survivors-handbook.asp?section=000100010008000100360003. [Accessed August 14th 2009]. Womens Aid (2009b) The Survivors Handbook Children and Domestic Violence. [Online] Available from http://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-violence-survivors-handbook.asp?section=000100010008000100380001sectionTitle=Children+and+domestic+violence. [Accessed August 13th 2009] Womens Aid (2009c) The Survivors Handbook Immigration. [Online] Available from http://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-violence-survivors-handbook.asp?section=000100010008000100350002. [Accessed August 13th 2009]. Womens Aid (2009d) The Survivors Handbook Making Arrangement for Children After Separation. [Online] Available from http://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-violence-survivors-handbook.asp?section=000100010008000100380002sectionTitle=Making+arrangements+for+children+after+separation. [Accessed August 13th 2009] Womens Aid (2008a) Action Plan for Tackling Domestic Violence 2008-11. [Online] Available from http://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-violence-articles.asp?section=00010001002200430001itemid=1548. [Accessed August 8th 2009]. Womens Aid (2008b) Police Responses to Domestic violence Full Article. [Online] Available from http://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-violence-articles.asp?section=00010001002200400001itemid=1402. [Accessed August 7th 2009]. Womens Aid (2007a) Domestic Violence Crimes and Victims Act 2004: Two New Sections Implemented. [Online] Available from http://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-violence-articles.asp?section=00010001002200070001itemid=1039itemTitle=Domestic+Violence+Crime+and+Victims+Act+2004%3A+two+new+sections+implemented. [Accessed August 8th 2009]. Womans Aid (2007b) Womens Aid Briefing Perpetrator Work in the UK. [Online] Available from http://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-violence-articles.asp?section=00010001002200180001itemid=1080. [Accessed August 9th 2009]. Womens Aid (2007c) Support for Survivors: Refuges. [Online] Available from http://womensaid.org.uk/domestic-violence-articles.asp?section=00010001002200210002itemid=1301. [Accessed August 11th 2009]. Womens Aid (2007d) What is Domestic Violence? [Online] Available from http://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-violence-articles.asp?section=00010001002200410001itemid=1272itemTitle=What+is+domestic+violence. [Accessed July 28th 2009]. Womens Aid (2005a) Womens Aid Guidance for people in drug and alcohol sectors working with women experiencing domestic abuse. [Online] Available from http://womensaid.org.uk/domestic-violence-articles.asp?itemid=956itemTitle=Women%27s+Aid+Guidance+for+people+in+drug+and+alcohol+sectors+working+with+women+experiencing+domestic+abusesection=00010001002200280001sectionTitle=Articles%3A+drugs+and+alcohol. [Accessed August 12th 2009]. Womens Aid (2005b) Statistics Pregnancy and Domestic Violence. [Online] Available from http://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-violence-articles.asp?section=00010001002200010001itemid=822. [Accessed August 8th 2009]. Worth, N. and Tiggermann, M. (1996) Predictors of womens return to violent partners. Australian Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 13, No. 4, p376-391.

Army Ants :: essays research papers

A quote made by Lewis Thomas, "Ants are so much like human beings as to be an embarrassment. They farm fungus, raise aphids as livestock, launch armies into war, use chemical sprays to alarm and confuse enemies, and exchange information ceaselessly. They do everything but watch television." I am going to focus this report on the part of the quote, "..launch armies into war..," which sets a metaphor of ants and our armies in today's society. Ants have many tactics, so to speak, that are similar to the way our armies have when going to war. Ants have many different roles in their society. One of the main roles that army ants or soldier ants have is that they forage in masses for food. These masses of ants travel together and are able to overcome and capture other social insects and large anthropoids, they may occasionally kill larger animals but they do not eat them. As the need for food for the larvae increases, food gathering raids become more intense. The hunting raids made by ants are carried out by "armies" of thousands of ants and set out from the bivouac in various directions. They form two or three parties going out simultaneously in different directions for 100 yards or more. In the U.S. army we attack countries in different areas to weaken the force we are attacking. We send out thousands of troops in various directions and try to surround the source of the location being attacked. For instance, if there are several locations that needed to be attacked to weaken the enemy, like their weapon storage or air force base, we send several sets of troops to attack each individual location. This is very similar to the way army ants set out on a hunting raid. They will send out thousands of ants at once in two or three different directions. When ants go out on their raids, a subgroup called Dorgline ants, walk along margins of the trails as though protecting the smaller individuals in the center. Dorglines are large soldiers that broaden the trail where it follows a narrow ledge of bark and twigs or smooth the path where it crosses a rough plate and they do this with their own body. They do this because footing for the large ants is better along the margins than in the midst of dense mass of scurrying ants. When the army wants to invade or occupy a county, they usually will set up aircraft carriers in the surrounding oceans and set up air forces in neighboring countries. They do this to protect the inside forces of troops and Army Ants :: essays research papers A quote made by Lewis Thomas, "Ants are so much like human beings as to be an embarrassment. They farm fungus, raise aphids as livestock, launch armies into war, use chemical sprays to alarm and confuse enemies, and exchange information ceaselessly. They do everything but watch television." I am going to focus this report on the part of the quote, "..launch armies into war..," which sets a metaphor of ants and our armies in today's society. Ants have many tactics, so to speak, that are similar to the way our armies have when going to war. Ants have many different roles in their society. One of the main roles that army ants or soldier ants have is that they forage in masses for food. These masses of ants travel together and are able to overcome and capture other social insects and large anthropoids, they may occasionally kill larger animals but they do not eat them. As the need for food for the larvae increases, food gathering raids become more intense. The hunting raids made by ants are carried out by "armies" of thousands of ants and set out from the bivouac in various directions. They form two or three parties going out simultaneously in different directions for 100 yards or more. In the U.S. army we attack countries in different areas to weaken the force we are attacking. We send out thousands of troops in various directions and try to surround the source of the location being attacked. For instance, if there are several locations that needed to be attacked to weaken the enemy, like their weapon storage or air force base, we send several sets of troops to attack each individual location. This is very similar to the way army ants set out on a hunting raid. They will send out thousands of ants at once in two or three different directions. When ants go out on their raids, a subgroup called Dorgline ants, walk along margins of the trails as though protecting the smaller individuals in the center. Dorglines are large soldiers that broaden the trail where it follows a narrow ledge of bark and twigs or smooth the path where it crosses a rough plate and they do this with their own body. They do this because footing for the large ants is better along the margins than in the midst of dense mass of scurrying ants. When the army wants to invade or occupy a county, they usually will set up aircraft carriers in the surrounding oceans and set up air forces in neighboring countries. They do this to protect the inside forces of troops and

