The Operations of the National Security Agency - 435 Words

The National Security Agency (NSA) has been a United States discernment org since 1952 when President Truman formally named it; in spite of the fact that the office has been around since World War I translating code correspondences. It is presently one of the biggest United States brainpower associations on the planet. It works under the sway of the Department of Defense. The NSAs primary objectives are screening , gathering, deciphering, translating and examining data and information of outside intelligences around the globe. This incorporates the associated people with terrorism in the United States. A number of the operations the NSA does are clandestine and obscure by the overall population. They are given this sanction by the administration to guarantee insurance of the US from terrorism and different dangers. The office regularly utilizes tame approaches to gather data on remote knowledge including electronic frameworks irritating, tapping phone records, and subverting through subversive programming. Mass reconnaissance of the United States is likewise a practice utilized by Security Agency, gathering and putting away all telephone records of all American subjects. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an office under the locale of the United States Department of Homeland Security. Made in 1978, the offices main role is to facilitate the reaction to any calamity that happens in the US and is excessively for the assets of neighborhood and stateShow MoreRelatedThe Surveillance Operations of the National Security Agency1946 Words   |  8 Pagestake certain actions in order to provide security from those who seek to harm its citizens. But to what extent do the citizens of the United States knowingly authorize the actions that are necessary for their protection, and to what extent are they unaware or even purposefully deluded about the nature of such actions? The leaking of documents by Edward Snowden beginning in June 2013 that revealed the surveillance operations of the National Security Agency, or NSA, drew international attention toRead MoreEssay about Operation of National Security Agency (NSA)620 Words   |  3 Pagescompanies and government agencies that deal with vast amounts of peoples’ private information such as buying habits and personal online activity. Some of the companies involved in this dispute include social media giants like and Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook as well as other huge internet corporations such as Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL, Apple, and Google. On the federal side of this fiasco includes government organizations like the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Securities and Exchange CommissionRead MoreThe United States Code ( U.s. )1677 Words   |  7 PagesGovernment†. The foundational to US National Security and foreign relations are based on the three titles in the U.S.C, namely, Title 10, Ti tle 22, and Title 50; which â€Å"govern US Armed Forces, the Department of State, public diplomacy efforts, and national defense† (American Security Project, 2012). However, the National Security Act of 1947 was the first U.S. law on the conduct of intelligence operations. The act established the Central Intelligence Agency â€Å"to collect, analyze, evaluate, and disseminateRead MoreEssay on Intelligence Sharing: Intelligence and Law Enforcement1738 Words   |  7 Pagespolicing and the National Criminal Intelligence Sharing program were incorporated, and fusion centers were established to help gather intelligence from different levels of the government. Although law enforcement at the local, state, and tribal levels aid in intelligence collection, it is important to ensure that intelligence gathered to protect national security and law enforcement intelligence are kept separately. Even though law enforcement operations can strengthen intelligence operations and viceRe ad MorePaper ESF 131294 Words   |  6 PagesEmergency Support Function-13 (ESF-13), which covers public safety and security. The ESF-13 from FEMA details support services related to Public Safety and Security. The primary agency in control of ESF #13 is the Department of Justice/Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The ATF’s efforts are to support the full range of incident management activities by coordinating and integrating public safety and security capabilities and resources. The Department of Justice designated the ATFRead MoreCyber Security Operations Centre ( Csoc ) Investigates And Analysis Cyber Attacks On Uk Networks1212 Words   |  5 PagesCyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC) investigates and analysis cyber-attacks on UK Networks and provide solutions and means to mitigate future attack. Its job is in cyber forensics and incident response while the Government Computer Emergency Response Team (GovCERT) deals with the public sector organisati ons on issues relating to computer security incidents, warnings, alerts, assistance and advice to prevent, reduce expose and mitigate attacks. The National Crime Agency formed in Oct 2013 toRead MoreCritical Infrastructure Protection1140 Words   |  5 Pagesof protecting the U.S. national infrastructure cannot be overstated. The protection of critical infrastructure is †¦essential to the nations security, public health and safety, economic vitality, and way of life, according to the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP). This paper delves into the mission and responsibilities of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and references other sources related to infrastructure security. