Clinical Psychology Paper Essay Example for Free

Clinical Psychology Paper Essay The great evangelist D.T. Niles once said, â€Å"Christianity is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread† (Niles, 2010). At its most basic level, clinical psychology is the enterprise of one educated, licensed person using his or her knowledge of human behavior to address, assuage, or otherwise moderate the troubles and concerns of another person’s life—whether they be relational, affective, or physiological. Strictly speaking, clinical psychology is, â€Å"the assessment, treatment, and understanding of psychological and behavioral problems and disorders† (Plante, 2011, p. 5). Clinical psychology is a scientific endeavor, utilizing the instrument of the scientific method to inform the practice, procedures, and treatments used to address human problems. There is an interplay that exists between treatment outcome research and psychotherapy in clinical psychology—the science informs the art and the art informs the science (Plante, 2011). The point of this paper is to catalogue and compare the history and evolving nature of clinical psychology as well as to consider the specific case of counseling within the framework of clinical psychology. History Hippocrates—the original author of the Hippocratic Oath—formed the first complete, if naà ¯ve, physiological explanation of disease and dysfunction (Plante, 2011). He proposed that imbalances in the mixture and quantity of four fluids: black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood, caused several emotions and psychological maladjustment, such as sadness, irritability, and anger. It was not until the advents of Plato that it was conceived that the metaphysical realm of the soul could have an effect on the corporeal domain. However, it was to Galen that a holistic theory of medicine was formed that incorporated the physiological explanations of Hippocrates with the metaphysical explanations of Plato. Even though Galen’s ideas of bloodletting were flawed, it was a step in the direction of objective explanations of illness and disease. During the middle ages the work of Thomas Aquinas, Paracelsus, and Weyer shifted the discussion of psychology away from the metaphysical and toward physical explanations of mental illness, such as bodily causes, movements of the stars, and behavior. Furthermore, at the dawn of the Renaissance and into the nineteenth century the veil of shadow and secrecy behind the inner workings of the mind, body, and cell were ripped from his or her places and the mediums of scientific observation and laboratory investigation were instituted in the place of religion and mysticism as the sole explanation of illness. The works of Rush, Bernard, and Pinel during this period of history paved the way for more humane approaches to the abnormal and deviant—approaches that sought to alleviate psychological dysfunction rather than simply separate and restrain the dysfunctional. The birth of psychology proper came on the heels of the publishing of Wundt’s The Elements of Psychophysics in 1850 and James’ Principles of Psychology in 1890 (Plante, 2011). These publications, along with the institution of the first psychological laboratory by Wundt, culminated in the founding of the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1892. The main drive behind the fledgling field of psychology was to measure empirically behavior to the end of understanding the subsidiary components of the mind itself. Hence, when clinical psychology first got on its feet four years later (1896), through the opening of the first clinic by Witmer, many psychologists frowned upon the application of the principles of human behavior to clinical situations. This was seen as a step away from a general understanding of human behavior and toward abnormal or dysfunctional psychology. Despite the initial tension between clinical psychology and mainstream psychology, the first formal classes in clinical psychology began in 1904 at the University of Pennsylvania and the first edition of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology was published in 1907. Evolving Nature Despite the disinclination of the APA to embrace an applied approach to psychology, clinical psychology grew rapidly in the beginning of the twentieth century (Plante, 2011). Going back to Plato’s contention of the metaphysical affecting the corporeal, Sigmund Freud postulated that unconscious conflict and strife could have a direct outcome on mental and physical illness. The work of Freud shaped and molded the direction of clinical psychology for many decades after his death. Even though it was not until the Boulder Conference of 1949 that the training guidelines for clinical psychology were mapped out and etched in stone, so to speak. One of the main tenets of these guidelines was that clinical psychologists should have a firm understanding of both psychological research and psychotherapy. It was not until the 1950s and on that Freud’s ideas of human psychology were exchanged for the alternatives of humanism, cognitive-behaviorism, and family systems approaches (Plante, 2011). The changes in psychological perspective were precipitated by the establishment of community mental health facilities and the introduction of psychotropic drugs as a treatment of abnormal psychology. Even though these advancements in conception and treatment offered alternatives to the traditional ideas of psychodynamics and behaviorism, no one theory of human psychology proved to explain the entirety of behavior, dysfunction, and cognition. To that end, parsimoniously eclectic approaches to psychology were adopted—such as the biopsychosocial