Systems Thinking Approach: Developing Solutions for Domestic Violence

This essay critically examines the application of systems thinking to address the complex issue of domestic violence, particularly within the Australian context. It defines systems thinking as a problem-solving approach that considers the interconnectedness of various components to understand patterns of change. The essay explores how this approach is crucial in developing solutions for sustainability challenges and applies it to domestic violence, defining it as a pattern of control through various forms of abuse. The analysis includes the causes of domestic violence, its impact on victims, and the application of a six-step systems approach to identify intervention strategies. The essay also discusses the drawbacks of systems thinking, while recommending its integration into educational curricula and national strategies to address complex societal problems. It concludes that despite the challenges, systems thinking offers innovative insights into addressing multifaceted issues, such as domestic violence, by considering the broader picture and the dynamics of change over time.

Running head: Systems thinking approach
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Systems thinking is critical in developing solutions to sustainability challenges
Domestic Violence

Systems thinking approach
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Introduction
Systems’ thinking is an approach pretends to be a difficult concept because it challenges
traditional thinking but once this approach is clear is becomes helpful in problem solving and
decision making. For understanding these concepts first we need to understand the concept of
systems. Systems can be defined as the interconnection of various small parts that work
together (Arnold and Wade, 2015.). System’s approach can be defined as thinking that
focuses on the smaller parts separately and their interconnections to arrive at a solution
(Smith, 2012). This essay critically examines the importance of systems thinking approach in
developing solutions to sustainability challenges. The essay will also discuss the application
of this approach in solving the problem of domestic violence. Domestic violence can be
defined as the problem in which one partner in the relationship uses methods such as physical
violence, sexual abuse, economic abuse, isolation and threats to control the other partner. It
also includes encounter between the people living in the same house (Cefrey, 2010).
Domestic violence against women has now become a widespread problem in Australia.
According to a report at least one woman dies in Australia every weak because of this
problem. No fixed solution is available to this problem. In this essay systems approach will
be applied to find the solution for the problem.
System thinking approach in dealing with sustainability change
This is a unique approach towards problem solving and decision making which focuses on
the pattern of change rather than the snapshot of change. It studies in detail context of
relationships in a particular system and evaluating the reasons for the pattern of behaviour
over the period of time. The approach takes into account the macroscopic view of the
problem to find the solution for the problem. Nature of sustainability challenges is so

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complex that traditional approaches are not able to provide the solution. These challenges
require fresh concept therefore system thinking approach can be applied to deal with
sustainability challenges (Nguyen and Bosch, 2013). Three elements of systems thinking
approach make it possible to apply this approach in problem solving. These three elements
are:
Analysis- This involves understating the dynamics of the system
Synthesis- This involves understanding the hierarchy of the system
Decision Making- This involves developing the suitable solutions
Sustainability has emerged as a common term we hear almost every day. Sustainability
involves various fields, areas and stakeholders. In has to take into consideration contrasting
interest and perspectives of various parties. Sustainability impacts natural environment,
social-political environment, business-economics, and policy-governance. Sustainability can
be defined as something that is capable of being continuously identified (Santillo, 2007). Due
to wide scope and divergent interests sustainability challenges are not easy to solve. They are
complex and uncertain. Therefore no single science or method can solve the challenges of
sustainability. Therefore traditional thinking is of no use in solving sustainability challenges.
Systematic approach is the way that can be used to deal with the multi-dimensional issues in
the sustainability (Kim, 2012). It provides with the new ways of thinking that help to
eliminate age- old assumptions and finds the innovative solutions to the problems. The
approach creates flexibility, collaboration and integration in the solution. In the era of
globalisation world is facing so many complex problems related to sustainability, systematic
thinking can be applied to arrive at the situation to those problems.

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According to Confino (2012) key components or essential ingredients for system thinking
approach to work for sustainability include following:
Clear mapping
At the beginning it is essential to figure out that interest of all the stakeholders are
considered, everyone is given equal opportunity. It also includes clearly identifying
interconnections. Experienced system experts should undertake this activity because this
activity is the main basis for whole process.
Working as a whole
After careful mapping of all the processes it is essential that representatives form part of
system. There is a need to create a common language where everyone has the trust that they
can be winners. A sense of trust is very important.
Thinking differently
The next step involves shifting focus from short term thinking to developing a positive long
term vision of future. This involves thinking in such a way that ever the most ignorant factor
can make a change.
Problem of domestic violence (With reference to Australia)
Domestic violence can be defined as the problem in which one partner in the relationship
uses methods such as physical violence, sexual abuse, economic abuse, isolation and threats
to control the other partner. This is emerging as one of the most wicked and serious problem
of public health issue. According to reports more than 35.6 per cent women and 28.5 per cent
men above the age of 18 years, lifetime bear the problem of domestic violence by immediate