Essay on Sartre’s “Man Is Condemned to Be Free” Essay

When Sartre writes that â€Å"man is condemned to be free,† he is elaborating on the statement â€Å"[man] is responsible for everything he does.† Provided that God does not exist, man must live his condemned life of freedom without â€Å"any values or commands that could legitimize [his] behavior.† Furthermore, man has no means of â€Å"justification or cause;† man has no excuse for his actions, because he has chosen them on his own, out of his own freedom. Although freedom is traditionally characteristic of â€Å"good,† Sartre describes it almost as a burden, because of his belief that God does not exist. When man discovers that he is â€Å"without excuse,† he has come to realize that he â€Å"cannot find anything to depend on;† for without God, everything is â€Å"permitted.† Also, because there is no outside force driving every man, each man as an individual is responsible for shaping the image of man, or â€Å"invent[ing] man.† Assuming that God in the heavens is not laying out the future and that we are all responsible for ourselves, at â€Å"every instant† man is condemned to â€Å"invent man,† for there is no definition of man except what we make it [pg. 380, textbook]. Furthermore, Sartre explains how each man creates his own morality. Because every man is free to do what they want and make their own decisions, they sometimes are put in a situation where they must choose between â€Å"two different modes of action† [pg. 381, textbook]. If God existed and made the future as he wanted it, man would not have to make these decisions. In choosing between these two paths, man must create what he really believes in. This is choosing morality. In choosing, man develops his own morals and beliefs which result in his individual path of principles. Obviously, in some situations you may have chosen differently than another person, proving that something that means a lot to one person may in turn mean nothing to you.