theory—that incorporated many of the ideas and practices from the abovementioned perspectives. Current Issues The last century of clinical psychology has been characterized by an illness ideology that emphasizes the treatment or preventions of disorders (Maddux, 2008). Even though this approach has utility in the realm of psychotherapy it lacks the ability to enhance the quality of life for people who do not suffer from some type of mental illness. Maddux (2008) proposes that a shift toward positive psychology—a perspective that stresses human strengths and mental health—should be pursued. Positive psychology aims to, â€Å"†¦promote health, happiness, physical fitness, and pleasure, and personal fulfillment through the free pursuit of chosen and valued goals† (Maddux, 2008, p. 68). By shifting toward positive psychology the strengths of people can be used to promote mental health preemptively as well as combat mental illness. At the forefront of the implementation of positive psychology is the innovation of virtual reality (VR) as a means to allow patients to manipulate problematic situations related to his or her mental illness without the use of psychotherapy (Riva, 2009). By creating a safe and comfortable virtual environment patients can explore proactive ways to adapt and mediate his or her mental health problems. Research and Statistics in Clinical Counseling Psychology Rather than approach this section from a structuralist approach (e.g. the ancillary parts of clinical counseling psychology), it seems prudent to offer a specific example of how research and statistics are used and effect clinical counseling psychology. Bakar, Jaafar, Mohamed Tarmizi (2009) sought to establish a correlation between counseling self-efficacy and trainee counselor performance. Their research found that indeed there is a positive relationship (r(100)=.312p.05) and furthermore that a general tendency exists whereby self-efficacy predicts future performance. As Plante (2011) put it, â€Å"The science of clinical psychology informs the art while the art also informs the science† (p. 6). In the case of Bakar’s et al. (2009) research, by using the statistical data collected in their study the art of counseling can be influenced and adapted by the science of research and statistics. Specifically Bakars et al. suggested that the training of supervisors is of paramount importance to trainee self-efficacy, because high competence in the supervisor encourages high competence in the trainee. Conclusion In sum, from the first theory of interplay between the metaphysical and the corporeal to the first postulations of a biological basis for mental illness, the investigation of the human condition has sought an explanation for the relationship between psychology and physiology. As the history of psychology in general progressed there was a tendency to seek out more empirical, scientifically ascertainable explanations of human behavior. However, as clinical psychology rose in the late 19th century and early 20th century an applied approach to mental illness was adopted that emphasized a hands-on method to treatment. Currently there is a shift in clinical psychology toward prevention and human strengths and away from the illness ideology of the past century. This can be seen most readily in the institution of VR as a preemptive approach to mental illness. Research and statistics act for clinical counseling psychology as a compass or corrective instrument to inform the practice and training of clinical counseling psychologists. References Bakar, A.R., Jaafar, W.M., Mohamed, O., Tarmizi, R.A. (2009). The influence of counseling self-efficacy toward trainee counselor performance. International Journal of Learning, 16(8), 247-260. Retrieved April 22, 2011, from Education Research Complete database. Maddux, J. E. (2008). Positive psychology and the illness ideology: Toward a positive clinical psychology. Applied Psychology, 57(1), 54-70. Retrieved April 22, 2011, from Business Source Complete database. Niles, D.T. (2010). Retrieved April 22, 2011, from Thinkexist.com web site: http://thinkexist.com/quotation/christianity_is_one_beggar_telling_another_beggar/203369.html Plante, T. G. (2011). Contemporary clinical psychology (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons Riva, G. (2009). Virtual reality: An experiential tool for clinical psychology. British Journal of Guidance Counselling, 37(3), 337-345. Retrieved April 22, 2011, from Education Research Complete database.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Analysis Essay

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Analysis Essay With reference to one or two episodes of Buffy The Vampire Slayer studied in class, explain how the series encourages the viewer to question assumptions about high and low culture and/or television as a form of popular culture. You may wish to consider issues of genre, authorship and gender. Vampires are widely known for their slick back black hair, fanged teeth and black and red capes; however, in the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer these traditions have made different way for female fighters and ghoulish monsters. We each have our own different thoughts about what and who vampires are, but the media use their power on public to create a strong image of what are vampires should look like and have endorsed traditions believed for many years. In order to maximise viewing figure, the producers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer have made a good mix of the horror genre and the typical, classical American high school show. This mixture of different genres is suitable for many different class or age groups and