Echo Personality Disorder :: essays research papers

Echo Personality Disorder is a specific and highly differentiated form of dependency, marked by behaviours of compliance and a need to 'mirror' significant others -parents, spouse, friends, employer. It has been found that those with EPD are highly attracted to relationships with individuals who show marked narcissistic tendencies. This mirroring behaviour was the reason for choosing the name Echo personality disorder, which is based on the Greek myth of Narcissus and Echo. In this story Echo, a forest nymph, falls completely in love with the egocentric youth Narcissus, and when he shows clear signs of rejecting her, she persists in her attatchement to him and will not be moved from her aim. She finally satisfies him with the masochistic task of echoing back to him all that he says. This too is the central feature of EPD behaviour in relationships, where the individual will mirror, echo, and compliment another at the expense of their own self-worth and dignity. Self descriptions by EPD sufferers focus strongly on percieved fears of abandonment, rejection, and loss, and these agonizing feelings are the driving force behind the above-mentioned interpersonal coping style (mirroring others). These individuals protect themselves from abandonment/rejection by being so agreeable to others, via their mirroring capacity, that chances of re-experiencing abandonment agony is brought to a low minimum. Unfortunately this approach amounts to a false existence with little or no true self expression, and eventually leads to poor psychological health. Characteristic experiential history for EPD often involves individuals being parented by caretakers who are themselves self-absorbed or narcissistic. In this environment the child learns that asserting ones true self will be met with a form of (often serial) rejection, to which they respond by substituting compliant behaviour in place of true selfhood. This 'compliant' behaviour can then be witnessed as a stable feature throughout the childs growing-up years, with other school children, and within the family. Depression, smoking, alcoholism, addictive behaviour all occur with very high frequency in this disorder. On a positive note, EPD people are excellent contributors to society, and to family, as they are found to be very perceptive of the needs of others.

Aka Anta! Aka Anta

She was beautiful to last. One day, when she was taking a stroll, she met a young prince who happened to pass by. The prince was very handsome. When she first saw the prince she felt a strong sensation for him. So did the prince for her. They exchange pleasantries and search each other's feelings out. Everyday from then on they would go out together, until one day the prince revealed his true feelings to the princess. So since the princess had long et her heart for the prince, she didn't hesitate anymore and at once accepted his love for her.One afternoon after their usual walk together, the two engaged in a most intimate conversation under the sweet-scented plants kept by the princess. â€Å"Marring Magna†, how lovely your flowers are, but the flowers in our kingdom are far more beautiful and fragrant. None of those here could compare with them. † â€Å"Really? Tell me where your kingdom is? † â€Å"Yonder in those parts where no mortals can go. After a little w hile more, the prince bade goodbye with a sad look in his face. This prompted Marring Magna to ask the prince the reason why. â€Å"Well it's because the prince couldn't find the right words to explain himself. Well, because of what? What seems to be the trouble? † the princess kept skins, suspecting something was wrong. â€Å"l must return home, if not, I will not be able to return home to our kingdom anymore. I want very much to bring you along with me, but such is not permissible. Your kind is not allowed in our kingdom. Thus, farewell, my love. † â€Å"Come back tonight will wait for you here in the garden. Please, you'll come back? ‘ â€Å"I'll try, Marring Magna,† the prince promised. It was close to midnight when the prince came. He was greeted by the princess who waited for him inside the garden.They talked for hours and hours. Their conversation almost touched on every subject. All the time, the princess wrapped herself tightly around the arms of the prince, never letting go. Suddenly, the prince stood up and announced, â€Å"l must leave at once, Marring Magna! It's about midnight. If don't depart at once I won't be able to return home. Stay put. But I want you to remember you're the one love,† as he threw a gentle kiss on the petal lips of Marring Magna. The princess tried to stop the prince as she grabbed his arms with all her might.She could not bear the fact his lover would abandon her. While tugging at each other, suddenly the prince disappeared and left his arms behind held teen the palms of Marring Magna. The princess was shocked at this that she runs quickly to a corner of the garden and buried the arms. A few days after, there sprouted a strange plant on the spot where she buried the arms. It had wide leaves but no branches. A few days more, the tree shed flowers, everyday thereafter, she would visit the plant. Then a few days later, it bore fruits in the place of its flowers.The fruits came in bunches, eac h bunch looked like fingers set side by side and laid parallel to each other. These became known as the first banana fruits in the world. A very long time ago, in what is now the town of Cantina in Racial, there lived a woman named Jamaican who was well-known not only to the people of her native town but also to those of the neighboring towns. She was greatly admired for her beauty and wealth as she belonged to a rich family. But above all, she was very much loved and was highly respected by everyone for she possessed a king and generous heart.Charity was something inborn in her. Even as a little girl she would give kindly to each and every beggar who would pass by their house to ask for alms. She would also often go out of her way to invite the poor children in the trees to the house and let them play with her toys. As she grew up, she continued on with his charitable acts. It became a usual scene every Sunday morning when she came home after mass to see a long line of beggars, wai ting for her at the foot of the stairs. With open hands and an