Prevalence of domestic violence among Aboriginal community
This report will focus on the complication related to sexual assault and domestic violence within family and home. Family violence is any kind of abuse or assault on a child or adult by another family member. It is a prominent issue among the Aboriginal community of Australia and therefore it needs to be worked on. Domestic violence or family violence is considered as a major problem for many years especially among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders of Australia. There are existing literature, which has stressed on the high victimization of domestic violence among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders (Brassard et al. 2015).
A comparison found out that this particular community is among the highest to face domestic violence than the rest of the population. There are several complaints reported about domestic violence in brutal form by the Aboriginal women than other women in Australia. This is the reason behind the labeling of domestic violence as an emerging issue in the public health sector that require immediate resolution to prevent negative impacts on the Aboriginal people of Australia. This particular community of Australia needs to be supported by remedies for dealing with the social issues faced by the members.
This research paper will outline the strategies taken by Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative Limited to uplift women and children of the community. RACL is an NGO, which is aimed at providing support to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the Victoria region. This research paper will generate a literature review followed by the research methodology and findings and analysis to focus on the particular issue. Recommendation will be provided at the end to suggest suitable measures.
- Why Aboriginal are the main victims of domestic violence?
- What measures are taken for avoiding such violence?
- What recommendations can be suggested to prevent such instances in future?
Rumbalara is the key stakeholder of Aboriginal health sector and it functions within a culturally susceptible community regulated environment (Bailee and mulligan 2016). They are supported by a holistic approach in offering their services by focusing on the importance of family values. The family value programs of Rumbalara are aimed at providing support to the victims of domestic violence in the Aboriginal community of Australia.
This section will focus on the existing research carried out by other fresearchers on similar problems. According to Goulet et al. (2016), the Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders are vulnerable to social and economic inequalities leading them towards frustration, helplessness, frustration, anger, misery and desolateness. Often, this indifference in the community has led to them to choose a life of alcohol and drugs in order to cope up with the stress of mental depression. Previous researchers have found out that they require time and support on an urgent basis in order to heal the mental illness that was inflicted as a reason of domestic violence. Given below is a visual representation of the domestic violence faced among the Aboriginal community members.
Role of Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative Limited
Fig: Statistics of domestic violence among the Aboriginal people in Australia
Source: (Funston and Herring 2016)
Fraser (2017) stated that one of the primary ways of reducing the frequency of domestic violence among the Aboriginal community is to make easy availability and accessibility of support system. It might reduce the negative effect of domestic violence faced among the Aboriginal community and Torres Strait Island members. According to Young, Andy and Doherty (2018) Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative Limited is regarded as the most appropriate support system for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. This NGO has provided extensive services to the victims of indigenous community in Australia, specially the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. It was found out from previous researches that the instances of domestic violence within the family could be prevented only with the incorporation of holistic move towards solving the social issues prevailing within the indigenous community. This is because it is effective in gaining in- depth knowledge about the factors involved in the act of domestic violence. They consider the factors in order to generate a suitable approach for relieving the aboriginal community members from the act of domestic violence (Tam et al. 2016). As per the findings of this atrocious act, Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative Limited has a wider comprehension of the demands of the people in the aboriginal community. This is the main cause behind selecting it as the appropriate cooperative approach in offering services to the victims of domestic violence among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Hunter et al. (2016) remarked that the NGO Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative Limited has stressed more on the family values of the indigenous community in Australia. Due to this fact, they have extended their support by means of family education programs to impart knowledge on kids and adults about family values. They are intended to reduce social indifference among the community members by teaching them to embrace family values and beliefs. In addition to family education programs, Rumabalara was involved in the practice of offering justice to the victims of domestic violence by lodging complaint against the offenders. This NGO has provided a firm platform for the women and children to share their views and experiences regarding domestic violence. It was considered as an effective way to relieve them from the pain and sufferings that they have gained from their family members. The cooperative involved the victims in domestic violence programs where they were imparted education on the awful activities of family brutality and taught them about the support required to cope up with these issues and lead to a better future (Spangaro et al. 2016).
Family education programs to combat social indifference
As per Marchetti and Daly (2017), family violence takes a worse shape when the victims are afraid to report and complaint about the experience that they have faced from their acquaintances. Majority of the women feel afraid to report the cases because of the negative effects that they might have to face from the offenders. It has resulted in the increase of domestic violence among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the victims are threatened and blackmailed by the convicts. This is the reason behind providing justice by the Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative Limited where the victims are encouraged to report and lodge complaint so that such atrocious incidents can be prevented in the future. Such programs on behalf of the NGO were helpful in providing a platform for the women to share their experiences of family violence to give a lesson for other women to prevent them from being a victim of family violence.