tastes. The first episode is titled Welcome to Hellmouth this name is an oxymoron as it uses words that express good and bad. The build up to the episode shows a young couple breaking into the school through a window in the science lab. This action not only ads tension but also shows a link between science and the supernatural, something that has been talked about for hundreds of years. The woman turns into a green hideous monster and kills that boy. This is very rare for a vampire tale as traditionally vampires did not look like monsters and also they only attacked defenseless females. The episode starts properly when Buffy Summers, a 16 years old girl moves to Sunnydale, from LA with her mother. This is not the setting that the audience would expect for a vampire story as the word Sunnydale hardly paints a picture of a dark, horror place full of vampires. Therefore, this name subverts the traditional signifiers. On the first day of school, the popular girl named Cordelia inducts Buffy into the cool crowd, Buffy attempts to be friends with three other students,Willow, Xander and Jesse. This gesture shows us that Buffy is a good judge of character, strong minded and that she is a leader not a follower. Buffy goes to the school library to get some text books. The library, although a more unusual setting was much more like something from a vampire story, it was dark and empty. To add tension the producers used scary disjointed music to try and set the scene and the camera moves in onto a newspaper article, to which you can read the headline which refers to a missing teenage boy. This article casts a question mark over the normal nice Sunnydale. Then a figure appears behind Buffy, it is Buffys new watcher and the new school librarian,Giles. He brings a book with Vampyr on the cover and scares Buffy off. This endorses the old traditions as the book was old, and full of cobwebs, possibly to add more mystery to this section. The spelling Vampyr again highlights the books age and tries to make it look even more strange, this also brings more history and tradition into the episode, two elements that are important to any gothic style story. The show seems to take a different twist when a dead body is found in the school changing rooms. It is unusual that the body was discovered in the school and another good point to note is that the victim was a man, which is unusual for a vampire story, as traditionally the victims were all defenseless females. Buffy to investigate and found the body was killed by vampires. At home, Buffy prepares for her night out to the Bronze, Sunnydales only night club. Her mum thinks that everything is going to work out in Sunnydale and that they will be able to have a happy life there. It is very ironic as Buffy knows that bad things are just around the corner and also this shows that her mother is unaware that she is a vampire slayer. On her way to the Bronze, Buffy senses she is being followed and heads into an alleyway. A tall young man comes out of the shadows searching for her. She swings down from a bar above him and knocks him to the ground. He claims not to bite and that he just wants to help her. This section endorses up to the point where Buffy swings down and attacks the man. He warns her of the Harvest and tells her about the Hellmouth. This name paints a bad picture in the audiences minds and it is the total opposite to Sunnydale. Later at the Bronze, Buffy chats with Willow about boys. She tries to inspire Willow to stop waiting and to seize the day. Buffy spots Giles upstairs and goes up to talk to him. He continues to tell her she is the Slayer and has no choice in the matter. At first the setting for this scene may seem to be totally radical in a vampire style story, however after thought the venue is dark and full of young potential victims so is a modern adaptation of the settings for the older tales. For example, the more traditional tales were set in a graveyard or spooky house, which was dark and the time was always in the dead of night. These characteristics can also be linked to the nightclub used in Buffy, as it too is dark and people only go to th ese clubs during the hours of darkness.The show seems to take a different twist when a dead body is found in the school changing rooms. It is unusual that the body was discovered in the school and another good point to note is that the victim was a man, which is unusual for a vampire story, as traditionally the victims were all defenseless females. Buffy to investigate and found the body was killed by vampires. At home, Buffy prepares for the night out to the Bronze, the only night club in Sunnydale. Her mum thinks that everything is going to be fine in Sunnydale and they can have a happy life there. It is very ironic as Buffy knows that bad things are just around the corner and also this shows that her mother is unaware that she is a vampire slayer. On her way to the club, Buffy senses she is being followed and heads into an alleyway. A tall young man comes out of the shadows searching for her. She swings down from a bar above him and knocks him to the ground. He claims not to bite and that he just wants to help her. This section endorses up to the point where Buffy swings down and attacks the man. He warns her of the Harvest and tells her about the Hellmouth. This name paints a bad picture in the audiences minds and it is the total opposite to Sunnydale. Later at the Bronze, Buffy chats with Willow about boys. She tries to inspire Willow to stop waiting and to seize the day. Buffy spots Giles upstairs and goes up to talk to him. He continues to tell her she is the Slayer and has no choice in the matter. At first the setting for