understanding heart, she would see to it that their needs are attended to.She would personally hand in food, toys, clothes, money and the like according to what each of them would ask from her. Her goodness was very much appreciated by her town mates who made her more endeared to them. Unfortunately, Jamaican was not as lucky in love as most other beautiful omen her age were who got married and had children. She didn't fall in love again when her first love got sick and died. She remained an old maid even after her parents have both died and was left alone in the house. Instead, she devoted her time and wealth caring for the needy.To openly express their gratitude and respect she truly deserves as would be fitting to one as elderly a woman she has come to be regarded, people began addressing her as â€Å"Aka Anta† – â€Å"Aka† woman and â€Å"Anta† which is short for Jamaican. Altogether, â₠¬Å"Aka Anta† became more than just a name; the name itself became a symbol of â€Å"salvation to the needy†. One Christmas day, like all previous Christmas, many poor folks flocked to the home of Aka Anta for the usual yuletide giveaways. Short of their expectations, Aka Anta was not by the open window for the first time in years.They called out to her but there was no reply, nor did anyone come to the window. They tried altogether to call out to her several times, but again there was no response. Anxious and all that, a number of them decided to enter the house if anything was the matter. As the door opened, they see Aka Anta lying on the floor. Certain she was dead, the women began to scream, the men made the sign of the cross. There followed loud weeping as they affectionately cried out her name, â€Å"Aka Anta! Aka Anta†. The more they were moved to tears when they noticed the gifts lying on the floor Aka Anta had prepared for them. x

Is Affirmative Action Ethical - 4820 Words

Running Head: IS AFFIRMATION ACTION ETHICAL? Is Affirmation Action Ethical? Mehlia Adkins Baker College of Allen Park Cultural Diversity Seth Persky Is Affirmation Action Ethical? Introduction Nowadays, the confrontational subject of affirmative action is rising and becoming a controversial issue. This study will explore and analyze the controversy over an ethical affirmative action perspective, and examine the social policy behind this basic premise that every individual should receive the same treatment unless there is a morally relevant reason to receive an indifferent treatment. The question of whether or not affirmative action is ethical is one of the most contentious areas of debate that lies on the issue of ethnicity,†¦show more content†¦The affirmative action has been viewed as a tool designed to bring about greater integration with the various segments of the society. The other rationale of the affirmative action is the justification that diversity in terms of racial, ethnic and gender make-up within the social class have been marked by rigid homogeneity with ethical perspective. Public administration tradition in American society is full of ideals on s cientific and efficiency orientation of the organization but in relation with affirmative action paradigm in public administration, the value – based practices has been emphasized and gave rise democracy, representativeness, moral and ethical neutrality and equity. The 19th century public personnel reform encouraged the public administrators to formulate new policy with new direction and advocates for change. Social equity is another added feature of the new public administration towards social and political advantages. However, the social equity in practice may somehow result in differential treatment depending upon the needs and interests of different people. The affirmative action in public administration has been supported with the concepts of responsive and representative government through the composition of Civil Service Commission (Galeton, W. 2002). The federal support to the affirmative action includes the many reasons for making theShow MoreRelatedAffirmative Actio n: Ethical or Purely Discrimination3117 Words   |  13 PagesAffirmative Action: Ethical or Purely Racial Discrimination? A comparative Analysis of how Malays are treated in Singapore and Malaysia â€Å"Affirmative action† means positive steps taken to increase the representation of women and minorities in areas of employment, education, and business from which they have been historically excluded. Indeed if one were to see affirmative action in the light of John Rawls’ maximin approach to give the greatest benefit to the least advantaged in society, itRead More Affirmative Action and College Admissions: A Legal and Ethical Analysis3627 Words   |  15 PagesAffirmative Action and College Admissions: A Legal and Ethical Analysis I. Introduction The institution of public education has been one of the most controversial establishments in the United States since its inception. More specifically, equality in the conditions and the opportunities it provides has been sought as one of its major goals. There is little doubt that minority ethnic groups have struggled to achieve educational equality, just as they have struggled for equality in otherRead MoreAn Ethical Dilemma: Affirmative Action, Do We Still Need It?1706 Words   |  7 Pageshead: An Ethical Dilemma: Affirmative Action, Do We Still Need It? An Ethical Dilemma: Affirmative Action, Do We Still Need It? Abstract This paper discusses the importance of affirmative action in today’s society and the ethical role it plays when Employers and Universities are considering entry to their respected places of establishment. The paper will conclude with what America will face in the future in terms of affirmative action. An Ethical Dilemma: Affirmative Action, Do We StillRead MoreAffirmative Action Is Important For Society1649 Words   |  7 Pages Affirmative action Affirmative action is an attempt to address past discriminatory injustices which may be based on gender, race or ethnicity. Affirmative action may take the form of policies and programs which are mostly mandated by governments and designed to bring changes in organizations, companies and educational institutions. Affirmative action is a vital tool which provides qualified people with equal access to educational or professional opportunities that they would otherwise have beenRead More Two Views of