Brief response to Rivera's Domestic Violence about Latina Women

Rivera’s Latina Domestic Violence

When comparing Rivera’s article to the conflict theory we find many similarities and explanations. I think Rivera’s response primarily applied the Conflict Theory. When referring to the conflict theory I usually think of the haves and have nots and while material things are usually what is implied in the haves and have nots, non concrete things can be included as well. For example, the ability to speak English as a second language. Without speaking English, a woman is isolated to great extents in the U nited States. Without the knowledge of the language spoken in a community resources, jobs, and help are extremely limited. While perhaps one groups is not gaining, another is certainly loosing. Financial access is another common downfall in domestic violence, specifically in the Latino community. With the lack financial means to educate oneself, a woman gets stuck in the domestic role of a housewife – tending to the children, laundry, and cleaning. Or what comes first? The chicken or the egg? Do women lack financial means because they aren’t educated, or are they unable to become educated because of the lack of financial necessities.

We can also easily see that structural functionalism is applied here as well. The same idea of if the lungs are breathing in oxygen, the heart and brain won’t work (the body analogy). If a woman isn’t educated, she will lack the ability to speak English, seek for help, become employed, etc. Touching on functionalism, Caitland’s point on religion is very interesting. Should a woman/Latino family not believe the certain religious beliefs, they may not feel as “stuck”.