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ONE: The MissionRead MoreOur Nation s Critical Infrastructure1249 Words   |  5 Pageschanges to the national policies that protect the population and its critical infrastructure. Two main agencies that arose from the 911 Attacks were the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Homeland Defense (HLD). These two agencies are responsible for protecting countless potential terrorist targets, millions of citizens, and the thousands of miles of U.S boarders. How can two government agencies protect so many assets? This paper will explore the two agencies and identifyRead MoreModule 3 : Discussion Board755 Words   |  4 Pagesreduce threats to our security from terrorists and have changed law enforcement and policing in the United States. Today there is information sharing between agencies at the local and national levels; resources and staff are shared, bringing together individuals from various law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force. Homeland Security and Partnerships between Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies The essence of Homeland Security is â€Å"Preparation forRead MoreHistory Of Intelligence During The United States1137 Words   |  5 Pagesperiod and also provided intelligence support to the United States military which helped develop policies and procedures of the United States toward other countries. The development of intelligence in the United States has ultimately provided higher security for our citizens. President George Washington took command over the Continental Army in 1775; he had agents devise secrete methods to analyze raw intelligence and was able to create campaigns to deceive the British armies. Washington believed that

Sex Is Not Only Important For The Existence Of Humanity

As women and men it is not only important for the existence of humanity, but also to fulfill an innate human desire for everyone to be able to express themselves sexually. Although sex can be something that men and women desire, and at times yearn for it is important to remember that sex is not just a physical act, it is something that comes with emotions and responsibility. Fundamentally it is important to understand how sex works and the anatomy of yourself and the opposite sex, the consequences of having unprotected sex, what and how to use contraceptives and finally understanding yourself and your sexual preferences. Before engaging in any sexual act it is important to understand the anatomy of the opposite sex and to understand why†¦show more content†¦During sexual intercourse or sexual activity, a substance known as semen, which is comprised of salt, water and other bodily fluids aid the sperm for its travel through a woman’s vagina, to her uterus to then attac h to an egg. This is the process called conception that allows for the growth of a baby within her womb. Much like men, women have external and internal sex organs. However, unlike men women are able to get pregnant and give birth to children due to the composition of their internal sex organs. The external sex organs of women are refereed to as the vulva. The components of the vulva include the mons venerus which is a lump above a woman’s pelvic bone mostly comprised of fat, labia majora which are lips made up of fat that cover or protect the vulva, labia manora which are smaller lips inward from the labia major, and the clitoris which is the external structure that is responsible for female orgasm. Female internal structures include the vagina which is a canal like structure that is made up of muscle. The vagina is the part of the body where a penis is inserted during vaginal intercourse. It connects to the cervix which is the bottom portion of the uterus that sticks out in to the vagina. A small narrow opening at the base of the cervix is where sperm enters once semen has been ejaculated into the vagina. The cervix leads

The Host Chapter 8 Loved Free Essays

You’re afraid to fly?† The Seeker’s voice was full of disbelief edging toward mockery. â€Å"You’ve traveled through deep space eight times and you’re afraid to take a shuttle to Tucson, Arizona?† â€Å"First of all, I’m not afraid. Second, when I traveled through deep space I wasn’t exactly aware of where I was, what with being stored in a hibernation chamber. We will write a custom essay sample on The Host Chapter 8: Loved or any similar topic only for you Order Now And third, this host gets motion sickness on shuttles.† The Seeker rolled her eyes in disgust. â€Å"So take medication! What would you have done if Healer Fords hadn’t relocated to Saint Mary’s? Would you be driving to Chicago?† â€Å"No. But since the option of driving is now reasonable, I will take it. It will be nice to see a bit more of this world. The desert can be stunning -â€Å" â€Å"The desert is dead boring.† â€Å"-and I’m not in any hurry. I have many things to think through, and I will appreciate some time alone.† I looked pointedly at her as I emphasized the last word. â€Å"I don’t understand the point of visiting your old Healer anyway. There are many competent Healers here.† â€Å"I’m comfortable with Healer Fords. He has experience with this, and I don’t trust that I have all the information I need.† I gave her another significant look. â€Å"You don’t have time to not hurry, Wanderer. I recognize the signs.† â€Å"Forgive me if I don’t consider your information impartial. I know enough of human behavior to recognize the signs of manipulation.