this scene may seem to be totally radical in a vampire style story, however after thought the venue is dark and full of young potential victims so is a modern adaptation of the settings for the older tales. For example, the more traditional tales were set in a graveyard or spooky house, which was dark and the time was always in the dead of night. These characteristics can also be linked to the nightclub used in Buffy, as it too is dar k and people only go to these clubs during the hours of darkness. Buffy spots a vampire in the crowd below them and then realizes hes talking to Willow. The guy leaves with Willow as Buffy goes searching for him. She mistakenly attacks Cordelia and then pretty much ruins her chances for popularity. As Buffy leaves, she runs into Xander and asks him where Willow may have gone or else there will be one more dead body tomorrow. The vampire manages to lead Willow into the cemetery where he throws her into a tomb stone. As he tries to escape, Darla arrives with Jesse. Buffy and Xander turn up and Buffy kills one of the vampires and then fights with Darla as Xander gets Willow and Jesse out to safety. A vampire shows up and fights with Buffy. While they are fighting, Darla escapes to get Jesse, Xander and Willow. The vampire throws Buffy into a coffin where he jumps in and leans in to bite. Apart from Buffy, a female fighter, who manages to attack all the vampires single handed. This endi ng endorses the signifiers we think off when we talk about vampires. As the setting, a graveyard is the usual place for an attack in a gothic or vampire story. It is also interesting to note that the episode concludes with a cliffhanger, an unusual ending for many gothic style stories and films. As traditionally, the story finished with either the death of a victim or of the attacker. In any television programme or feature film, camera angles and effects are important as they portray certain feelings that the producers want to show to the audience, these may be something like making the audience think a character is small and weak by using a high angle shot, which looks down on the character. Or you could use the opposite effect by making a character look strong and powerful from using a low angle shot (looking up). In Buffy The Vampire Slayer they producers use one effect which is featured on several occasions. This is where a quick series of flashing images is presented to the vie wers; this technique is called a montage of images. In episode 1 this feature is used twice, in the first case, the montage is used as a title sequence and shows images that both subvert and endorse the conventions, including images of signifiers including black cats, stakes and green monsters along with modern things like female fighters. This sequence promises viewers fast pace, all action entertainment and shows clips of future episodes in order to encourage continual viewing throughout the series. The second montage is shown where Buffy is in bed dreaming at the beginning of the actual programme, after the introduction and the title sequence. This series of images is showing the audience that she is restless as there is some kind of distortion in the images, and some are not fully visible. This makes the viewers to try and understand the sequence and the majority suggest that Buffy is involved in someway with vampires or as a protector of some description. The images shown inclu de an old book which suggests the cultural history of vampires, a cross which represents Christianity and the way to kill vampires. Because of this legend, the cross points out that Buffy is a protector. Moreover, Buffy creator Joss Whedon described Buffy the Vampire Slayer as an all over the place transcending-genre kind of thing. (Stein, 2002) Well the text is mainly considered to be of the teen genre it does contain elements of the horror genre to. The fight against monsters and the idea of a patriarchal society is all central to the horror genre. The way that Buffys world is invaded by monsters, horror invades home is another shared convention between horror and BVS. However one aspect of the show that goes against the horror genre is the role of women. In previous horror texts women were weak and frightened; however BVS changes traditional genre and ideological views. Buffys embodied strength, power, and assertiveness destabilize the traditional masculinity power of the vampire character in the horror genre, in effect policing those who prey upon the feminized (Owen, 1999). Through the text femininity is conveyed as a forceful strong identity. Buffy is stronger then all the men she meets both physically and mentally. However Buffy is not empowered by past feminist movements in the text. She is empowered by herself. Indeed Karras writes that Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffys relationship with her mother can be understood as a metaphor for the tenuous relationship between second and third wave feminists(Karras, 2002) Buffys mother feels angry at the fact that Buffy doesnt take full use of the rights she now has to the feminist movement of the 60s. In conclusion,Buffy the Vampire Slayer as a popular culture because it provides a good blend of many aspects of both low and high cultures. It contains scenes that are scary, action packed and also offers addictive viewing like a soap opera. Buffy can be viewed by many different age groups as it seems that there is almost something for all, just the opening episode included many different styles of programming, from comedy to gothic style features. ‘Yet Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ also manages to defy convention by establishing its protagonist as an all strong, powerful willed women. Buffy as an open-image hero expose stereotypes and coded symbols that shore up a rigid war-influenced gender system in an attempt to chart new meanings for womanliness and manliness (Early, 2001) Reference list Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 1 Episode 1 â€Å"Welcome to the Hellmouth† Owen, A. Susan. 