SOC502 FINAL EXAM REVIEW 8-12

Q: What was the basis of Canadian immigration policy until 1961?

• It was race- and ethnicity-based.

• Immigration was permitted only for those considered the "right race" or "right ethnicity."

• Policies focused on building a white British settler nation.

• There were minimal economic or language requirements.

• Many groups (e.g., Black, Chinese, South Asian) were excluded or restricted.

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Q: What is the basis of Canadian immigration policy from 1962 to today?

• The Points System replaced race-based policy in 1962.

• It evaluates potential immigrants on:

  • Education (25 pts)

  • Work experience (21 pts)

  • Language proficiency (24 pts)

  • Age (10 pts)

  • Job demand (10 pts)

  • Adaptability (10 pts)

• It was framed as neutral but still favored the wealthy and educated.

Q: Under what program do the majority of immigrants arrive in Canada since 1962?

• The Skilled Worker Program under the Points System.

• Business Class immigrants and Family Class also exist, but the majority enter through the Points System.

Q: How does the points system facilitate family violence?

• Women and children’s legal status depends on the male “head of household.”

• If women experience violence, they cannot leave without risking deportation or losing custody.

• Men who lose status and credentials (e.g., degrees not recognized) may feel emasculated and exert control violently.

• Violence is used to maintain authority within the family.

Q: What is the history of Canadian immigration policy and its relationship to family violence?

• Early policies promoted racial exclusion and migration of single men.

• Many immigrant men couldn’t bring families due to exclusionary laws (e.g., Head Tax, Exclusion Acts).

• Patriarchal norms were reinforced by legal structures—especially under the Family Class post-1962.

• Immigrant women were made dependent on their spouses, making them vulnerable to abuse.

Q: What is the points system and its relationship to family violence?

• The points system values class-based characteristics like education and capital.

• Men who qualify often lose professional status upon arrival.

• Feeling disempowered, they may use violence to reassert control.

• The system legally and socially reinforces patriarchal authority in families.

Q: What is the relationship of family violence to immigration and settlement?

• Immigrant men often experience status loss, leading to increased stress.

• Violence can emerge as a culturally specific expression of patriarchy.

• Women's dependency and legal vulnerability are exacerbated by the immigration process.

• Settlement challenges (language barriers, unemployment, isolation) intensify power imbalances.

Q: What is Battered Child Syndrome?

A: A 1962 psychological diagnosis by Dr. C. Henry Kempe identifying the long-term effects of physical abuse on children, marking a turning point in recognizing child abuse.

Q: What are the definitions of child abuse?

A: Includes physical, emotional, psychological, and sexual abuse, as well as neglect. Originally seen as discipline; now recognized for its lifelong detrimental effects.

Q: What is the spanking debate about?

A: Spanking is still legally acceptable in Canada under Section 43, seen as "reasonable force" for correction, despite being a form of physical assault.

Q: What were childrearing practices prior to the 19th century?

A: Rooted in patriarchy and religion; children were property, subject to infanticide, slavery, and corporal punishment as discipline, often without emotional attachment

Q: What changed in childrearing practices after the 19th century?

A: With Protestantism and industrialization, children began to be seen as innocent and in need of shaping. Hygiene and child health became more valued.

Q: How does patriarchy relate to child abuse?

A: Patriarchy historically gave fathers full control over their families, including the legal right to discipline, sell, or kill children.

Q: How are child abuse cases of neglect connected to social issues?

A: Often rooted in poverty, especially among single mothers, and judged by white, middle-class standards of care.

Q: What are the mainstream theories of child abuse?

A: Include psychological, social learning, social situational, and ecological theories—many criticized for individualism and blaming the poor.

Q: What are social psychological theories of child abuse?

A: They focus on mental illness or pathology of the abuser, ignoring broader social contexts like power dynamics and societal norms.

Q: What does social learning theory say about child abuse?

A: Abusers were often abused themselves as children, repeating patterns of behavior learned through experience.

Q: What is the social situational theory of child abuse?

A: Builds on social learning, arguing abuse arises from learned behavior plus stressors like poverty, illness, or family disruption.

Q: What does ecological theory say about child abuse?

A: Abuse results from environmental influences—social norms in communities and lack of social supports increase the likelihood of abuse.

Q: What do feminist theories argue about child abuse?

A: Patriarchy disempowers women and children, allowing men to use violence. Mothers abuse out of frustration and structural inequality.

Q: What is sibling rivalry?

A: Often mistaken for abuse, it involves conflicts over attention, space, or chores, with parents ignoring power imbalances like age and gender.

Q: What is sibling abuse between children?