Hamdullahpur, Jacobs and Gill (2017) mentioned that previous records of injustice among the Aboriginal community in Australia led to the increase of family violence. The negative effects of such instances have led the family members to act brutally o their women and children. Rumbalara has considered this behavior among the individuals to pave the way for better strategies as a solution to this severe issue. This NGO was appropriate in finding out relevant strategies, as they have stressed on specific factors of loss of land and traditional culture and recognition, racism, lack of respect for the family and community members.
Fig: Percentage of aboriginal women as victims of domestic violence
Source: (Evans and Feder 2016)
The research has been conducted in a successful manner, as the researcher has used the tools of methodologies that are present in a proper way. The research has been conducted taking in to account the positivism philosophy, as it has helped the researcher in proving the aims and objectives that has been taken up for the study. It has also allowed the researcher in using various approaches in a scientific manner so that the factual knowledge can be enhanced. The different opinions and viewpoints have been taken up as well so that the research can be authentic in nature (Mackey and Gass 2015).
The research has also taken in to account the approach that is deductive in nature so that the factors that are present in aborigines with respect to domestic violence among women and children can be considered in a proper way. It has also allowed the researcher in transforming the information in a general manner by aligning it with the objectives so that the research can look authentic (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015).
Reporting and complaint system for victims of domestic violence
The research has been made by taking the descriptive design type so that the various theories and concepts can be explained as well. It has allowed the researcher in explaining the different incidences that may lead to these occurrences in the future. Additionally, the researcher has also been able to generate the causes and the effects in the rationale so that it can be clarified by taking up this particular type of design for the research (Glesne 2015).
Furthermore, the research has been based on the survey strategy, as the relevant information has been collected from the Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative Limited along with the surveys that were conducted by them(Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015). The researcher has been able to collect the relevant information from the reports that has been published by the organization so that it can help in understanding the level of domestic violence that is present among the women and children among the aboriginal people. Moreover, the information that has been gathered has also allowed the researcher in achieving the aims and objectives of the research in a proper manner (Brinkmann 2014).
Apart from the secondary literature that was collected, the researcher has also been able to conduct the process of survey so that it can provide a better insight regarding the struggles that the women and children are facing with respect to domestic violence. The survey has been conducted on 50 families, which has helped the researcher in getting a proper view of the struggles that are faced by the aboriginal families (Vaioleti 2016). The researcher has conducted the technique of probability sampling so that the participants have an equal chance of taking part in the process of survey. It has also helped the researcher in taking in to consideration the other factors apart from the reports that are published by the organization so that the process of the research can be authentic (Flick 2015).
The researcher has collected the data through the qualitative and quantitative method, as the researcher has been conducted with the help of secondary as well as primary data (Sanson and Yun 2015). The qualitative study has been conducted through the secondary sources of literature by collecting relevant information from the reports of the organization whereas the quantitative study has been conducted with the help of the primary sources of data. These include the survey of the aboriginal families so that it can help the researcher in gaining better level of knowledge. The use of the survey method by the researcher will allow in understanding the problems in a deeper level as well and combine it with the information that has been collected through the report (Silverman 2016).
Factors contributing to domestic violence
Then data that has been collected for the research will be analysed with the help of MS-Excel so that the opinions of the respondents can be presented with the help of graphs and further explanation can be provided. This will allow the researcher in presenting the data in a statistical manner as well (Vaioleti 2016).
The researcher has also abided by the rules and regulations so that the process of the research can be conducted in an ethical manner. It has allowed the researcher in conducting the survey by not forcing any of the families to take part in the process without their prior consent. The information that has been gathered through the surveys will be used for educational purposes only and not for commercial purposes (Smith 2015).
As per Ellington, Brassard and Montminy (2015), it was found out that the issue of domestic violence faced by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people need to be dealt with cultural competence. It will enable Rumbalara Cooperatives to have a better knowledge about the suitable approaches to be included in the support framework. By considering the same, this NGO has provided an extensive service in the form of external care, kinship care, family preservation and a combined approach to family services to build up strong bond of family values. It was found suitable for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as per the research carried out by Karskens (2017), as they had previous records of weak family bonding. Rumbalara had considered this area of concern and offered services, which were aimed at providing the individuals with such provision, which was snatched away from them in the past. Breakdown of family ties in the past has resulted in frustration among the male members and they were involved in the violent action of assaulting heir women and children. The male ego played a part in this situation as they did not want to be dominated due their inability to take any step against social and economic injustice occurred in the past. The negative effect of their consistent frustration was faced by the women and children of the family (Abraham and Tastsoglou 2016).
