In October 2023, Isis Edwards shared her experience growing up in a family where abuse was part of her daily life. Isis Edwards, the tumult is all she knew while growing up. Both her parents were drug addicts, and her father was regularly abusing her mother, Tanya Villines, both physically and mentally. At some point, Isis witnessed extreme physical abuse, where her mother’s leg, arm, and nose were broken. The abuse was extreme, and Edwards was put into foster care at the age of 12. A few months later, Tanya walked out and went to Marjaree Mason Center. Isis was reunited with her family, and they started a new chapter together. It is reported that Tanya is eight years sober, in a healthy relationship with her fiancé, and they have a newborn in their family. Isis is now happy to live such a beautiful and peaceful life free from domestic violence.
The source, ABC Newspaper, details the domestic violence experienced by Isis Edwards. Despite the mental and physical abuse, Isis found happiness and a beautiful life later. Also, her mother was able to get her smile back and have a healthy relationship with her fiancé.
Two applicable sociological concepts in the context of domestic violence encountered by Isis Edwards are “social learning theory” and “cycle of violence.” Social learning theory highlights the role of imitation and observation in learning some behaviors, emotional reactions, and attitudes. In the scenario of domestic violence faced by Isis Edwards, the theory explains how she was exposed to and learned about abusive behaviors in her family setting. Those encounters might have influenced her understanding of what composes a healthy relationship, significantly impacting her relationship if not intervened (Copp et al.,2019). The cycle of violence in the context of domestic violence represents the repetitive nature of abusive actions in relationships. The cycle entails tension building, acute violence, and reconciliation. In Isis’s scenario, this cycle of violence was repetitive, as she experienced tension, violent acts, and recurrent attempts of reconciliation between her parents, which impacted her understanding of relationships and conflict-solving.
Social learning theory delves deeper into how individuals learn behaviors, emotions, and attitudes through observation and copying others, which clarifies domestic violence’s meaning and impacts. Individuals who experienced domestic violence while growing up may conceive perceptions of relationships and conflict-solving determined by what they witnessed. They learn that manipulation, aggression, or control are ethical ways to settle conflicts and exercise power, which can greatly impact their future behaviors and relationships. Moreover, those who witnessed violence while growing up might follow these behaviors unless they undergo intervention or support to unlearn them and adopt better relationship dynamics. The Cycle of Violence illuminates the challenges and complexities encountered by individuals in abusive relationships. In challenging the content of the news source, it is crucial to notice that while the newspaper touches upon the experiences of Isis and her family, it might fail to get into the cyclical posture of domestic violence (Mazza et al.,2020). Incorporating a deeper exploration of the Cycle of Violence will provide a clearer understanding of the issue and the passage of individuals such as Isis Edwards.
The two sociological concepts contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamics and implications of the news story illustrating Isis Edwards’ ordeal with domestic violence. The Cycle of Violence gives light on the emotional challenges faced by individuals within unhealthy relationships. In this case, Tanya’s journey toward leaving the abusive marriage shows the complexity of the emotions involved and the struggle to break loose from the cycle despite instances of remorse. For the social learning theory, Isis’s statement about her mental health struggles and her doubtfulness in the likelihood of living a healthy life. The theory highlights that those experiences can impact an individual’s mental well-being and perceptions, which may take considerable effort and time to recover and rebuild life.
References
Copp, J. E., Giordano, P. C., Longmore, M. A., & Manning, W. D. (2019). The development of attitudes toward intimate partner violence: An examination of key correlates among a sample of young adults. Journal of interpersonal violence, 34(7), 1357-1387.
Fresno woman shares the experience of witnessing domestic violence. ABC30 Fresno. (2023a, October 17). https://abc30.com/young-woman-domestic-violence-october-awareness-month-abuse/13924135/
Mazza, M., Marano, G., Lai, C., Janiri, L., & Sani, G. (2020). Danger in danger: Interpersonal violence during COVID-19 quarantine. Psychiatry research, 289, 113046.
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