Affirmative Action Essay1498 Words   |  6 PagesTwo Views of Affirmative Action We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal†¦. Even before it became a nation, America was heralded as a land of equality. Thomas Jeffersons statement begs more than a few questions, one of which is: How can we ensure equality to everyone? Beginning in the late 1960s, the federal government provided an answer to this question in the form of affirmative action. In recent years, many people have called this policy into question. InterestinglyRead MoreWhat is Affirmitive Action?934 Words   |  4 Pages Affirmative action or sometimes known as positive discrimination have been an issue that has going on around the world. Even though the policies vary from country to country, with some having quotas and others offering preferences in the selection process, the idea of providing special opportunities to a disadvantaged group remains universal. Our group choose this topic as we all have a personal interest in affirmative action and have had some form of affiliation with it in our lives. It can beenRead MoreThe Benefits Of Affirmative Action855 Words   |  4 PagesThe benefits of affirmative action for society The ethical issues around the policy of affirmative action often raises disputes in the society. The opponents of the affirmative action or positive discrimination consider that it is the same discrimination, but of the minority against the majority. Some opponents consider that the affirmative action not only does not help the groups of minority, but also diminishes their achievements by providing them extra opportunities. Undoubtedly, there is a reasonRead MoreAffirmative Action and the Disabled: Should Disabled Veterans Receive Preferential Treatment in Hiring Decisions?1028 Words   |  4 PagesAffirmative Action and the Disabled: Should Disabled Veterans Receive Preferential Treatment in Hiring Decisions? When people think of affirmative action programs, they generally think of programs that give preference to candidates based on gender or race. However, one of the most vital affirmative action programs in the United States is the Disabled Veterans Affirmative Action Program (DVAAP). Under these programs, agencies are not only required to give preferential treatment to disabled veteransRead MoreDiversity Management Focuses On The Heterogeneity Inside The Organizations1315 Words   |  6 Pagesdo not have to prevent them from working together. This is directly connected with the concept of ethical behavior. Generally ethics is defined as a moral code which is accepted in a concrete society, though there are cases when ethical does not mean everything that is legal. For example, slavery was legal in the United States society, but from now it is not the best manifestation of the ethical behavior (Schermerhorn, Davidson, Poole, Woods, 2012). This also applies to homosexual individuals,Read MoreThe Unethical Nature of Affirmative Action Essay1729 Words   |  7 Pagesfair for the white. Yes, it does bring good results, but it is not ethical. Affirmative action in itself is racist. There are many reasons why affirmative action in favor of ethnic minorities is racist. First of all, it violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating against the white. Equal opportunities denotes that no one is to receive special consideration based on ethnic background, but by affirmative action, people of color get a head start in the selection process. Second

Identification of Jellyfish and Jelly-like Animals

Communication And Team Working, Evaluate Conflict And...

Reflection empowers nurses to become aware of their own knowledge and actions, to think, evaluate and learn from the experience (Bulman 2013). This reflection will critically analyse an action learning set (ALS) I participated in. I will reflect on communication and team working, evaluate conflict and conflict management. I will also discuss why change is necessary and the need to improve my self-awareness. To help analyse this reflection, I will use the Gibbs model of reflection. Personal action plan, copies of ALS meeting summaries, final presentation and feedback summaries will be included in the appendices. Confidentiality and anonymity will be maintained as required by the Nurses and Midwifes Council (NMC 2013). Marquardt (1999) describe ALS as a group of people who meet regularly to help each other and to learn from each other’s experiences. This involves stopping to reflect on actions taken, reflecting, learning and planning. However, Gibbs developed a model of reflection, which is recognised and used in many fields. The model consists of five stages, description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and the action plan (Oxford Brookes University 2013). We formed a group comprising of eight members. According to Tuckman (1965) forming a group takes several stages; forming storming, norming, performing and adjourning. At the ALS meetings, group members introduced themselves to get to know each other. Each member narrated an experience that they thought wasShow MoreRelatedWhat Causes Conflict Between Team Members And Communication, Structure And Personal Issues1103 Words   |  5 Pagesbe working in teams. A work team is defined as an organized group, committed to the individuals within the group, whose members share the same intent of accomplishing a common goal. Businesses use teams because they can often achieve more than individuals, they can support each other, they can bounce ideas off each other, and they can creatively brainstorm together. Despite the recognizable proficiency of the use of teams in business, there is also an increase in the likelihood of conflict occurringRead MoreMGT 311 Team Management Plan1348 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ Team Strategy Plan MGT/311 Team Strategy Plan Riordan Manufacturing has designed a new heart valve and wants to begin production soon (Apollo Group, 2006). The company projects itself as an industry leader in plastic products in an innovative and team-oriented working environment. The company has created a new CardiCare Valve division at the Pontiac, Michigan, plant and has hired new team superintendents to manage the new CardiCare Valve teams. The teams will include currentRead MoreWhen Studying Organizational Management This Semester I Found Discussion On