1999. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Vampires, postmodernity, and postfeminism. Journal Of Popular Film Television 27(2): 24-31 Irene Karras, 2002. â€Å"The Third Waves Final Girl:  Buffy the Vampire Slayer.† [http://journals.sfu.ca/thirdspace/index.php/journal/article/viewArticle/karras/50] Francis H. Early, 2001. â€Å"Staking Her Claim: Buffy the Vampire Slayeras Transgressive Woman Warrior† [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.0022-3840.2001.3503_11.x/abstract] â€Å"Chose an episode of any teen TV programme of your choice and identify the generiv conventions of this TV text.† [http://www.markedbyteachers.com/as-and-a-level/media-studies/chose-an-episode-of-any-teen-tv-programme-of-your-choice-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-and-identify-the-generic-conventions-of-this-tv-text.html]

Women Victims of Violence

Women Victims of Violence Throughout most of the world, more often that not, women are usually the victims of violence. In America violence against women is becoming one of the most prevalent problems. Domestic violence occurs in many homes all over the world. As a crime against women, rape is uniquely horrible in its long-term effects. Many claim that victims of violence deserve what they get. According to the book Gender Crime in the UK most women live their lives in constant fear of being at risk for violence. It was stated that women who have been victims of violence end up having a wide-ranging list of health problems. According to statistics, 1 in 4 women may experience violence in their relationships with men throughout their lifetime. Throughout most of the world, more often that not, women are usually the victims of violence. In America violence against women is becoming one of the most prevalent problems. It has been shown that most of the men committing these crimes against women are not strangers. They are people whom they live, work and/or socialize with. This seems to be linked to the fact that most men want to be in total control at all times and if for some reason they are put in a situation where they arent in total control, then they become violent against their women partners. Domestic violence occurs in many homes all over the world. Usually people have been less likely to report this kind of behavior out of fear of getting their partner in trouble. So they ignore the violence they are facing because they love and care for the person who has been abusing them. Domestic violence in some places is not taking as seriously as in others. Some consider it a private issue that should be dealt with in the priv acy of their home and are less likely to admit if they have it going on in their lives. This thought alone is absolutely ridiculous and must be dealt with immediately. No woman deserves to go through violence whether it is by their husband or a stranger. As a crime against women, rape is uniquely horrible in its long-term effects. The distress it brings is often followed by an abiding sense of fear and shame. Research on risk factors examines the complex relationship of social, cultural, situational, interpersonal, and intrapersonal forces that perpetuate sexual violence. How ever, some researchers have tried to determine whether particular women are more vulnerable to rape and attempted rape. It has been shown that most women who are rape before the age of eighteen are more likely to be rape as an adult just because their self esteem has been shattered and they begin feeling as if they are worthless and of no use. In most cases it seems as if blaming victims for their predicament with violence is the universal thing to do. Rape victims are more often than not; accused of alluring their attacker, causing them to do what they did. Many claim that victims of violence deserve what they got. Many victims feel that the ways they were treated by the authorities, friends and family was just as bad or worse than the actual situation. In many cases it left them feeling alone at the time in which they most needed others. Thus, after a while many women begin to blame their self. They find numerous ways to convince their self that they deserved what ever they got. They usually have no one to turn to, so if there is no other outlet for these women they usually end up turning to alcohol and drugs to rid them of the pain and embarrassment they feel. Since the 1970s and the early 1980s there have been many changes made to the criminal justice system when it comes to dealing with women as victims. Before today, it was not strange for women to be of less importance than there male partner, thus giving him the right to punish her when he thought she was not doing as she should. It wasnt until the womens movement and the victims right movement came along did they take a stand against the criminal justice system, making it mandatory that situations in which men were being violent against women were dealt with right away and not taking for granted. Even though victims would like for police to always arrest on spot, the police sometimes consider the people in which they are dealing with some people may look down on the police for doing this but some may think this is the best way to deal with it. They feel that violence can be described in many ways and not all types of violence should end in arrest; even though some