† She glowered at me. I was packing my rental car with the few things I planned to take with me. I had enough clothes to go a week between washing, and the basic hygiene necessities. Though I wasn’t bringing much, I was leaving even less behind. I’d accumulated very little in the way of personal belongings. After all these months in my small apartment, the walls were still bare, the shelves empty. Perhaps I’d never meant to settle here. The Seeker was planted on the sidewalk next to my open trunk, assailing me with snide questions and comments whenever I was in hearing distance. At least I was secure in the belief that she was far too impatient to follow me on the road. She would take a shuttle to Tucson, just as she was hoping to shame me into doing. It was a huge relief. I imagined her joining me every time I stopped to eat, hovering outside gas station bathrooms, her inexhaustible inquisitions waiting for me whenever my vehicle paused at a light. I shuddered at the thought. If a new body meant freeing myself of the Seeker†¦ well, that was quite an inducement. I had another choice, too. I could abandon this entire world as a failure and move on to a tenth planet. I could work to forget this whole experience. Earth could be just a short blip in my otherwise spotless record. But where would I go? A planet I’d already experienced? The Singing World had been one of my favorites, but to give up sight for blindness? The Planet of the Flowers was lovely†¦ Yet chlorophyll-based life-forms had so little range of emotion. It would feel unbearably slow after the tempo of this human place. A new planet? There was a recent acquisition-here on Earth, they were calling the new hosts Dolphins for lack of a better comparison, though they resembled dragonflies more than marine mammals. A highly developed species, and certainly mobile, but after my long stay with the See Weeds, the thought of another water planet was repugnant to me. No, there was still so much to this planet that I hadn’t experienced. Nowhere else in the known universe called to me as strongly as this shady little green yard on this quiet street. Or held the lure of the empty desert sky, which I’d seen only in Melanie’s memories. Melanie did not share her opinion on my options. She had been very quiet since my decision to find Fords Deep Waters, my first Healer. I wasn’t sure what the detachment meant. Was she trying to seem less dangerous, less of a burden? Was she preparing herself for the invasion of the Seeker? For death? Or was she preparing to fight me? To try to take over? Whatever her plan, she kept herself distant. She was just a faint, watchful presence in the back of my head. I made my last trip inside, searching for anything forgotten. The apartment looked empty. There were only the basic furnishings that had been left by the last tenant. The same plates were still in the cupboards, the pillows on the bed, the lamps on the tables; if I didn’t come back, there would be little for the next tenant to clear out. The phone rang as I was stepping out the door, and I turned back to get it, but I was too late. I’d already set the message system to answer on the first ring. I knew what the caller would hear: my vague explanation that I would be out the rest of the semester, and that my classes would be canceled until a replacement could be found. No reason given. I looked at the clock on top of the television. It was barely past eight in the morning. I was sure it must be Curt on the phone, having just received the only slightly more detailed e-mail I’d sent him late last night. I felt guilty about not finishing out my commitment to him, almost like I was already skipping. Perhaps this step, this quitting, was the prelude to my next decision, my greater shame. The thought was uncomfortable. It made me unwilling to listen to whatever the message said, though I wasn’t in any real hurry to leave. I looked around the empty apartment one more time. There was no sense of leaving anything behind me, no fondness for these rooms. I had the strange feeling that this world-not just Melanie, but the entire orb of the planet-did not want me, no matter how much I wanted it. I just couldn’t seem to get my roots in. I smiled wryly at the thought of roots. This feeling was just superstitious nonsense. I’d never had a host that was capable of superstition. It was an interesting sensation. Like knowing you were being watched without being able to find the watcher. It raised goose bumps on the nape of my neck. I shut the door firmly behind me but did not touch the obsolete locks. No one would disturb this place until I returned or it was given to someone new. Without looking at the Seeker, I climbed into the car. I hadn’t done much driving, and neither had Melanie, so this made me a bit nervous. But I was sure I would get used to it soon enough. â€Å"I’ll be waiting for you in Tucson,† the Seeker said, leaning in the open passenger-side window as I started the engine. â€Å"I have no doubt of that,† I muttered. I found the controls on the door panel. Trying to hide a smile, I hit the button to raise the glass and watched her jump back. â€Å"Maybe†¦,† she said, raising her voice to almost a shout so that I could hear her over the engine noise and through the closed window, â€Å"maybe I’ll try it your way. Maybe I’ll see you on the road.