Organizational Conflict And Its Effect On An Organization921 Words   |  4 Pagesorganizational management this semester I found the discussion on organizational conflict to be the most compelling. Our analysis not only gave me understanding on how destructive team conflict is present in organizations, but also in any teamwork setting. Conflict is often a recurring problem for organizations, so it is vital for leaders to understand how to regulate it. Whether we were stu dying organizational change, devolvement, or leadership what was common to all was the presence of conflict and itsRead MoreThe Importance Of A Successful Leadership For An Organization1748 Words   |  7 Pagesthat is communication and teamwork. These activities seem so menial but even the most educated or experienced could lack the ability to use these correctly. In any field of work, lack of communication could be detrimental to the success you are striving for. For healthcare, you have to think about the patient as well. Lack of communicating from provider to patient or between the multidisciplinary team could bring harm the patients well being. As was stated in our literature â€Å" [communication] is aRead MoreManagement Skills and Srategies to Personal Improvement Essay1695 Words   |  7 PagesManagement skills and Strategies to Personal Improvement Today, all organizations use the core management skills to achieve their intended goals. The core management skills include planning, organizing, leading and controlling. These skills sets are very essential to all businesses and organizations, and help organizations to be effective. The skills are also crucial in creating healthy work environment for all employees. These skills have a direct effect on each task’s outcome and success of organizationsRead MoreRelationship Between The Senior Management Team Of A Company And The Junior Employees1392 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Interpersonal communication plays a very important role in an organization. It enabled employees from different departments to harmoniously work together towards the achievement of common shared goals. In fact, successful business relationships can only be maintained if employees hold impeccable interpersonal communication skills. In this paper, the focus will be on the business relationship between the senior management team of a company and the junior employees. In mostRead MoreOrganizational Theory Of Team Building1428 Words   |  6 PagesTeam Building in the Workplace Kimberly Jones Southern Arkansas University Organizational Theory Behavior March 20, 2015 â€Æ' Team building is the â€Å"unification of varied individual energies, directed toward valued goals and outputs, which are linked with organizational results’ (DeVany, 1999). The aim of team building is to bring out the best in employees through activities designed to improve performance. Team building is significant in the current business environment as organizations are lookingRead MoreLeadership As A Team Success1506 Words   |  7 PagesWhen working with a team success depends on how its leadership leads the team. Management is not the same as leadership. As usual, the more successful the leader the more successful the team, teamwork requires a good leader; their presence could adversely affect teamwork and vice versa (Thompson. 2014). â€Å"Great Man† theory. Leaders are born, not made. These theories of leadership become popular during the 19th century. The legend behind some of the world most notorious leaders such as AbrahamRead MoreUnit 14 Working with and Leading People1161 Words   |  5 PagesUNIT 14: WORKING WITH AND LEADING PEOPLE Unit 14: Unit code: QCF level: Credit value: Aim Working with and Leading People M/601/0908 5 15 credits The aim of this unit is to develop the skills and knowledge needed for working with and leading others, through understanding the importance of recruiting the right people for the job. Unit abstract An organisation’s success depends very much on the people working in it, and recruiting the right people is a key factor. Organisations withRead MoreThe Importance Of Guidance For Leaders And Employees1097 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction: A successful leader must communicate effectively with their staff and remains supported when difficult issues arise within the work environment. Conflicts among staff is a major issue within the healthcare system and often time occurs between physician, nurses, patients and their family. Leaders must listen empathetically and intervene when conflict arises. Failure can results in chaos and thus creates a toxic environment for all that can destroy an organization. The purpose of this paper is to

Narration to Process Analysis Free Essays

Going to college can be a scary thing for a kid just getting out of high school. Getting out to spread your wings, being out on your own. Making your own decision. We will write a custom essay sample on Narration to Process Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now Deciding what college to go to can be challenging and a hard decision for such a young person. But as an adult that has a job or career and a family going to college or going back to college may think, that’s not an option for them? Or is it? Don’t be nervous about that anymore, they have a solution for a person that has a job, family and someone who wants to go back to school. It’s called online education. You can go to work, keep up with family obligation and YES go back to school, and keep the balance of everyday life. I am going to try to help you keep that balance of going to an online education school and work and the grueling demands of family life. First of all find a reputable online education school, such as Penn Foster. Sign up for the appropriate course you want, as I am studying Medical Assistant. Wait patiently for your materials to come in the mail. When they come look over the everything carefully, set some small goals. Set a pace, make sure you set time aside each day to study of if not everyday make a schedule that works for you, if you have kids and they go to school and you can study during the day that’s a good time of if they take a nap that’s another good time. If you have to work during the day the best time to study is after the children go to bed. I am lucky at the job I have, sometimes