feel that it all sh ould. These are the overall topics of my paper so I will now begin to compare and contrast each topic and how it relates to the United States and the United Kingdom. They are many differences but there are also many similarities between the two countries. Gendering the victim: the extent and nature of violence against women The effects of violence against women After doing research it seems that violence has been used to describe a variety of different behaviors such as, sexual, physical, and emotional assault, murder; stalking sexual harassment; and prostitution. In recent times, violence against women has begun to draw serious attention; the police today are much less lenient than they used to be. According to the book Gender Crime in the UK most women live their lives in constant fear of being at risk for violence. Whether or not the woman has ever been a victim of violence she is still more inclined to feel less safe throughout her life time than the average man. This is why when a woman has indeed had to deal with domestic violence her fear of violence and vulnerability increases so much more. It was stated that women who have been victims of violence end up having an wide-ranging list of health problems. Domestic violence According to, The UK statistics on violence, 1 in 4 women may experience violence in their relationships with men. Severe, repeated and systematic violence occurs in at least 5 of every hundred marriages in Britain; Between 40 and 45% of murdered women are killed by their male partners; Between 1 and 2 women are murdered by their male partners every week; more than 25% of all violent crime reported to the police is domestic violence of men against women, making it the second most common violent crime: 100,000 women per year seek treatment in London for violent injuries received in the home 30,000 women and children stay in refuges in the UK every year; In Wolverhampton, UK, 1 in 6 women had suffered some form of domestic abuse; One quarter of all assaults are in domestic circumstances. Attrition in rape According to (Gender Crime 2008) In the UK, it seems that there have been high rates of rape, yet low rates of conviction. Of all serious crimes it seems as though this crime is the least dealt with. These rapists are not getting put behind bars their cases are being dropped in the initial investigation stages and nothing further is being done. Police are have been getting attacked about the amount of rape cases that they have been just letting slide by. Depending on where you live in the UK the number of rape cases the end in conviction vary. There is a disproportionate amount of support services for people who have been raped. In the United States also referred to as the rape culture, it seems that rape is it seems rape statistics are as follows: According to the FBI Uniform Crime Report, 1 out of every 4 women has been raped. There were 102,560 reported rapes or attempted rapes in 1990. The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that 130,000 women were victims of rape in 1990. The Justice Department says that 8 percent of all American women will be victims of rape or attempted rape in their lifetime. From an interview sample of 4,008 women, the study projected that there were 683,000 rapes in 1990. Statistics have shown that in America 12.1 million American women, has or will be the victim of forcible rape sometime throughout her lifetime. Reconceptualizing domestic violence as torture The role of the Criminal Justice System in protecting women In the legal area, class action civil suits against police responded more slowly and with less seriousness to violent crimes committed between non strangers than they did to stranger crimes. Finally, social science researchers published scientific evidence claiming that arrest was more effective in deterring domestic violence than were other police responses, a development that fell neatly in line with the already growing demands for more rigorous criminal justice system intervention. As has already been stated, in the past police have been more lenient on certain types of violence but now they have been immediate in their response. Just about every violence against women report received; ends in an arrest. Statistics on law enforcement (Commission on Domestic violence) Approximately 60% of family violence victimizations were reported to police between 1998 and 2002, up from about half between 1993 and 1998. Among felony assault defendants convicted in State courts, 45% of persons sent to prison for family assault received a sentence of more than 2 years, compared to 77% of non-family assault offenders sent to prison. Federal courts convicted 90% of defendants adjudicated for an interstate domestic violence offense. Black women (67%) reported their victimization to police at significantly higher percentages than black men (48%), white men (45%), and white women (50%). No difference in white male and female percentages reporting emerged (45% versus 50%). Hispanic females reported intimate partner violence to the police at higher percentages than did non-Hispanic females (65% versus 52%). Among victims of violence by an intimate partner, the percentage of women who reported the crime was greater in 1998 (59%) than in 1993 (48%). In conclusion we can see that the United States and the United Kingdom have very similar statistics and ways in which they handle things. Laws seem to differ between the countries but other than that there are many similarities. Domestic violence and rape are the same where ever you are. Whether in the US or UK women are still less likely to report domestic violence or rape by someone they know.

