Essay Sample on Identified Root Causes and the Effects of Homelessness

Root Causes and Effects of Homelessness

A relationship exists between the identified root causes and the effects of homelessness with domestic violence being the most significant cause of homelessness in the country. Some facts explain the reasons why domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness. In their 2017 study, Bryant and Bricknell report that in 16 Australian men and one in 6 women experience domestic violence are victims of sexual violence by the age of 15. In the same period, the report noted that domestic, family and sexual violence repeatedly occurs with 54% of women subject to domestic violence from their current partners (Dillon et al. 2016).

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Nonetheless, rates of domestic violence in Australia remained stable between 2005 and 2016. During 2014 and 2015, Australian hospitals admited eight women and two men each day as a result of assaults by their spouse or marital partners. According to Bryant and Bricknell, 2017, domestic violence resulted in the murder of eight women per day and one man each day. These statistics indicate the severe nature and terrible consequences of domestic violence and its relationship to homelessness and the financial independence of Australians (Dillon et al. 2016). In particular, Australian women are economic disadvantage than men, which heightens the occurrence of homelessness within this demographic. The above statistics and observations underline the importance of initiating programs that reduce the impact and role of domestic violence in homelessness.

Complex Systems Map

A complex systems map portrays the multifaceted interactions that occur within a system. Specifically, Figure 2 these interactions using some visual elements to demonstrate the complexity of domestic violence as homelessness' primary root cause. As shown in the complex map, Australians experience various forms of domestic violence -interpersonal, structural, and symbolic. Being mutually inclusive, these forms of domestic violence are complimentary and manifest in different ways in the lives of Australian. Analyzing this primary causal factor using a multi-sectoral approach provides decision makers, victims and other stakeholders with useful insights for addressing this complex issue.

Utilizing a system thinking approach increases our understanding of the interrelationship between the social, political cultural and economic factors that relate to homelessness. Besides that, a system thinking approach creates, enhances, and improves comprehension of the relationships between a systems elements and its values. Historically, society has had various entrenched perceptions about gentrification. In reality, however, factors such as housing shortages, government policies, market forces, and socio-cultural expectation make it difficult for individuals to own a home. For instance, an individual ability to earn an income determines his capability to maintain a roof over his head. Typically, feedback loops of the primary causal factor (domestic violence) impact of the cause's ability to worsen the severity extent and outcomes of homelessness in Australia.

Moreover, domestic violence coupled with other root causes creates a vicious cycle of conditions that make it hard for an Australian citizen to avoid ending up homeless Australia, for example, obtaining a job or acquiring a house requires one to have a physical address, which complicates an individual's ability to own a home. As a result, ensuring homeless have access to intervention mechanism that arrests the trend towards a large section of the Australian population towards homelessness. However, doing so requires across spectrum analysis of the internal and external elements of a system to identify short term and long-term interventions as well as to prevent the crisis that leads to homelessness. Although systems are thinking may focus on a single system element, resolving the homelessness crisis calls for the option of a methodology that considers the impact of all the capacity of domestic violence to alter the optimal equilibrium of a system.

Actors Mapping

Systems' thinking defines a system as a collection of interrelated, interdependent, and interacting elements that comprise a unified and complex entity. Accordingly, the actions and interactions between a system's components determine its goals while providing direction towards the achievement of its goals (Burns 2015). From systems thinking viewpoint, solving complex social problems requires the optimization and integration of an entire system's interactions, relationships, actors, and activities. In turn, this approach implies that no single system component can address large-scale problems.

For this social change pitch project, the author utilizes actors mapping to visualize the mechanism available to advocates of change for describing and diagnosing the state of the current social issue. In particular, for this system, is actors map categorizes the roles of its actors, the connection and relationships between actors, relationship building opportunities, possible intervention mechanisms, and change drivers (Burns 2015). Additionally, the actor map isolates the questions and concepts for developing and evaluating strategies that link increasing levels of homelessness to domestic violence.

Contextually, applying the appropriate actor mapping principles entails aggregating insights and experiences of all components in a system (Burns 2015). Subsequently, a capable actor mapping strategy satisfies the contextual requirements of a given system. For this case study, the actor mapping process identified several key actors as depicted in Figure 3 below.

Ecological Mapping of Domestic Violence Actors

At the core of the actor's map is the homeless individuals around whom actors such as the community, institutions, and society revolve (Misuraca et al. 2018). Actors found in this level include community and organization interactions, norms, practices, and beliefs that propagate domestic violence, sexism, and discrimination of the individual. In the next level is the exosystem composed of institutional structures and systems that through failure facilitate domestic violence within Australian society, for example, social support services, community-based organizations, religious and educational institutions. Found on the outer ring of the actor's map is the macrosystem, which contains the prevalent social norms that condone, rationalize, support and downplay homelessness as well as its root causes.

Tactical Map of Domestic Violence

Figure 4 above represents the central relationship found between victims of domestic violence and the perpetrator. In this case study, relationships in which one party exercise power over the other characterizes their relationship. A host of institutions and organizations external to both parties interacts and influences the type of relationship they have. Analyzing a tactical map delivers essential observations and conclusions regarding the role that associated players have on the primary causative factors of domestic violence. From the map, for example, it is appare...