I am able to study while I work. My kids are very athletic and are in sports in school, so when they have meets I take my homework with me and do my studies there. I get my books out in between events and read a chapter in my book or I write a paper. The nice thing about Penn Foster is you have no pressure in doing your studies every day. They give you a year to finish a semester. But in the case you can’t finish your semester in the year, you can extend your semester by 6 months at a time for an extra fee. So you say you get sick or the kids get sick and you can’t study for a period of time, you can take it off without any worries that you would have missed in a classroom situation. Take that time off it’s your decision. But it is a good try to keep on schedule you set for yourself in the beginning of the year, so you can keep things fresh in your mind. So I hope I have helped you in the progress of keeping you well balanced between family, work and your studies, studies at Penn Foster with my own experiences on how I kept up with the everyday demands of my hustle and bustle of work, kids and Penn Foster. How to cite Narration to Process Analysis, Essays

Domestic Violence in the Caribbean free essay sample

In an attempt to gain an appreciation of the issue and, in an attempt to also unravel the specifics of the terms, the symbolic interationist school of thought proffered by (Loseke 1992) defined the term ‘wife abuse’ as violence against women. Loseke (1992) described the label wife abuse as not really a label for an event per se, but one that is defined ‘explicitly as a pattern of physical abuse, or as a continuing series of abusive and degrading acts’. She further posited, inter alia, that as a construct, wife abuse is a label for continuous events and hence a battered woman is explicitly defined as a woman who has been systematically and severely beaten by her husband for many years†. Thus, in this context, an occasional ‘slap’ or ‘push’ doesn’t amount to domestic violence. Moreover, as in Trinidad, the cultural construction of wife abuse includes the characteristic that the victim be terrified of the abuser (Loseke 1992). We will write a custom essay sample on Domestic Violence in the Caribbean or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page To enhance Loseke’s discourse on ‘wife abuse’, the feminist theory and its role in domestic violence has also been tremendously effective in highlighting the relationship between discrimination and violence against women in society at large and the at-home version of that gender oppression, namely the issue of ‘battering’ (Hamberger and Renzetti 1994). Feminists assert that the battered womens movement was the first to identify the issue of physical abuse of wives by husbands and, aided by other reformers, was able to bring it to public attention (Schecter 1982; Tierey 1982). As a result, wife abuse has been transformed from a private, largely invisible matter, to one viewed as a social problem for which appropriate remedies should be sought. Further, there have been numerous reforms in the legal, governmental, and social services response to battered women (Gelb 1983; Pagelow 1984; Tierney 1982). Symbolic interactionist focuses on the ‘male abuser’ and thus purport that an nderstanding of the abuser’s own construction of himself and his female partner is essential to a theoretical and practical understanding of the dynamics of abuse. Therefore, the decision to be abusive is an active one on the part of the abuser. Abusers plan violent actions through an interactive process that is influenced by their constructions of the self and others. Lempert (1994) alluded that battered women struggle to explain their partners’ violence because it is often shocking and difficult to accept. Women who survive domestic violence often detach themselves from their partner and others to escape from the reality of the violence experienced in their intimate relationships. Athens (1997) further explained that violent offenders use their current self-view, life experience and evaluation of the situation in their decision to act violently. An abuser’s self-image always relates to his or her interpretation of the situation, and that image directly influences how one decides to act for oneself and toward others. Here, the feminist suppositions of Straus et al (1980) and Straus (1983), extends beautifully with the claim of the symbolic interactionist (Athens 1997) above statement. The feminist posited that families socialize children into violence by the widely accepted practice of punishing children with physical force. They concluded that men who witnessed their parents engaging in violence were three times as likely to hit their wives and ten times more likely to be abusive towards their wives with objects or weapons. They also found that many more men who reported being physically abused as teenagers also abused their wives, as compared to those who were not physically beaten throughout their teen years. They concluded, Each generation learns to be violent by being a participant in a violent family- and that violence begets violence (Straus 1980). Other researchers have pursued this line of inquiry and have concluded that men learn abusive behaviour from their families of origin (Browne 1987). Denzin (1984) posited a cyclical sort of reasoning where the abuser unintentionally alienates his partner through his physical violence; his partner’s subsequent remoteness threatens his confidence in the relationship; and in turn, he again employs violence to restore his control. (Mead 1934) also put forward the argument that abusers use strategies of denial and blame to distance their violent selves from their â€Å"true† selves (Mead 1934). The symbolic interactionist outline thus recognizes that an individual’s self-image and definition of the ituation occur in interaction with, not in isolation from, others in society In essence, the arguments proffered by both feminist and symbolic interactionist hold that the abuser’s life experience and self-image is a core factor in domestic violence. As it relates to violence, feminists place heavy emphasis on male-female relations at the core of their analysis and view inequality between men and women as a key f actor in violence (Bowker 1986; Dobash and Dobash 1979; Pagelow 1987; Russell 1982). Two years