Symbolism in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck Essay -- Papers Chry

Symbolism in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck At first glance John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums' seems to be a story of a woman whose niche is in the garden. Upon deeper inspection, the story reveals strong symbolisms of children, vulnerability, and connection--being the most important, of the main character. Elisa Allen is the main character who is at her strongest and most proud in the garden and weakened when she becomes vulnerable and loses her connection to the outer world. Elisa shows a new aura of confidence when she makes this connection to a peddler, who also is the cause of her realization of reality and her crying. The chrysanthemums symbolize Elisa's "children." She tends her garden and handles the chrysanthemums with love and care, just as she would handle her own children. Elisa is protective of her flowers and places a fence around them; she makes sure that "no aphids, no sowbugs or snails or cutworms" are t here. "Her terrier fingers destroyed such pests before they could get started" ( 221). These pests represent something that ...

Effects of Smoking While Pregnant :: smoking while pregnant

During a pregnancy there are many choices to be made and smoking should not be one of them. Smoking while pregnant can cause major effects before the birth of the child and also in the child’s future. Here are a few effects before the actual birth of the child: 1) Cigarettes contains a large number of chemicals that harm unborn babies. 2) Smoking raises the levels of carbon monoxide in your bloodstream. This gives less oxygen for baby. 3) Nicotine tightens the blood vessels, meaning the oxygen is passed over less effectively to the baby 4) Miscarriage or stillborn.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome triples if the mother has smoked during pregnancy. â€Å"It is estimated that twenty-five percent of expectant mothers in the U.S. smoke throughout their pregnancies. According to a report from the Surgeon General, twenty percent of low birth weight births, either percent of preterm deliveries and five percent of all perinatal could be prevented by eliminating smoking during pregnancy.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Not only can smoking cause considerable damage to the unborn baby, but it could affect the baby later in life. Smoking increases the chances of the baby having birth defects. For example, the child might develop severe brain damage. The baby also might be considerably light in weight. All these outcomes are extremely negative and can cause guilt.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another thing that should be taken into consideration is secondhand smoke. Even though the smoking is not being done firsthand, there is still a big risk. Side effects of secondhand smoke are ear infections, colds, and damage to the lungs. And even though it is not definite that complications during pregnancy might not occur, the chance of putting a child at risk for the sake of smoking a cigarette should not be taken.

Coursework Assessment Essay

In Patch Adams, Robin Williams portrays a doctor who strives to â€Å"improve the quality of life. â€Å"The movie is a perfect example of many cases of sacramental awareness and the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. Patch encounters a â€Å"once-brilliant† man in a psychiatric clinic. Arthur Mendel son helps hunter the first character Patch meets is Arthur Mendel son. Arthur influences Patch’s ability to see through problems. In a Christ-like manner, we must see through and past the problems and look ahead toward the solution Christ died for our sins by looking past the problem. Patch also helps out his roommate, Rudy out. This brings on a revelation for Patch which lets him see through the scientific names of diseases. He learns to treat the person, not the disease. When he agrees to become a doctor, Patch is not only venturing into the field to physically heal people but also more importantly to spiritually heal people. This parallels Anointing of the Sick after meeting his two close friends, Truman and Cairn, Patch desires to reach out and help people, not to bury himself in his books. His friends quickly jump on the bandwagon and help him to carry out his theories. The sacramental awareness of Patch’s roommate is questionable until we find that he is genuinely good in the end. However, Dean Walcott is up until the end a foe of Patch’s. He is concerned with the physical aspect of healing much more than the spiritual aspect of healing. In the old church, Anointing of the Sick was sometimes believed to be physical. The spiritual aspect of healing would later be brought back into effect rightfully. When Patch is treating patients in his clinic, he exhibits great sacramental awareness by simply admitting that we are a community that can help each other. He proclaims that everyone is both a doctor and a patient. Patch also nears the meaning of the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. He heals people in a beautiful way.

