The Role Of Professional And Ethical Codes

The British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions provides the foundations and guidelines for ethical understanding and good practice in counselling work. This enables a counsellor to practice safely in private practice or within an agency. Different agencies may work with other frameworks, for instance the National Counselling Society (NCS), who support counselling and related therapies, and are closely linked with the NHS. (Nationalcounsellingsociety.org). The BACP framework can’t inform a counsellor of specific rights or wrongs, but outlines the values, principles and moral qualities that a counsellor should adhere to, which helps with guidance and ethical decision making and safeguarding client and counsellor. (BACP, 2015)

Domestic violence, alternatively referred to as Intimate Partner Violence, is defined by the Department of Justice as “a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner.” While domestic violence is commonly thought of as only physical or sexual abuse, domestic violence can also be emotional, economic, or psychological. Domestic violence has remained constant in society throughout history, even though over time society’s response to the issue has changed. While domestic violence affects everyone regardless of race, gender, age, etc. it is estimated that approximately 90% of all victims are women. For the purpose of this paper, I will be focusing on

Domestic Violence is a type of abuse. It involves injuring someone; usually a spouse or partner but it can also be a child or other family member. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and emotional abuse. The frequency and severity of domestic violence can vary dramatically; however, the one constant component of domestic violence is one partner’s consistent efforts to maintain power and control over the other. Abusers use fear, guilt, shame and he wants to keep the victim under their control. The abuser may use many different types of abuse to assert this power, and the overall framework in which the abuse occurs may follow a pattern called the cycle

Domestic violence is an epidemic in our society with dramatic, negative effects on individuals, families and communities. Domestic violence is a crime that knows no economic, racial, ethnic, religious, age or gender limits. Women who are victims of domestic violence most likely are also victims of sexual assault and, stalking. A domestic violence victim may experience systematic rape in addition to physical and psychological abuse. According to Backman, (p.54) nearly one in every four women are beaten or raped by a partner during adulthood. Three women are killed by a current or former intimate partner each day in America, on average women are at an increased risk of harm shortly after separation from an abusive partner.

There are several different types of domestic violence that affect people today. According to “justice.gov” (2014), domestic violence is a way for one partner to control the other partner. This control can be done sexually, physically, emotionally, economically, and psychologically. Any actions that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure or wound someone is a form of control and domestic violence. This gives us an understanding of what acts and intentions are a part of domestic violence and that it is not just physical abuse alone.

Domestic violence is an act which one individual purposely harms another, usually someone they are close with, in order to please themselves or to get what they want out of it. Many American’s do not believe that domestic violence is a that big of an issue because many don’t hear or see it daily. The terrifying fact is that on average, one out of four women are domestically abused by their spouse. According to the New Choices, Inc. there are twenty-three warning signs that people are involved in a domestic relationship (Early Warning Signs of Domestic Violence). The majority of the signs including having the spouse being controlling and having to be in power. They are always having to know where the spouse is and if they think about leaving, that individual will either threaten them or threaten to harm themselves in order to make that person stay in the unhealthy relationship. The abuser is generally obsessed with power and control. If they do not feel like they are in control of their spouse or have a higher power than them, they will use the act of domestic violence in order to put

“Domestic violence is a type of abuse by one or both partners in marriage, friends, family, dating or cohabitation” (Aziz & Mahmoud, 2010). There are many forms of abuse from verbal and emotional to physical that often escalates over time in intensity for the victim. Data from the criminal justice system, hospital patient medical records and mental health records, police reports, surveys and social services reports of thousands of women revealed that many are injured and killed as a result of violence from someone close to them. “The US Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) defines domestic violence as a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender” (Robertson & Murachver, 2009). Researchers and the criminal justice system have not been able to agree on a clear definition to domestic violence which can range from physical injury, stalking, verbal abuse and humiliation, denial of shelter and access to money, and intimidation through aggressive behaviors. The definition of domestic violence may vary but the results from physical injury, mental and emotional trauma, and sometimes even death can last a life time.

