ASSIGNMENT:
In the 1970s, Lenore Walker developed the social cycle theory known as the cycle of violence, which is a predictable pattern of behavior or stages that can occur hundreds of times during the course of an abusive relationship. Discuss the following in your paper:
Identify/define the 4 stages of the cycle of violence.
How has the cycle of violence manifested in the King family?
Identify when the family has entered a particular phase in the cycle, and give your rationale.
Scenario: The King Family
Amy King, 38, and Marty King, 42, are a married couple of 19 years with two teenage children: Ashley, 15, and Aaron, 17. The family resides in a middle-class community in suburban Chicago. Amy is a stay-at-home mother, while Marty is the manager at a popular local restaurant. For the last 15 years, the family has struggled financially. Amy has attempted to obtain employment on numerous occasions, but each time she gets a new job, she has to leave the employment within a few weeks citing the need to "take care of personal matters." Marty handles the family finances and keeps a tight reign over spending.
For several years, there have been allegations of domestic violence in the home in varying forms. Amy has had numerous injuries, including the following:
Black eyes
Bruising
Broken arm (spiral fracture)
Concussion
Burns
The alleged perpetrator of the injuries is Amy's husband, Marty. Both Amy and Marty have significantly downplayed the amount of violence in the home to concerned family and friends, who rarely get to see Amy and the kids. The only real contact the extended family has with the Kings is during the holidays. The police are very familiar with the King family, because there have been no less than 10 domestic violence calls to the home since 2000. Usually when the police come to the home, no arrests are made; however, in 2010, Marty was charged with domestic battery against Amy. With the assistance of her family and a victim advocate, Amy and the kids moved out of the home and filed an order of protection against Marty. However, Amy failed to appear in court, and the court dismissed the order. The criminal case was also dismissed. A few months later, Amy and the kids moved back into the family home.
In addition to the intimate partner violence in the home, Amy and Marty are faced with criminal charges being filed against their son, Aaron. Aaron was involved in a fight at school that resulted in the other student being hospitalized. Aaron was arrested for battery and is awaiting trial in juvenile court. Aaron presents as a very angry young man with multiple discipline issues in school and poor academic performance. Aaron has also presented at school with bruises to his face, which he states are caused during fights with peers.
The Kings' daughter Ashley is a good student, a member of the track team, and is dating a fellow student, Jake. Ashley and Jake are inseparable, and Ashley's parents have been concerned that Ashley spends too much time with Jake and that Jake is very controlling over Ashley. Marty recently forbid Ashley from spending any more time with Jake, but Ashley is defiant. She tells Marty and Amy that Jake is the only one who loves and understands her and that Jake needs her. Ashley has also had bruises to her neck and arms that she reports as track accidents. Aaron reports to his mother that he has seen posts on social media sites where Jake has made troubling comments about Ashley.