Posted: September 16th, 2017

Responsibility Frames

Responsibility Frames

Fill in all charts and all questions should be answered using a thought provoking response.  Each response should be at least 3-4 sentences long as well.  Please use sources and cite then in your responses.

Worksheet: “Responsibility Frames”

Instructions: Complete the worksheet: “Responsibility Frames”.

Step 1. For each of the following scenario tables, list the individual and social causes of the problem that occurs.

Step 2. Suggest alternative approaches or solutions implied by each frame.

Step 3. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of each frame and whether they are mutually exclusive.

Scenario: Child neglect
Personal responsibility frame    Social responsibility frame
Causes
Solutions
Advantages
Disadvantages

Are the responsibility frames mutually exclusive?

Scenario: Child abuse
Personal responsibility frame    Social responsibility frame
Causes
Solutions
Advantages
Disadvantages

Are the responsibility frames mutually exclusive?

Scenario: Incapacitation rape
Personal responsibility frame    Social responsibility frame
Causes
Solutions
Advantages
Disadvantages

Are the responsibility frames mutually exclusive?

Step 4. Answer the following questions based on the previous exercise.

1. When evaluating each of the scenarios given using the frame of personal responsibility, which attribute had the strongest influence on your interpretation?
A)    age of the victim
B)    gender of the victim
C)    environment or place where the abuse occurred
D)    none of these

Explain your answer.

2. When evaluating each of the scenarios given using the frame of social responsibility, which attributes had the strongest influence on your interpretation?
A)    age of the victim
B)    gender of the victim
C)    environment or place where the abuse occurred
D)    none of these

Explain your answer.

3. We have limited information about each of the scenarios given. But if you had the opportunity to investigate each one further, what other information would you want to know?
When the media reports on family or intimate partner violence stories, they are often framed within the “blaming the victim” mentality. For example, the focus is often on what the victim could have done differently, or his or her sexual history, how much alcohol was consumed, his or her level of education, and so on, rather than asking why the abuser acted violently. To shift this perspective, violence prevention advocates encourage the bystander approach, acknowledging that we exist in groups socially and have the opportunity to intervene when we witness unhealthy, abusive, or questionable behaviors. Thinking about the three scenarios given, what actions could bystanders have taken that might have helped to prevent the abuse or violence from occurring?