According to Kuokkanen (2015), the research findings have agreed to the fact that the aboriginal women and children were highly vulnerable to domestic and family violence in comparison to other women of Australia. As a result, they were more at stake of facing domestic violence and unnatural death because of the suffering. The reason behind this is the previous records of oppression and sufferings faced by the indigenous community. Moreover, the aboriginal women were afraid to lodge complaint and report against their offenders. It has resulted in the increase of brutality among the convicts as they have threatened and blackmailed the victims (Marchetti and Daly 2017).
Methodologies used in research
It can be further analyzed that the family violence prevailing among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia had several negative outcomes. In order to find a remedy to this severe issue, Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative Limited had initiated their extensive services for the welfare of the indigenous people. Domestic violence outcome went to the most severe extent of damaging the victims in physical, social and emotional forms. According to Sudbury (2014), physical violence was in the form of physical, emotional and sexual abuse leading to trauma and depression among the victims. It was an effect of the frustration and anger among the male members of the indigenous society, as they could not fight against social inequalities in the past, which resulted in economic disadvantage.
Fig: Percentage of domestic violence faced by the indigenous community
Source: (Basu 2018)
Further analysis has focused on the lack of self- esteem and lowered confidence level among the victims of family violence. The nature and outcome of family violence is different among the Aboriginal community in comparison to the rest of the population in Australia. The forms of domestic violence include- forceful removal of the children from their family and out casting them from their traditional culture, severe levels of poverty and social difference in comparison to other population groups in Australia. Other impacts of domestic violence included mental depression, suicidal ideas, drug abuse and trauma (Karskens 2017).
From the discussion and analysis of the research findings on the issue of domestic violence faced by the indigenous community of Australia it can be recommended that, the NGO has taken a unique approach for resolving the issue. Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative Limited has provided wide range of service in the form of teaching and education programs for the victims. It can be suggested in this respect that they should enhance their service by arranging for a visit to the victims’ house at regular interval. It would be effective in motivating and encouraging the victims to share their instances and the offender in the family will not dare to continue such activities in the future. In addition, it can be said that the NGO should appoint voluntary members for their organization from the house of the victims so that the offenders do not get the courage to commit such crimes.
It was found out from the research paper that Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative Limited has only worked with the victims for finding effective solution to this specific problem. It will be better if they introduce rehabilitating course and therapy for the offenders too. Previous literature has focused on the fact that the occurrence of such incidents have resulted from frustration, anger and depression of the male members of the indigenous society due to their inability to fight against the breakdown of family bonds in the past. Therefore, it can be suggested that if they are given psychological therapy on the part of the NGO, then they will be able to cope up with the negative influence. The rehabilitation courses will be aimed at providing a holistic approach to eradicate the issue of domestic violence on the indigenous community. The teaching and learning process will be conducted within a funny and joyous surrounding to allow free flow of emotions. Both the victims and the offenders will be allowed to speak up their views and thought o the platform. Music will play a role in providing a soothing effect and allow them to delve deep into thinking process. It can be suggested that this integrated approach will be effective in mitigating the negative influence from the offenders and they will try to come away from the heinous act of family violence. It will pave the way for a healthy society for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Survey strategy used in research
Conclusion
It can be concluded from this research paper that the activities of domestic violence is continuing as an impact of experiences gone bad. Analysis of several literatures has focused on the issue of family violence among the indigenous community of Australia, which was compared to be higher than the rest of the population in the same area. The underlying reason behind this was found to be the fear of the victims in complaining against the offenders. They were afraid to lodge complaint as the offenders included family members and acquaintance. It enhanced this brutal violence in the form of threatening and blackmailing the victims. The nature of violence differed between the indigenous community and the other population groups in Australia. Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative Limited played a major role in removing this black spot from the heart of the society. They have initiated holistic approach to teach the victims of violence and encourage them for reporting against the issue. Education was imparted among the victims who were mostly women and children to fight against domestic violence. Statistics have proved that the rate of domestic violence is highest among the indigenous community in comparison to other population groups in Australia. They were motivated to muster courage and stand united against the brutal violence. A recommendation provided at the end of this research paper suggested that, in addition to teaching the victims, the offenders need lessons too. It will be helpful in removing the negative influence from them so that they could lead a healthy life. Curing the offenders from the sick mentality will lead to reducing of domestic violence among the Aboriginal women and children in Australia.
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