Teaching about Family Violence to an At-Risk Population: Insights from Sociological and Feminist Perspectives

Abstract

Sensitive subjects such as rape, disasters, nuclear war, divorce, the Vietnam war, and family violence often produce student reactions for which the teaching sociologist is not prepared. This lack of preparation is exacerbated by students' experiences of living in a society at risk. The fear of nuclear war, for example, is a common concern of students, one which they face daily. Too often we skim over sensitive topics emphasizing theory and ignoring students' reactions. As educators, I believe we cannot ethically deny or ignore these problems; sociologists need to share ideas about teaching such topics. This paper concerns the problems inherent in teaching sensitive subjects. My comments and data are drawn from experience in teaching family violence classes, students' comments and journals (used with permission and confidentially), and conversations with colleagues. My purpose is to illustrate problems in teaching sensitive subjects and to present ideas about preparing for classes on these subjects.