Critical Approaches to Domestic Violence in Social Work Theory and Practice

This essay focuses on the contribution of the critical approaches of domestic violence relating to the social work practice and role of a social worker. It identifies key issues, analyses critical theories, and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of social work approaches.

Running head: SOCIAL THEORY AND PRACTICE
Social Work Theory and Practice
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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Introduction:
The profession of social work is associated with the maximization of the well being of
the society and the individuals in it. This profession believes that the social and individual
well-being is interrelated and it is mostly underpinned by the socially inclusive communities
that emphasizes that there should be adequate respect for human beings and principles of
social justice, human rights and right of freedom within the society (Turner, 2017). Domestic
violence is a severe issue in the present day Australian society. Even the statistics show that
around sixteen per cent of Australian women tend to experience violence in an intimate
relationship. The number of partner violence is running high, especially those are towards
women. Data shows that at least one woman in every six women have experience of physical
violence by their respective partners, whereas one in every seventeen men tend to face the
domestic violence from their partners (Fook & Pease, 2016). This essay focuses on the
contribution of the critical approaches of domestic violence relating to the social work
practice and role of a social worker.
Identification of key issues:
The profession of social work is a vast and diverse profession which aims to improve
the quality and outcomes of daily life practices for the ones who are leading life in
vulnerability. It can also be said the social work profession helps the individual life and the
societal life to move to a better future. The social workers are a great force that can help the
society to grow, but most of them are fighting alone along with the private agencies. Even
though they are working on this level, this profession should come in the front with the help
of political outlines (Sue, Rasheed & Rasheed, 2015). Most of the times, this profession is not
taken seriously like any other professions that have been identified politically. The face and

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voice of social work against the ongoing social work needs to be seen and heard by the
government so that the government can also make a difference for this issue.
Social workers make a great help for people who are trying to cope up with their
existing situation. Not only the individuals, but they also help families for restoring their
abilities of functioning within the society. As this field mostly focuses on interactions
between the social institutions and people, it may impact the capabilities of an individual for
accomplishing the necessary life goals and lead a normal life. Therefore, for such purposes,
they require resources, services, opportunities and support from the fellow members of the
society (Rubin & Babbie, 2016). If the social workers are working towards improving the
situation of the ones who have suffered from domestic violence, they have to arrange
occupational or physical therapies or health care. In such situation the members of society
can be of great help.
The ongoing global economic crisis tends to raise more concerns for the social
workers who are working for improving the situation of women, children who have suffered
domestic violence. One of the most significant outcomes of the financial crisis is the
socioeconomic decline and the marginalizing the population that are excluded. The present
economic situation needs a much more egalitarian, engaged and reflexive practice that are
based on the societal rights which can match the magnitude of this present social crisis and
the negative influence it has on the conventional social work constituencies (Donaldson et al.,
2014). The social exclusion policy is mostly dependent on the present global crisis, namely,
developing dependency, severe social isolation, deprivation and the internalized oppression.
Moreover the patterns of social exclusion are a lot dependent on the ongoing economic crisis.

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Analysis of critical theories:
The post-modern ideas help the practitioners in various ways. Firstly, postmodernism
helps the social workers to explore and comprehend the existing social trends in imaginative
and creative ways. Secondly, it also helps them to comprehend the theory and practice as
well. Along with these, modernist and postmodernist theories also help the social workers to
give ideas regarding working with people in practice. However, it needs to be said that the
social work is mostly considered to be a modernist approach as it tends to represent the
timeless and universal humanistic ideas regarding the accountability of people for others in
the society (Payne, 2015). The theory of postmodernism also contrasts that the human beings
and the entire world can be understood in a rational way through the evidences that are
building up into one allover perspective of the society (Healy, 2014). Therefore it tends to
disturb the stability of the previous assumptions which underlie the social work practices.
However, even though sometimes both the modernist and postmodernist views coexist, both
the theories benefit the social practitioners in taking on the social work.
Radical social work theories are one of the social work theories that provide the
insight into the reasons of hardship for the individuals and it also offers ways that can help
the social workers to come in contact with the general population. The radical social work
includes the comprehending the oppression within the context of economic and social
structure; rather affixing the issues of the individuals who are being oppressed. This theory
states that the role of a radical social worker includes positive assistance, maintaining the
mutual respect and locating the problems in the broader political and social context. This
theory has declined during 1980’s. Payne (2015) had indicated that the less
professionalization of the social practitioners has made them soft targets and most of the
governments had banned them. However, the radical social work theories generally stress the
collective action between the users and the professionals. Gould and Taylor (2017) has stated