before there was a Domestic Violence Act in Trinidad, Mohammed (1989) proffered that sexual violence was the most central form of domination men had over women and it was the mechanism which was used to control women. Concomitantly, Yelvington (1996) investigated flirtatious behaviour amongst Trinidad men and found it to have manifested ‘symbolic violence’ filled with tensions of domination and submission between the sexes. Following on the heels of Yelvington (1996), Chevannes (1996) makes the point that a large part of male socialization takes place on the street, where prevalent behaviours and values are the antithesis of all that schools and [society] represent. Another twist to the argument of domestic violence comes from developmental and life course perspectives advocates, Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990) in ‘A General Theory of Crime’, they explained that crime results as a result of ‘low self-control’. They explained when parents fail to properly raise their children; low self-control develops with the absence of nurturance, monitoring, discipline or training. Further to this, Agnew (1992) who expounded Merton’s Strain theory proposed that a ‘strain’ is experienced by an individual when there is the presentation of a negative stimulus; for example, bullying or negative relations with peers, parents or even teachers may foster this strain. Although strain theory is used mainly with reference to delinquency and crime, there is merit to the theory in an attempt to explain how the presentation of negative stimuli to an abuser can perpetuate and contribute to an ‘effect’ being passed on to another individual (an individual’s intimate partner) as illustrated in the example above with parental violence toward each other. Agnew (1992) also posited that coping mechanisms are employed to deal with this type of strain, which is cognitive, behavioural or emotional. Cognitive mechanisms employ the ability o ignore the strain or maximize the positives of the strain or accept responsibility for the strain. The behavioural mechanisms minimize the negatives of the strain through some form of actions, thus inherently maximising the positives. Finally, the emotional involves the coping mechanism is to seek revenge. The use of this emotional coping mechanism to escape is often employed. Applying this theory to domesti c violence cases, it can be deduced that in some instances, the emotional coping mechanism of seeking revenge on partners is employed. He further argued how someone adapts to strain, is dependent on the ability of the person to use enough coping mechanisms to deal with strain constructively; in instances of domestic violence it would mean positive steps to effectively deal with such matters. The outward sources of power upon which men originally drew from, for example, being the boss in the workplace and the sole breadwinner, have been tremendously eroded as women increasingly take charge of their lives (becoming self-sufficient by accessing educational and job opportunities in the workplace and having the capacity to negotiate their own spaces). Feminists as referenced before, offers this argument of the threat of women’s progress contributing to their detriment in some instances. Women, unlike men draw on intrinsic sources of power as they go through their daily living. They have re defined the traditional gender roles and are now more goal-oriented and assertive. The male’s response to this has been in the least some sort of perplexity, which is accompanied by a false sense of acceptance on the surface, but struggling hard, sometimes viciously below to exhibit superiority in one form or the other. Ways of communicating, relating, sharing and caring become challenging for them. If one is to evaluate contemporary social life such as; friendship, family life and marriage one would see they are all laden with sexual symbols, which have come to represent the last perceived secured notion of what is defined as being a ‘real man’. As argued by the interactionist, the male self-image is often quite fragile and there is a plethora of factors contributing to this some of which are but is not limited to; the inescapable bombardment of the media, which now intensifies the problem of negative modelling; educational institutions failing in not being able to strengthen the frayed social and, consequently, academic self-image of males and a steady rise in unemployment has also taken its toll. We have now booked first class seats, in viewing he progressive decline in male development at the personal level, as most men have not engaged in meaningful ways in keeping up with the changing nature of relationships between men and women; and by extension reacting negatively against women. Symbolic interactionist offers a perspective on domestic violence, which outlines the construction of the self and its interaction with others within social and cultural contexts. It also describes how individuals plan and give reasoning to t heir actions and inactions with both themselves and others in society (Athens1994; Athens 1995; Blumer 1969; Mead 1934). Extensive research examined the ways in which survivors of domestic violence defined their situations (Dobash and Dobash 1984) but less attention has been paid to the abuser’s own perspective of the violence within their own relationships. Domestic Violence in Trinidad and Tobago: (Gramsci 1971) posited that Trinidad and Tobago was one of the first nations in the English-speaking Caribbean to pass domestic violence legislation. He went on to report that as a traditional concept, such violence was perceived as husband-wife business and not appropriate to be deemed as public business. Domestic Violence was thus labelled a criminal offence by the Domestic Violence Act 1991 of Trinidad and Tobago. This occurred as a result of widespread activism on the part of the local womens movement. There is no central locality where data for domestic violence can be found in Trinidad and Tobago, though the Central Statistical Office (CSO) is recognised as the institution mandated by law to capture and reflect statistical data of varying natures, this too is lacking. Reports of domestic violence to police stations are one indicator while the actual numbers charged for criminal offences are another. Many Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are