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Childhood and Violence

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Historically, the symbolic definition of the ‘home’ represents a sanctuary and safe haven from the negative pressures and forces present in society. The ideology of home represents a sacred and consecrated institution which is responsible for providing individuals with refuge and safety. Often, the concept of home is broader than a physical dwelling, and encompasses an emotional characteristic, which often rids individuals of their worldly cares and reinforces their focus on the people and things they love. Since, it is widely regarded that humans, specifically children, are creatures of habit, the state of one’s home has been known to physiologically influence their behavior, emotions, and overall mental and physical health (Leichsenring, 2003). More specifically, the home provides a basis for enculturation, where it establishes the grounds for accepted norms and values within a social framework; dictating what is culturally permissible within this social setting. For children, the enculturation into the guidelines, rituals, expectations and social practices and assumptions present within the home, orients them, by providing a sense of acceptance, belonging and reality. Typically, the widespread assumptions of safety, protection and wellbeing for children are often associated with the dynamic between the family and home. However, recent revelations indicate that the home is increasingly becoming the grounds for the physical victimization of children. Children being vulnerable and socially naive, are unable to decipher between what is right and wrong and are often victimized by this seemingly caring and safe institution. Moreover, these children’s sense of reality and home are defined by their understanding of the norms and boundaries present within their own home environment. Essentially, everything these children have acquired and become grounded in, with respect

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