1003L - DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: THE PSYCHO-SOCIAL and ETHICO-DIMENSIONS IN THE PREVENTION STRATEGY

Lecture by Professor Omar Hasan Kasule Sr Faculty of Medicine King Fahd Medical City Riyadh

ABSTRACT

The main thesis of this paper is that violence in the home should not be treated as a simple crime to be solved according to the criminal code. It has underlying and associated psychological, cultural, and ethical dimensions that must be considered in searching for effective prevention of the problem. Domestic violence is defined as physical violence, coercion, threats, intimidation, isolation, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and economic abuse. The paper discusses 3 forms of violence: violence to women, violence to children, and violence to the elderly. Abuse of women can be physical, psychological, sexual, or emotional. Children can be victims of neglect, poor care, beating and torture. Geriatric patients or elders can be mistreated by abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Social welfare organizations concerned with prevention of domestic violence should analyze the underlying psychological, cultural, and ethical factors. The victims and perpetrators of domestic violence are all victims of a vicious cycle driven by deviant thinking, mental diseases, or overwhelming stress due to physical or social problems. The paper using Islamic sources lays the intellectual foundation for an effective strategy to be recommended to social and health welfare organizations.