VIOLENCE IN THE FAMILY: CONSTRUCTING A 'SOCIAL PROBLEM' IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

In recent years, family violence has been receiving a lot of attention from both policymakers and members of society. However, the act of inflicting violence on another family member is not a new social phenomenon. It has already existed centuries ago. This researcher uses primarily the social constructionist perspective to examine the process by which family violence became a social problem in Singapore society. To gain a better understanding of this construction process is to locate family violence in the social and historical contexts unique to Singapore, as well as to examine how different social institutions 'see' family violence. As we learn of how family violence became a social problem, we also uncover the reasons and factors that make it a social problem. On another level, by using family violence as a case study, we also gain a better understanding of the 'nature' of social problems. The 'nature' of social problems could be studied by examining the relationship among social institutions vis-a-vis a particular social problem. As we know more about the social problems that exist in the society we live in, we can hopefully use our knowledge to help solve social problems.