Resource Theory-Family Violence

Resource Theory and Family Violence

Different theories have been put forward in to better understand the phenomenon of family violence . Resource theory seeks to explain family violence through the different resources at the disposal of the perpetrator of family violence . These resources may include financial social , and even physical force . The more resources a person may have the stronger the strength of force , not necessarily physical force , that a person can command . In the case of the family , violence can be directed to the wife by the husband or by the parents

to the children (Gelles , 2005 . This is strong theory that can explain the occurrence of family violence . The husband , or even the parents , if they feel deprived or that they lack of resources , they will try to compensate such lack by asserting authority through violence or physical force

If there are more resources , such as money , property , and others available at the disposal of a person , there is less need to use physical force . These resources can actually be used to enforce the authority of the person . An example would be the way that parents threaten to remove a child 's access to computers , phone , or any other gadgets to bring their behavior in line with the parents ' expectations

The problem , however , is when the man or both parents lack the resources to enforce their will on the members of their family . If this occurs physical force and violence may become the last resort in enforcing their will . If the husband , the wife , or both parents have low income low level of education , or if they do not have good negotiation and interpersonal skills , they tend to use violence more . They will use violence or physical force to compensate for what the lack of resources that they feel . Their main goal is to maintain the dominance that they have in the family

Reference

Gelles , R . J (2005 . Through a Sociological lens : Social Structure and Family violence . In K . A . Tiemann (ed . Crossroads (Readings in Social Problems . New York : Pearson Custom Publishing...