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partner (Chibber, Cantor and Greenberg, 2016). More victims of this problem are women.
According to the reports of WTO about 1 of every 3 women undergo the problem of domestic
violence. Around 38 per cent of women around the globe are murdered by intimate male
partners (WHO, 2017). According to the reports of Australia's National Research
Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS) at least one in every four women has
experienced at least one incidence of domestic violence in Australia. It also identifies that
among the victims of domestic violence in Australia above the age of 15, 77 per cent were
women and 23 per cent were men (ABC, 2016).
The main causes of the problem are having some kinds of disagreements with the intimate
partner, financial issues, facing humiliation or pressure at workplace, long period of
unemployment or failures, effect of alcohol or drugs, brought up in the environment of
violence, low education, short temperament, antisocial personality disorder, jealous or envy
of success or appreciation of partner and any kind of frustration. Despite of so many causes
actions of the abuser cannot be justified. The causes only help to determine what provokes an
abuser to take the wrong step. Causes cannot be used as rationale for the behaviour of
individual. It is not acceptable to abuse the partner physically, mentally or emotionally
(Gluck, 2016).
The problem is a serious threat to both physical and mental health of people. It leads to severe
physical injuries, mental trauma and other chronic health issues. The major potential health
issues to this problem include organ and bone damage, chronic illness, vulnerability to HIV/
AIDS, miscarriage and gynaecological problem. It also has impacts on mental health of the
person such as sleep disorders, post-traumatic stress and depression. Domestic violence also
has negative impacts on children. The children who grew up in the environment of violence
are likely to have a range of emotional and behavioural disturbances. According to the reports

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one of the three abused child either becomes a victim or abuser in coming future (Chelala,
2013).
Application of system approach in dealing with the problem of
domestic violence
The world is confronted by various complex and uncertain problems. This raises the demand
for new approaches to deal with the problem. Systems approach can be applied to deal with
the wicked problem of domestic violence. It identifies set procedures, methods and practices
to deal with the problem. This approach needs to call for changes in the policy cycle.
The approach can be implemented by using 6 steps to arrive at the solution of particular
problem tell the story, draw behaviour over time graphs, draft a focusing question, identify
the structure, going deeper into the issue and plan an intervention (Elmansy, 2017). System
approach considers every minute detail of the circumstance even a small change in particular
component can lead to big change. After looking deep into the problem and the pattern of
change that has occurred over the years, it can be figured out that one of the major causes of
domestic violence is gender inequality. In Australia, the two major places which report most
number of domestic violence are Victoria and Queensland. After knowing the story the next
step is analysing the recent trends .Recent trends show that the problem is becoming more
prevalent day by day. It was also analysed that most of the men and women who were the
victims of domestic violence never contacted the authorities. The basic reason behind this
was fear of revenge or further violence. The prevalence of the problem was figured out from
research and surveys done by various organisations. After this the basic question arises what
can be done to make the situation better. To make the situation better there is the need to

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deeply analyse the structure of the problem. Key causes and trends analysed in this situation
are women are the most affected victims of the domestic violence and gender inequality is
one of the root cause for the problem. The problem is spread worldwide. Here we take into
consideration domestic violence in Australia. In Australia this problem is spread into various
places at some places it is often known as family violence. Going deeper into the issue it was
evident that problem has risen to such extent because police and government do not perform
their job well in the beginning. Domestic violence was not considered as a crime and
investigation was not detailed. After deep analysis the next step is designing the intervention.
This could be done by an agency that supports and ensures family safety. Focus of the agency
should be on testing the capacity for change and ability of family members to achieve no
violence contract. The agency should have consistent review meetings with the members of
the society to take feedbacks (Cooper and Vetere, 2008.).
Drawbacks and Recommendations
In is recommended to apply system’s thinking approach to find the solution of various
complex problems today. Though the approach also has some drawbacks such as the process
is time consuming and difficult to understand (Kumar and Pandey, 2016). The approach is
considered too overwhelming and too focused on big picture. Despite of the disadvantages
the theory but still this approach is best suited to deal with the sustainability challenges. To
effectively utilise this approach and take it into regular practice to solve various issues it is
recommended to make this approach a part of curriculum of the students. It is important for
students to gain expertise in system’s thinking approach to deal with the challenges of
sustainability in the coming time. The course needs to make students enable to practically
apply system’s approach to various issues. In this paper only the wicked problem of domestic
violence is discussed. But this is not the only problem to deal with; today’s environment

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presents various challenges to deal with. It is also recommended to the government to build a
national systems thinking approach to find various complex solutions to the problems of the
population. It is recommended not only for Australia but for various countries to deal with the
upcoming sustainability challenges. Only application of system’s approach at national level is
not essential it is also important to make sure that this approach is flexible enough to deal
with the complex environment changes and uncertainties.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that though system’s approach is bit difficult still it can used to develop
suitable solutions to the complex and uncertain challenges of sustainability. The sustainability
is an issue which affects various areas such as social, political, legal and environmental. Thus
the issue involves various stakeholders and their divergent interests therefore it becomes very
difficult to arrive at a solution of the problem related to sustainability. The approach of
systems thinking provides an innovative insight to thinking it takes into consideration the
macroscopic picture and pattern of changes in behaviours over the times. The problem of
domestic violence is emerging as the wicked problem in today’s environment. Domestic
violence involves physical, mental or emotional abuse by one partner to other. It was evident
from the researches that main victims of domestic violence are women. Domestic violence
problem is prevailing in various countries across the globe. Traditional thinking approach in
this problem failed to provide a suitable solution thus to deal with the situation thus various
steps of systems approach can be applied to find the solution of given problem. It is
recommended to make this approach a part of curriculum so that students become experts in
finding the solution to various challenging issues.

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