Alcohol and Family Violence

Alcohol and Family Violence

LaTawsha Estell

BSHS 406

09-07-2015

Professor Sharon Mortimer

Alcohol and Family Violence

Alcohol is legal and sociably acceptable. It’s a part of our American way of life and is seen to be a disease causing problems in the life cycle. It is not an excuse to start family violence. Family violence is known because the perpetrator wants to be in control of others. There is a huge impact and family violence based on the life cycle. Scientists and non-scientists have recognized a two-way association between alcohol consumption and violence on aggressive behavior. Alcoholism also known as Alcohol Addiction, is a chronic, progressive and potentially fatal disease. Individuals with alcoholism continue to drink alcohol despite the many negative consequences their destructive habits have on their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Violence may be defined as behavior that intentionally inflicts, or attempts to inflicts, physical harm.

State legislators have increasingly passed statues authorizing criminal justice officials to pursue domestic violence offenders more aggressively. Legislative attention to the problem of alcoholism and violence has led in the past decade to the enactment of an avalanche of new laws in the laws in the 50 states between 1997 and 2003 there were over 700 new alcohol and violence related enactments including both amendments, of old laws and enactments of new laws, such as the creation of a new crime of alcohol and violence in 38 states. State legislators have had few models to guide their actions, few state legislators are fully aware of what legislators in other states have done.

Alcoholism can affect a person’s health, work, life, social life, and family life. It is a major problem that hundreds of thousands of Americans faced every day. Alcoholism is an especially dangerous disease, as drinking too much can eventually lead to serious problems in health, not to mention the problems it can cause. Alcoholism can lead to a detrimental situation with friends, family members, spouses, and at a place of work. If a person’s normal lifestyle regarding school, work or social activities is affected by alcohol on a frequent basis, or if their relationship with others is affected by alcohol, then it is an easy diagnosis.         Alcohol can affect people in many different ways. If a person becomes violent when drinking, has no concern for their behavior or how they look, or even gets angry if questioned about their drinking habits, chances are they have a drinking problem. It is estimated that on average five other people will be affected when one individual becomes addicted to alcohol or drugs. Those whose lives get caught up in the downward spiral of the addiction are most usually friends and family members. Family members can be hugely impacted when one of them becomes addicted to alcohol. The addict will be a hard individual to live with. They may be physically or verbally abusive to members of the family. Their behavior is erratic and can cause a great deal of pain and sadness. Some addicts are high functioning, but most will be poor providers. This means that the family will suffer financially. If people are addicted to alcohol, they will be unable to provide proper care for their dependents. The addict is too wrapped up in their own world to be a responsible parent. This neglect can have a traumatic impact on children. Addicted parents also set a bad example for their children. This can mean that their offspring abuse up to grow up to believe that alcoholism is normal behavior, and they follow their parents into addiction. The alcoholic may steal from their family in order to supply their habit. They can also manipulative their loved ones into giving them money. The rest of the family will want to help the addict but they may have no idea about how to do this. Eventually family members may decide that their only option is to break off contact with the addict.