heavily involved in receiving data (actual reports) of domestic violence and information can be gleaned through this process. Within the context of domestic violence, data available from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service details the range of criminal offences which take place as a result of Domestic Violence. These data raise a number of issues, for example, the inconsistencies from year to year and the extremely low number of offences recorded (UNDP 1999). Numbers of Murders committed by way of Domestic Violence, 1990-1996 Year| Number of Women| Murders| Total Committed| 1990| 4| 3| 7| 1991| 3| 4| 7| 1992| 12| 6| 18| 1993| 3| 12| 15| 1994| 4| 5| 9| 1995| 10| 8| 18| 1996| 5| 1| 6| TOTAL| 41| 39| 79| Source: (National Report on the Situation of Gender Violence Against Women: Trinidad and Tobago Regional Project RLA/97/014, 1999); Adapted from the Ministry of National Security Trinidad and Tobago. Murders as a Percentage of Domestic Violence 1995-1999 Year| Domestic Violence| Non-Domestic Violence| Total| % Domestic Violence| 1995| 22| 99| 121| 18. 18| 1996| 16| 91| 107| 14. 95| 1997| 12| 89| 101| 11. 88| 1998| 23| 74| 97| 23. 71| 1999| 15| 77| 92| 16. 30| Source: Domestic Violence Awareness Handbook-Men against Violence Against Women (MAVAW 2002) Trinidad Findings from a report offered by Advocates for Safe Parenthood: Improving Reproductive Equity (Aspire 2012) found that there is an upward trend in reported cases of domestic violence which rose from 1394 to 2312 in the past decade. Certain offenses rose drastically, such as assault by beating, from 907 to 1243, and breach of protection order from 26 to 157. The report reflected 92, 524 new cases in the magistrate’s court. The most reported cases fell within the 25-29 age categories; for 2010, 300 females and 54 males and 2011, 1,082 females and 322 males. It was also noted that more men were filing reports of domestic violence. (Creque 1995) also gleaned preliminary data from the Community Policing Unit and found that between 1991 and 1994, 8,297 applications were filed under the Domestic Violence Act 1991. Additionally, The Ministry of Planning and Development published Crime Statistics in 1996, which reported that there were 378 applications under the Domestic Violence Act of which 18% or 67 were made by males and 311 or 82% by females. The (UNDP 1999) report also reflected: During the year 1998, a total of 2,611 calls were received by the Domestic Violence Hotline (800-SAVE) of the Domestic Violence Unit of the Ministry of Gender Affairs. Of these calls, 84% were from women and 16% men. For each month of the year according to the report, female callers outnumbered male and the modal age-group of callers was 26-35 years. The majority (70%) were in unions legal or common-law (free), but 17% described themselves as single, 3% as divorced and 10% separated (UNDP 1999). Since the advent of the Domestic Violence Act 1991, deaths have increased in Trinidad and Tobago. Deaths from cases of domestic violence have quadrupled over a five-year period from 2004 to 2008, while the amount of cases of domestic violence reported to police have increased by 60%, according to statistics released in the Senate yesterday†¦ For the years 2004 to 2008 there were nine, 26, 32, 17 and 36 deaths respectively. In terms of the number of cases of domestic violence reported to the police for the same period, the recorded cases numbered 962, 1,291, 1,250, 1,356 and 1,556 respectively (Newsday 2009). Programmes catering to domestic violence in Trinidad and Tobago: In Trinidad and Tobago, a task agency was appointed to develop a comprehensive policy to address the problem of the scourge of domestic violence nationwide. This was in response to a plethora of interests to many key stakeholders who were interested in treating with the problem. There was an explosion of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and religious bodies who were willing and ready to provide services for victims of domestic violence. Within the public service, a Domestic Violence Unit was set up within the Gender Affairs Division of the Ministry of Culture and Gender Affairs which along with other departments, such as the National Family Services Division, introduced voluntary counseling services for victims. Similar services were also offered by a number of women’s organizations. MILPAH halfway house for battered women†¦ Not surprisingly, most of these agencies had initiated their own internal processes of data but based upon the contribution of Gopaul, Morgan and Reddock (1994), the need for a centralized database tapping into the national situation characterizing domestic violence was brought to the forefront and facilitated a number of activities geared toward its realization. In Trinidad and Tobago, data collection pertaining to domestic violence has been in existence in a number of State agencies and NGOs. From the standpoint of State agencies, entities such as the Domestic Violence Unit, Probation Services, the police (Modus Operandi and Community Policing Division) and the Central Statistical Office have actively been engaged in data collection activities. Additionally, State agencies collect data that have a direct bearing upon domestic violence. These include the Ministry of Education (Guidance Unit), Ministry of Health (Child Guidance Unit, Statistical Unit, State Hospitals and Medical Social Workers Reports), Ministry of Community Empowerment, Sports and Consumer Affairs (National Family Services) and Ministry of the Attorney General (The High Court). With respect to nongovernmental organizations, data on domestic violence have been collected by the Rape Crisis Society and The Coalition against Domestic Violence (Shelter for Battered Women). Other relevant data can also be obtained from other shelters for battered women, children’s homes and private hospitals. Notwithstanding these efforts, there exists no acceptable standard for data collection and there is widespread variation with respect to input processes and the quality of outcomes. Based upon examinations of input forms collected from entities including the Ministry of Culture and Gender Affairs, all branches of the police, shelters for battered women and the Domestic Violence Hotline, a standard form was developed for pilot-testing in a number of settings. These