Biography of Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela was a very influential man in the South African society. Throughout his life he had his ups and downs. He went from being in jail for life, to being the president of South Africa. In his life he had one dream and goal, which he never gave up on, even when he was faced with extreme adversity. Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18, 1918 in a village near Mthatha in the Transkei, called Mvezo, to Nonqaphi Nosekeni and Henry Mgadla Mandela. When his father died in 1927, Rolihlahla became the ward of Jogintaba Dalindyebo, the Paramount Chief, to be made to assume high office. Rolihlahla dreamed of playing his own part in the freedom struggle oh his people from hearing the elder’s stories of his ancestor’s valour during the wars of resistance. Soon he was going to school to get an education at a local mission school, and soon he was given the name Nelson. Soon he was sent through many schools through the years and enrolled at the University College of Fort Hare, and there he got his Bachelor of Arts Degree. At the end of Nelson’s first year at college, he started to become involved in a Students’ Representative Council boycott against the university’s policies, and soon he was told to leave Fort Hare and to not come back unless he accepted election to the SRC. Nelson Mandela grew up in a system of Apartheid. The whites were treated as the best race of all. Also the white are the ones who led the government. In South Africa, whites were considered a minority. Throughout Nelson’s life, the black people were treated worse than everyone else. Growing up Nelson Mandela could only go to schools for the blacks. Apartheid was developed after World War II by the Afrikaner-dominated National Party. The racial groups were classified into four, Native, Asian, coloured, and white, and residential places were segregated, sometimes by means of force. The government segregated, medical care, beaches, education, and other public services, and the government gave the blacks worse services and the whites better services. Nelson spent his whole life trying to change this racial segregation. Nelson was in a group of 60 people called the African National Congress. He was a leader with William Nkomo, Sisulu, Oliver R Tambo, Ashby P Mda. The group set themselves to the task of creating this group into a mass movement. Soon they formed the African National Congress Youth League. Nelson impressed everyone with his hard work and was elected as the league’s National secretary. The group soon set out to try to change how the government was working and the laws of apartheid it was putting on the people. The African National Congress launched a campaign for the Defiance of Unjust Laws. Nelson was elected Volunteer-in-Chief, and travelled the country organizing resistance to discriminatory legislation. This Campaign was determined as defiance and Nelson and 19 others were brought to trial. Nelson was charged of contravening the Suppression of Communism Act and given a suspended prison sentence. Soon after the end of the campaign, Nelson was also not allowed to attend gathering and had to stay in Johannesburg for six months. Nelson still led resistance movements, against the government. During all of the ‘50s, Mandela was victim of many forms of repression. He was arrested, imprisoned, and banner. On March 1956 a five year banning order was enforced against him. During the whole of the ‘50s, Mr Mandela was the victim of various forms of repression. He was banned, arrested and imprisoned. A five year banning order was enforced against him in March 1956. The government was paying a lot of attention to Nelson and had to move from place to place to not be detected by the all of the informants that the government had and all the police spies. To evade detection Nelson had to have a number of disguises ranging from a laborer, to a chauffer. Nelson soon spent some time abroad for several months. When he returned to South Africa, he was charged with illegal exit of the country, and incitement to strike. Nelson decided to be his own defense in his trial. One thing he said in the trial was, â€Å"I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man. † He lost his trial and was sentenced to five years in prison. When Nelson was brought back to Pretoria in July 1963 he encountered Thomas Mashifane. He then knew that their hide out had been discovered by the authorities. Nelson and ten other were then charged with sabotage. The trial in court for them lasted for 8 months. At the end of Nelson’s statement he said, â€Å"I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die. † All but to of the accused people were sentenced to life in prison. There Nelson was faced with many prisoners and prison warders who influenced him, and he also influenced them. While he was in prison, Nelson rejected all the offers made by his jailers for a shortened sentence as long as he accepted the Bantustan policy by recognizing the independence of the Transkei and agreeing to live there. Nelson was released on February 11, 1990. He then set out wholeheartedly, wanting to complete the goals he and other tried to do years ago. After being banned for decades the African National Congress had its first national conference. Nelson was elected president while his great friend Oliver Tambo was elected as the organizations National Chairperson. Nelson Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on 1993, after his life that symbolizes the triumph of the human spirit. He was awarded this on behalf of all South Africans who suffered and sacrificed so much to bring peace to South Africa. The era of Apartheid ended on April 27, 1994. Nelson voted for the first time in his life then. After all his ups and downs, and all the adversity he faced, Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as President of South Africa.