A: Includes emotional, physical, and sometimes sexual abuse, often dismissed as rivalry. Boys use more physical violence; girls, verbal/emotional.

Q: How does sibling abuse manifest among adolescents?

A: Older siblings often assert control; abuse includes refusal of chores, space invasion, and emotional manipulation.

Q: How do gender roles influence sibling violence?

A: Boys are socialized into aggression and physicality, while girls use verbal/emotional abuse. Power dynamics like birth order also matter.

Q: What does social learning theory say about sibling and adolescent abuse?

A: Abused children replicate power dynamics with their siblings to gain control and assert dominance.

Q: How do feminist theories explain sibling and adolescent abuse?

A: While not focusing on siblings, feminist theory sees abuse as about power and control, often directed at the weakest sibling.

Q: What does sex role theory say about sibling and adolescent abuse?

A: Boys are taught aggressive masculinity, leading to abuse (including sexual) of sisters as practice for future relationships.

Q: What is social exchange theory's view on sibling and adolescent abuse?

A: Abuse occurs when one sibling perceives low risk of consequences, making a calculated decision to harm another.

Q: Why are mothers more reported for adolescent abuse than fathers?

A: Adolescents expect fathers to be harsh but are more affected when mothers abuse, as it contradicts nurturing gender norms.

Q: What is resource theory in adolescent abuse?

A: Parents lacking resources feel challenged when adolescents make demands and use violence to regain authority.

Q: What does linkage theory say about adolescent abuse?

A: Suggests boys are abused more to prepare them for a harsh world—outdated and doesn't reflect current data showing girls face more abuse.

Q: Why do parents abuse adolescent daughters more than sons?

A: Daughters face stricter control due to fears about sexuality and social stigma, leading to more restrictive and often abusive parenting.

Q: Why do parents deny that their children have abused them?

• Fear of stigma around parenting failure

• Fear of losing their children (protective instinct)

• Fear of being blamed or re-victimized

• Often single mothers, who are already overwhelmed, don’t report

• Deep sense of shame and societal judgment

Q: What does the Social Learning Theory say about parent abuse?

• Abuse is learned behavior

• If a child was abused, they may repeat that pattern and abuse their parent

Q: What does the Exchange Theory say about parent abuse?

• Abuse occurs when family structure breaks down

• Children fill a void left by parents who abdicate responsibility

• Children resent the forced role reversal and may abuse to push parents to retake responsibility

• Criticized for ignoring gender differences and oversimplifying parental abandonment

Q: What does the Feminist Theory say about parent abuse?

• The document doesn't directly apply feminist theory to parent abuse

• But in general, feminist theory would highlight systemic issues such as patriarchal norms and how gender roles influence family dynamics

Q: What were social policies directed at elderly people during the 1980s and 1990s?

• Increased research funding into elder abuse due to baby boomers facing elder care issues

• Policy and public attention were driven by fear of institutional abuse and future self-interest of baby boomers

• Push towards aging in place and informal family care

Q: What does the Social Learning Theory say about elder abuse?

• Adults abused as children may retaliate by abusing their aging parents

• Abuse is a learned cycle repeating over generations

What does the Exchange Theory say about elder abuse?

imbalance in power and care responsibilities can lead to resentment and abuse

Q: What does the Feminist Theory say about elder abuse?

• Simplistic feminist view: elderly women may finally have power over previously abusive husbands and may retaliate

• Abuse is seen as a reversal of lifelong gendered abuse

• Also critiques lack of institutional support and services for elder women

Q: What is the Elder/Victim Dependency Theory?

• Elderly are entirely dependent on caregivers (physically, emotionally, financially)

• Power imbalance makes them vulnerable

• More applicable to earlier generations with less financial independence

Q: What is the Caregiver Dependency Theory?

• The caregiver is dependent on the elder for financial and emotional support

• Abuse arises from frustration and financial stress

• More relevant to modern times where adult children are less financially secure

Q: Why is elder abuse by adult child caregivers usually perpetrated on elderly women?

• Elderly women live longer and thus are more often cared for by children

• Adult daughters bear most care duties, leading to stress and potential abuse

• Sons typically handle finances, sometimes leading to neglect or exploitation

Q: Why has elder abuse usually been perpetrated by female caregivers?

• Women often shoulder unpaid care work due to gender roles

• Overburdened by “sandwich generation” duties: elder care, child care, employment

• Abuse may stem from frustration and lack of support

Q: Why do ethnic families abuse their elderly parents less than Anglo-Saxon families?

• Stronger cultural norms around respect and care for elders

• Multigenerational households are more common

• Culturally ingrained value of familial duty reduces risk of abuse

Q1: Why are personal interventionist solutions aimed at eradicating violence against women problematic?