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that the most dominating characteristics of these theories is that it mostly focuses on the value
of involvement, justice and equality within the society in a collective way.
Structural social work is a major part of the progressive, critical tradition which is
mostly associated with the political, social and economic dimensions of the society, mostly
with the impacts of the influences such as capitalism which create unequal relationship
among individuals. The primary goal of this theory is reducing social inequality; therefore it
helps working towards diminishing the domestic violence in the intimate relationships (Burt,
2013). This theoretical approach is mostly focused on the interaction between the structures
and individuals, especially aims the wide structural barrier that has a huge influence on the
material situation of the users. This theory also considers the society as a group with interests
that are continuously conflicting. Therefore this theory considers the social issues as the
outcome of faulty rules, so it tries to diminish the class struggle.
Strengths and weaknesses of social work approaches:
The radical social theories were the early theories and it has evolved with the course
of time. The most significant aims of this theory that has evolved through time are linking
system and power, education, building the counter systems and the structural and individual
responses (Godden, 2017). On the other hand, the strength of the postmodern theory of is that
it suggests the significance of comprehending complex things and changes the existing social
order and social structure in place of adopting the unrealistic static assumption. Therefore,
this theory helps the social practitioners to evaluate various positions regarding the social
order and the way the social order van help the general population to deal with a complicated
situation (Nicholson, 2013). Therefore several competing situation may get resolved. In this
way, the evolution of postmodernist theory shows that it is important exploring the discourses
and debates regarding the significant issues in the society, so that the general population can

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follow the trends on certain issues that can bring changes in social work. Therefore, as social
workers, it is important to carry out discussions and debates regarding the women and child
empowerment while they are going through adverse situation. Moreover, if people who are
suffering from domestic violence can evaluate the discourses and debates closely, they along
with the social workers are capable of understanding the influence and power of such
discourses both in the society and between the family and the individual members. Therefore
it can be said that the postmodernism is suggesting that there may be huge uncertainties in the
society and it may be increasing in the developed ones (Galarza & Anthony, 2015). This may
lead to the higher risk of misinterpretations and unsuitable reactions to the social expectation
and it may further lead to personal insecurity. Therefore, in place of rejecting the social
orders, the social workers require to understand the significance of the continuously changing
social structure and order and help the population to deal with such changes.
Recommendation and conclusion:
In conclusion, it can be said that, as social practitioners, the most significant duty is to
have the postmodernist understand of the social structure and social order. This will bring a
lot of changes in the though process of social workers. It has to be understood that the social
structure and social order will change and it will be a part of the social and human
interactions. Individuals can change even if they have to go against the cultural expectations.
Moreover psychological changes can also bring out the changes while coping with the social
structures as well.

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Reference list
Burt, R. S. (2013). Toward a structural theory of action: Network models of social structure,
perception and action. Academic Press.
Donaldson, L. P., Hill, K., Ferguson, S., Fogel, S., & Erickson, C. (2014). Contemporary
social work licensure: Implications for macro social work practice and
education. Social Work, 59(1), 52-61.
Fook, J., & Pease, B. (Eds.). (2016). Transforming social work practice: Postmodern critical
perspectives. Routledge.
Galarza, J., & Anthony, B. (2015). Sexuality social justice and social work: Implications for
social work education. Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, 20(1), 27-41.
Godden, N. J. (2017). The Love Ethic: A Radical Theory for Social Work
Practice. Australian Social Work, 1-12.
Gould, N., & Taylor, I. (2017). Reflective learning for social work: research, theory and
practice. Routledge.
Healy, K. (2014). Social work theories in context: Creating frameworks for practice.
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Nicholson, L. (Ed.). (2013). Feminism/postmodernism. Routledge.
Payne, M. (2015). Modern social work theory. Oxford University Press.
Rubin, A., & Babbie, E. R. (2016). Empowerment series: Research methods for social work.
Cengage Learning.

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Sue, D. W., Rasheed, M. N., & Rasheed, J. M. (2015). Multicultural social work practice: A
competency-based approach to diversity and social justice. John Wiley & Sons.
Turner, F. J. (2017). Social work treatment: Interlocking theoretical approaches. Oxford
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