settings included government hospitals, halfway homes, children’s homes, Hot Lines, a Tobagonian Halfway House and the Community Policing Unit (Tobago). The standard form was divided into seven sections. services and dips into their own pockets to finance these activities. MAVAW has been invited to sit on a Cabinet Appointed Committee, which will make proposals for the amendment and reform of the Domestic Violence Act of 1991. In collaboration with the Ministries responsible for Culture and Youth Affairs, MAVAW is involved in two national campaigns to train young people in schools, malls and community centres to alleviate violence. Conclusion Most research on domestic abuse has been conducted from various perspectives which include but is not limited to feminist, psychological and social structural perspectives. These perspectives have provided valuable insights to the problem of domestic violence. The feminist adopts a critical view of taken for granted assumptions about domestic violence research and practice, the psychological perspective identifies characteristics aligned to abusive behaviour, social structuralists illuminate the cultural and organizational constraints influencing this problem and symbolic interactionism acknowledges the free will of the actor and the interpersonal and social forces shaping and constraining that action. Many solutions have been proffered in an attempt to alleviate or stop violence against women. This essay’s topic at first glance was to bring to the reader’s attention information, though limited in this instance, on varying perspectives on abuse against women and the plethora of resources and services offered to them by governmental and non- governmental organizations, the extensive arm of the law; as outlined by the provision of the Domestic Violence Act (1991), which dictates the offenses and applies the law as required to offenders. However, the highlight of this paper rests on the reference to the lack of the equality of theoretical and empirical reporting as it relates to the ‘balance’ of domestic violence. The under- reported abuse of men, the less than required support services offered and the unwavering bias towards women as labelled ‘victims’ domestic violence. Whilst this paper did not allow for in-depth statistical and theoretical explanations, research has shown generally, that when the social of issue of domestic violence becomes discursive, women are portrayed as the real victims. The interactionist approach taken by (Carden 1988) posited that domestic violence needs to be understood from the perspective of the abuser (regardless of gender) in order to address the root cause of the social issue. Although a large research literature has examined the accounts of abuse offered by survivors of male violence, there is little about the abuser’s perception of himself and others in domestic violence. ’ The abuser’s perspective is important to theoretical work on the etiology of omestic violence and to develop programs that can effectively stop male violence against women (Carden 1994; Stets 1988) Based on the out dated and limited statistics available on domestic violence in Trinidad and Tobago, the argument of Johnson (1995) and Stets and Straus (1992) contends ‘That most legal and social policies, well intended though they might be, are based on erroneous information both about the causes and incidence of most intimate violence. They have evolved based on the needs of the small but significant proportion of women who experience chronicwife battering, they do little to serve the much larger majority of men, women, and children who try to cope. In a glaring article produced by (Nicholls and Dutton 2001), they argued that cases, government surveys and other reports are highly skewed and misleading. Statistics always tend to reflect women as being the victims of domestic violence and men’s claims often go underreported. They alluded that conflict studies are the closest to portraying a rough proportional perpetuation by gender. Additionally, Ehrensaft et al. (2004) posited inter alia that various studies have shown that the ‘single-sex’ approach is not scientifically supported. They allude that the behaviours by both partners can contribute tremendously to the risk of ‘clinically significant partner abuse’, and that both individuals should be treated. They concluded that ‘womens partner abuse cannot be explained exclusively as self-defense against mens partner abuse, because a womans pre-relationship history of aggression towards others predicts her abuse toward her partner, over and above controls for reports of his abuse towards her’. The UN ECLAC Caribbean Development Committee 1997) reported that ‘†¦the [Caribbean] region was experiencing increased waves of violence, which unfortunately is often directed at women. It further cited that while several countries in the region have started to address this problem, no attention has been given to the male who generally is the abuser and perpetrator. Most recently though, there are signs of male interest groups which have begun to direct attention to the male for what they consider is a need to change thousands of years of bad attitude of men. MAVAW Men Against Violence Against Women in Trinidad and Tobago, offers support to male offenders, seeks therapy for transgressors’. In essence, domestic violence is a global phenomenon and may be defined in numerous terms. As it relates to Trinidad and Tobago, the context and culture where this phenomenon occurs should be deeply considered. Additionally, much is needed to stabilize resources in capturing accurate empirical data which should inform functional programmes, in an attempt to first understand and then alleviate the social problem of domestic violence between both men and women. Bibliography Our Opinion: Making It Safe for Our women. ( 1997, December 13). Trinidad Express. Prime Minister Says Expose Family Violence. ( 1997, November 26). Newsday. (CSO), C. S. (1996). Report on Crime Statistics . Trinidad and Tobago: Ministry of Planning and Development. (DVU), D. V. (February 26, 1998). Findings of Data Collected on Domestic Violence from the Domestic Violence Hotline. Policy Round table on data Collection on Domestic Violence. (1991). The Domestic Violence Act. Trinidad and Tobago. 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