1. Kingston Chap 4 Families at Risk

2. Overarching Changes Family size, age, structure, & economics
Taboo questions no longer so
Economy
Lower job security
Incomes not keeping pace

3. Five Impacts Investigated
Divorce
Single Mothers
Domestic Violence
Child abuse
Suicide

4. Divorce – on the rise Types With kids (teens +)
Shot gun weddings and immature couples
Failed marriages much like rest of world
Without kids (50 years old +)
As husbands approach retirement

5. Changes that in part trigger situation
Women feeling more independent
End of arranged marriages
Pensions have to be shared

6. Single Mothers Primarily from divorce Issue is poverty
End of myth that all are middle class – lower class emerging
Major outcome lower educational opportunities
Long term consequences not good
Government reaction
“work fare” cut welfare
Limited child care
Reality check – “no welfare queens” according to Kingston

7. Domestic Violence New or Newly Recognized?? Shocking statistics
Bit of both
Shocking statistics
1 in 7 women seek medical treatment
5% report life threatening beating
Abuse is a symptom not the cause
Possible causes – economy
Pressure cooker society
Shame

8. Child Abuse
Mothers more likely to cause – close quarters, absent husband
Beakdown of community/extended family support
Bullying
Again symptom, causes more difficult to address

9. Suicide Causes Rates climb as economy stalls Health (65%)
Financial (32%)
Family problems (17%)
Work problems (10%)
Rates climb as economy stalls

10. Kingston’s Take away Movement from denial to recognition
Slow realization that these are societal issues, not personal/Family
However government has still taken a punitive approach in some cases like divorce & single mothers
Key underlying factor job security and economy