Many social issues plague society today, and domestic violence is one of the major issues that society faces daily. Many factors play a role in domestic violence including gender, race, culture, and media. In order to remedy this problem, measures need to be taken to ensure that the problem of domestic violence is fully understood, there needs to be a universal understanding of how people become involved in this kind of situation, and there needs to be information or a process that the public is aware of for how domestic violence can be prevented.

Domestic Violence (DV) is a critical social issue that negatively impacts not only our own culture in America but as well as all other cultures around the world. Domestic Violence is a global issue reaching across national boundaries as well as socio-economic, cultural, racial and class distinctions (Kaur & Garg 2008). Domestic Violence is a serious problem that can be seen around every society from families of both developed and underdeveloped countries and of different backgrounds. Although there are various cases of domestic violence against men, children and the elderly; women account for the majority percentage of victims of Domestic Violence. This violence can take the form of physical assault, psychological abuse, financial abuse or sexual assault (Kaur & Garg 2008). Domestic Violence is a trend that is on the rise and will continue to plague our society if nothing is done on time to address this social issue.

Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior used to exhibit control over another person through fear and intimidation by threat, force, or use of violence in intimate relationships. This issue has been an overlooked problem in American society for ages however as it becomes mainstream time and time again and the statics go up, Americans are beginning to see this as a pressing epidemic. With more than 4 million women and 3 million men becoming victims to physical assault in intimate relationships every year, domestic violence has become a societal issue in which it affects people from all walks of life regardless of a person’s gender, race, status, ethnicity, age or religion. Since most cases almost always go unreported and the severity of this problem is often disregarded, domestic violence is ultimately a problem that accrues cost to victims and their families, employers and their business, and society as a whole.

Domestic violence is a devastating social problem that impacts every sector of our population. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner(USDOJ,2012). Domestic violence can be physical, economic, emotional, sexual, or psychological. Physical domestic violence is an attempt to impose physical injury such as grabbing, slapping, hitting, biting, etc. Physical violence can also be withholding necessary resources to sustain health such as medication, food, sleep, or forcing alcohol or other drug use. Economic abuse is an attempt to make the victim financially dependent. Such as sustaining control over financial resources

Domestic abuse is a startling issue in today’s society, and there are many different forms of it. Domestic abuse is defined as “the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another” [1]. There are numerous forms of domestic abuse, including both physical and emotional violence. Many people who are trapped in these toxic relationships often feel helpless and worthless, and may think they have no way to escape their situation. However, with the right guidance and support, they can free themselves and emerge as a stronger person.

Psychologists must often face ethical dilemmas during practice. In Case Study 2, there are various ethical problems that may have been handled in a more fitting manner. These problems, their relation to the APS Code of Ethics (APS, 2007) and general, first-level principles of ethics (Francis, 2009) and their appropriateness in the given situation will be discussed in this report.

According to statistics found by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Every nine seconds a woman is abused by her husband or intimate partner. At least 1 in every 4 women and 1 in every 9 men have been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in their lifetime. Most often the abuser is one of their own family. Domestic violence is a problem that somehow affects every one of us in this room at some time and is actually the leading cause of injury to women -- more than car accidents, muggings and rapes combined.

People of different professions consult with their respective code of ethics when they feel guidance is necessary. As a counselor, regardless of our specific track, we may find ourselves referring to the American Counseling Association’s (ACA) Code of Ethics (2014). I feel the existence of a code of ethics provides the necessary guidelines and justification when things are ambiguous. It serves the purpose of keeping things under control and within limits by minimizing the amount of harm received by any party. As the counselor, this set of guidelines provides clear limits and boundaries between the counselor and client relationship as well as protection for the client’s privacy and well-being. Although the guidelines are set forth as safeguards, it is not all inclusive, where everything is addressed explicitly. New technology and situations arise as we progress, revisions are necessary to effectively utilize these fundamental guidelines. In addition, the guidelines provide the foundation for practicing competently and professionally across different professions and platforms.