• They address the aftermath of abuse, not prevention.

• They focus on individual behaviors (like counselling), overlooking structural issues like patriarchy.

• Feminists argue these interventions don't eliminate violence but merely manage its effects temporarily.

Q2: What are personal interventionist solutions?

• Interventions such as counselling for the abuser or the abused.

• Emergency responses by police.

• Creation of women’s shelters.

• These solutions are individual-focused and not preventative.

Q3: What is the purpose of women’s shelters?

• To provide immediate safety and support for battered women and their children.

• A temporary safe space while broader efforts work toward eradicating violence and patriarchy.

• They offer services like counselling, legal aid, childcare, and public education.

Q4: What are the limitations of court-ordered anger management counselling?

• Often ineffective in addressing deeper issues like misogyny or power dynamics.

• Many abusers receive only unsupervised probation.

• The justice system often fails to follow through with meaningful consequences.

Q5: What kind of solutions have feminists put forth to end violence against women?

• Feminist counselling focused on empowerment and independence.

• Establishing shelters as a temporary but necessary measure.

• Advocating for structural changes and challenging patriarchal norms.

• Hiring survivors as staff to support and validate other women.

Q6: How is mandatory charging problematic?

• It often leads to dual arrests, including the victim.

• Abusers manipulate the system to provoke defensive actions from victims.

• Court backlogs delay serious cases; victims face revictimization.

• The legal system doesn’t allow the history of abuse to contextualize cases.

Q7: Why do feminists reject the idea of women confronting their abuser?

• It revictimizes survivors, especially in court or counselling settings.

• Abusers may intimidate victims with their presence.

• Feminists argue that victims should not be forced to relive trauma to get justice.

Q8: What are Indigenous initiatives to end family violence?

• Use of restorative justice models like healing circles and lodges.

• Focus on community accountability and collective healing.

• Rooted in understanding violence as a legacy of colonization and systemic marginalization.

• Emphasis on the abuser publicly accepting responsibility and shame within the community before reintegration.

Q: How do mainstream therapists deal with child abuse in family counseling settings?

A: Mainstream therapy often uses family systems counseling, focusing on keeping the family together, even involving the abuser in sessions, which can revictimize the child. This approach can empower the abuser and ignores the safety and emotional needs of the victim.

Q: Why do feminists criticize mainstream family counseling for child abuse cases?

A: Feminists argue that mainstream counseling revictimizes the child by requiring them to face their abuser, prioritizes the integrity of the family over the victim's safety, and blames mothers for not protecting their children—even when they are also victims of abuse.

Q: Why do child abuse activists criticize mandatory reporting?

A: Activists criticize mandatory reporting because it leads to overreporting in poor areas and underreporting in affluent ones. It overwhelms child services, resulting in revictimization when abused children are returned to unsafe homes due to case overload.

Q: Why were Indigenous-run child service agencies created?

A: These agencies were established in response to the Sixties Scoop and residential schools, to provide culturally sensitive care and reduce racist abuse in white foster homes. They aim to place Indigenous children with Indigenous foster families.

Q: What is the primary issue that professionals need to keep in mind in dealing with all cases of family violence?

A: Professionals must remember that control and agency are central issues. Victims need to regain control over their lives, and professionals should support, not override, their decisions—even when they disagree.

Q: What are the limitations of personal interventionist strategies for elderly abuse?

A: Personal interventions (like removing a victim or abuser) can destabilize the family, cause revictimization, and stigmatize victims or family members. Professionals may act in paternalistic ways, denying elders their agency and civil rights.

Q: What legislative reforms have been implemented to protect seniors from elderly abuse?

A: Reforms include changes to guardianship laws in the 1970s–1990s, allowing more elder control, voluntary reporting, and the appointment of trusted individuals to make decisions. Earlier legislation allowed involuntary state intervention and treated elders like children.

Q: What is problematic about these legislative reforms aimed at elderly abuse?

A: Current laws can still be intrusive, mixing guardianship with protection, sometimes leading to forced placement. The reduced power of professionals to intervene can result in increased abuse due to less detection and oversight.

Q: What are alternative solutions to elderly abuse?

A: Alternatives include affordable group homes, community support centers, drop-in counseling, and public education for both caregivers and elders. These options emphasize preventative care and victim empowerment.

Q: What do alternative solutions to elderly abuse require to be effective?

A: They require state funding, affordability, trained professionals, and a shift in societal values to prioritize elder care. Importantly, they must respect elder autonomy and be accessible to all, not just the wealthy.