Sibling Violence Silenced

Abstract

In this article, sibling violence and the silence surrounding it is explicated through professional literature and research findings, exemplars from clinical practice, and statistics. Theoretical positions and discourse analysis have been used to help explain how regular broken bones, bruises, lacerations, and verbal humiliation can be minimized as normal sibling rivalry or roughhousing, which does not cause serious consequences. Nursing should be on the front lines of ending practices of violence. Recognizing sibling violence as such is part of this work and is a social justice issue.

Measurement of Sibling Violence

“…Parallels can be drawn between ISV and other forms of family violence. For example, like spousal assault over 50 years ago, ISV victimization, even when it is extremely injurious, is typically minimized and normalized (Phillips et al, 2009). In the same vein, there needs to be a shift in prevailing archaic attitudes toward ISV; recognition of the seriousness of this form of family violence from researchers and practitioners is a first step toward achieving this (Eriksen & Jensen, 2009; Omer, Schorr-Sapir, & Weinblatt, 2008) and will allow measurement, assessment and management of severe ISV to be addressed in a more consistent way (Gelles & Cornell, 1990; Stock, 1993).…”

“…Finally, professionals (e.g., childcare staff, school teachers, and youth workers) who are in contact with perpetrators and victims of intentional ISV, and are in a position to detect and prevent this form of familial abuse, may not be immune to effects of social normalization (Kettrey & Emery, 2006;Phillips, Phillips, Grupp, & Trigg, 2009). The physical abuse of siblings is often minimized (Finklehor, et al, 2006;Steinmetz, 1977) and severe injuries intentionally inflicted by siblings may be disregarded as a result of accidental harm or horseplay (Caffaro & Conn-Caffaro, 2005;Wiehe;1997).…”

The Normalization of Sibling Violence

“…Such recognition would enable welfare workers to target and manage persistent offenders and aid victim recovery more effectively (Fox & Cook, 2011). Ultimately, it could reduce the widespread tolerance and subsequent normalization of SV guiding caregivers toward the use of more constructive means of familial conflict resolution (Omer et al, 2008; Phillips et al, 2009).…”

“…Such parental inaction is likely to vicariously reinforce its personal, familial, and social acceptability (Hoffman & Edwards, 2004; Kiselica & Morrill-Richards, 2007). Similarly, the language often used to describe SV (e.g., as “rivalry” and “horseplay”) reflects further minimization of violence into minor altercations with seemingly little impact on victims (Phillips, Phillips, Grupp, & Trigg, 2009). As such, siblings who report SV victimization are more likely to be blamed either for provoking their assailant and/or for not defending themselves properly (Caffaro & Conn-Caffaro, 1998).…”

“…Differences in victim–perpetrator relationship also impact on lay perceptions of interpersonal violence, including that between siblings. Indeed, this may be a key factor in why sibling-on-sibling violence is deemed comparatively harmless (Phillips et al, 2009). In one of only three studies within this field of research, Harris (1991) presented hypothetical scenarios depicting violence committed against either a sibling, friend, stranger, or spouse with, in addition, both perpetrator and victim gender varied across conditions.…”