Free Essays on The Fall of the House Of Usher

Poe uses the imagery and the life-like characteristics of an otherwise decaying house as a device for giving the house a supernatural atmosphere. For example, from the very beginning of the story, the reader can tell that there is something unusual and almost supernatural about the building. As the narrator approaches the home of his long-time friend, Roderick Usher, he refers to the house as the â€Å"melancholy House of Usher†(1508). Upon looking at the building, he even describes the feeling he has as â€Å"a sense of insufferable gloom pervading my spirit†(1508). The windows appear to be â€Å"vacant,† and â€Å"eye-like† and the narrator goes on to observe the â€Å"rank sedges,† and the â€Å"black and lurid tarn,†(1509) in which he sees the reflection of the house. He later says, â€Å"when I again uplifted my eyes to the house itself, from its image in the pool, there grew a strange fancy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (1509). This statement indicates that perhaps the house does indeed have supernatural characteristic. The narrator ! observes the details of the house once more and finds that the house has fungi growing all over it and the masonry of the building is decaying. He says, â€Å" there appeared to be a wild inconsistency between its still perfect adaptation of parts, and the utterly porous, and evidently decayed condition of the individual stones†(1510). This observation suggests that perhaps something supernatural is holding the house intact; otherwise it would have fallen to the ground long ago. Upon entering the house, the narrator sees the inside of the house as well as the odd behavior and personality of its inhabitants and is increasingly convinced that the house has some supernatural effect on those who live there. Upon meeting Usher, the narrator remarks, â€Å"†¦the physique of the gray walls and the turrets, and of the dim tarn into which they all looked down, had at length, brought about upon the morale of his existence† (1512). The narrat... Free Essays on The Fall of the House of Usher Free Essays on The Fall of the House of Usher The Doom of Usher’s House The human mind naturally receives images of the frightening or even appalling. In the tale â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† by Edgar Allan Poe, the narrator is brought into an eerie world â€Å"DURING the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn† (204). The setting of this world inspires devastation for Roderick Usher and his twin sister, Madeline. This sense of doom shows throughout the House of Usher, the interior and exterior of the house, the landscape surrounding the mansion, and the strange tempestuous atmosphere of the house. The House of Usher generates a sense of doom by its appearance as the narrator approaches. â€Å"The vacant and eye-like windows† of the manor first give the impression that the house is a large face. A minute fungus overspreads the whole exterior, hanging like web-work from the attic. The narrator can also see a barely distinguishable crack extending from the roof down into the pond. As the narrator crosses the threshold of the house into the gothic archway, he sees carvings on the ceiling, gloomy tapestries hanging on the walls, â€Å"ebon blackness of the floors, and large phantasmagoric armorial trophies. The rooms are very large and lofty, the general furniture profuse, comfortless, antique, and dilapidated† (205). Paintings hanging on the walls give the narrator a shudder every time he views the depressive scenarios. There is also a vault at a great depth below the mansion, a portion of the vaults floor and the whole interior of the long archway are sheathed with copper, the chamber is very small, damp, and entirely without means of admission for light. Even the door is made of massive iron and placed on great hinges that grind and make an awful noise as the narrator and Roderick open it. The landscape around the mansion is doomed, which leads to the land being full of sadness and decay. The house appears on a landscape of â€Å"a few rank sedges and u... Free Essays on The Fall Of The House Of Usher Poe uses the imagery and the life-like characteristics of an otherwise decaying house as a device for giving the house a supernatural atmosphere. For example, from the very beginning of the story, the reader can tell that there is something unusual and almost supernatural about the building. As the narrator approaches the home of his long-time friend, Roderick Usher, he refers to the house as the â€Å"melancholy House of Usher†(1508). Upon looking at the building, he even describes the feeling he has as â€Å"a sense of insufferable gloom pervading my spirit†(1508). The windows appear to be â€Å"vacant,† and â€Å"eye-like† and the narrator goes on to observe the â€Å"rank sedges,† and the â€Å"black and lurid tarn,†(1509) in which he sees the reflection of the house. He later says, â€Å"when I again uplifted my eyes to the house itself, from its image in the pool, there grew a strange fancy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (1509). This statement indicates that perhaps the house does indeed have supernatural characteristic. The narrator ! observes the details of the house once more and finds that the house has fungi growing all over it and the masonry of the building is decaying. He says, â€Å" there appeared to be a wild inconsistency between its still perfect adaptation of parts, and the utterly porous, and evidently decayed condition of the individual stones†(1510). This observation suggests that perhaps something supernatural is holding the house intact; otherwise it would have fallen to the ground long ago. Upon entering the house, the narrator sees the inside of the house as well as the odd behavior and personality of its inhabitants and is increasingly convinced that the house has some supernatural effect on those who live there. Upon meeting Usher, the narrator remarks, â€Å"†¦the physique of the gray walls and the turrets, and of the dim tarn into which they all looked down, had at length, brought about upon the morale of his existence† (1512). The narrat... Free Essays on The Fall of the House Of Usher One of the core themes of the short story, â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher†, is that of the nature of the house itself. The manner it is described and the way it is so puzzling. Another main theme of this tale is the nature of the people that reside in the dwelling. They are described in nearly the same manner all through the narrative. In that way, they have several things in common with one other. What is clearly similar about the way all these things are refered to is the sense of a bad feeling, of dread, showing how bad things are for the people and the house. These similarities are laid out extremely well in the story and I believe they are meant be strongly considered when reading it. At the start of the tale there is a very negative feeling being connected to the appearance of the house. Poe especially uses a couple of tactics to try and make you feel negatively about the house. He used phrases such as: â€Å"insufferable gloom,† â€Å"vacant,† â€Å"black and lurid,† and the â€Å"rank sedges.† These are obviously meant to convey a bad connotation to the house. Poe writes that the house has a â€Å"wild inconsistency† and describes that each individual stone is starting to decay and fall apart. This suggests that the house has many problems that could possibly lead to the destruction of a house. Its hard to pick up this as foreshadowing, but as the reader continues the story it becomes clearer and clearer. The house has a kind of gothic feeling to it. Another common word used in describing the house is ghostly. The story is lined with phrases such as, â€Å"through many dark and intricate passages† and â€Å"ebon blackn ess† which also set the sense of darkness. They all set up the idea that some frightful event is going to take place soon. These devices, along with a some others, help to connect the house to Roderick and Lady Madeline. When the speaker first sees Roderick after a long interval of time, he remarks that he resemb...