† She smiled and shrugged. She was just saying it to upset me. I tried not to let her see that she had. I focused my eyes on the road ahead and pulled carefully away from the curb. It was easy enough to find the freeway and then follow the signs out of San Diego. Soon there were no signs to follow, no wrong turns to take. In eight hours I would be in Tucson. It wasn’t long enough. Perhaps I would stay a night in some small town along the way. If I could be sure that the Seeker would be ahead, waiting impatiently, rather than following behind, a stop would be a nice delay. I found myself looking in the rearview mirror often, searching for a sign of pursuit. I was driving slower than anyone else, unwilling to reach my destination, and the other cars passed me without pause. There were no faces I recognized as they moved ahead. I shouldn’t have let the Seeker’s taunt bother me; she clearly didn’t have the temperament to go anywhere slowly. Still†¦ I continued to watch for her. I’d been west to the ocean, north and south up and down the pretty California coastline, but I’d never been east for any distance at all. Civilization fell behind me quickly, and I was soon surrounded by the blank hills and rocks that were the precursors to the empty desert wastelands. It was very relaxing to be away from civilization, and this bothered me. I should not have found the loneliness so welcoming. Souls were sociable. We lived and worked and grew together in harmony. We were all the same: peaceful, friendly, honest. Why should I feel better away from my kind? Was it Melanie who made me this way? I searched for her but found her remote, dreaming in the back of my head. This was the best it had been since she’d started talking again. The miles passed quickly. The dark, rough rocks and the dusty plains covered in scrub flew by with monotonous uniformity. I realized I was driving faster than I’d meant to. There wasn’t anything to keep my mind occupied here, so I found it hard to linger. Absently, I wondered why the desert was so much more colorful in Melanie’s memories, so much more compelling. I let my mind coast with hers, trying to see what it was that was special about this vacant place. But she wasn’t seeing the sparse, dead land surrounding us. She was dreaming of another desert, canyoned and red, a magical place. She didn’t try to keep me out. In fact, she seemed almost unaware of my presence. I questioned again what her detachment meant. I sensed no thought of attack. It felt more like a preparation for the end. She was living in a happier place in her memory, as if she were saying goodbye. It was a place she had never allowed me to see before. There was a cabin, an ingenious dwelling tucked into a nook in the red sandstone, perilously close to the flash flood line. An unlikely place, far from any trail or path, built in what seemed a senseless location. A rough place, without any of the conveniences of modern technology. She remembered laughing at the sink one had to pump to pull water up from the ground. â€Å"It beats pipes,† Jared says, the crease between his eyes deepening as his brows pull together. He seems worried by my laugh. Is he afraid I don’t like it? â€Å"Nothing to trace, no evidence that we’re here.† â€Å"I love it,† I say quickly. â€Å"It’s like an old movie. It’s perfect.† The smile that never truly leaves his face-he smiles even in his sleep-grows wide. â€Å"They don’t tell you the worst parts in the movies. C’mon, I’ll show you where the latrine is.† I hear Jamie’s laughter echo through the narrow canyon as he runs ahead of us. His black hair bounces with his body. He bounces all the time now, this thin boy with the sun-darkened skin. I hadn’t realized how much weight those narrow shoulders were carrying. With Jared, he is positively buoyant. The anxious expression has faded, replaced by grins. We are both more resilient than I gave us credit for. â€Å"Who built this place?† â€Å"My father and older brothers. I helped, or rather hindered, a little. My dad loved to get away from everything. And he didn’t care much about convention. He never bothered to find out who the land actually belonged to or file permits or any of that pesky stuff.† Jared laughs, throwing his head back. The sun dances off the blond bits in his hair. â€Å"Officially, this place doesn’t exist. Convenient, isn’t it?† Without seeming to think about it, he reaches out and takes my hand. My skin burns where it meets his. It feels better than good, but it sets off a strange aching in my chest. He is forever touching me this way, always seeming to need to reassure himself that I am here. Does he realize what it does to me, the simple pressure of his warm palm next to mine? Does his pulse jump in his veins, too? Or is he just happy to not be alone anymore? He swings our arms as we walk beneath a little stand of cottonwood trees, their green so vivid against the red that it plays tricks on my eyes, confusing my focus. He is happy here, happier than in other places. I feel happy, too. The feeling is still unfamiliar. He hasn’t kissed me since that first night, when I screamed, finding the scar on his neck. Does he not want to kiss me again? Should I kiss him? What if he doesn’t like that? He looks down at me and smiles, the lines around his eyes crinkling into little webs. I wonder if he is as handsome as I think he is, or if it’s just that he’s the only person left in the whole world besides Jamie and me. No, I don’t think that’s it. He really is beautiful. â€Å"What are you thinking, Mel?† he asks. â€Å"You seem to be concentrating on something very important.† He laughs. I shrug, and my stomach flutters. â€Å"It’s beautiful here.† He looks around us. â€Å"Yes. But then, isn’t home always beautiful?† â€Å"Home.† I repeat the word quietly. â€Å"Home.† â€Å"Your home, too, if you want it.† â€Å"I want it.† It seems like every mile I’ve walked in the past three years has been toward this place. I never want to leave, though I know we’ll have to. Food doesn’t grow on trees. Not in the desert, at least. He squeezes my hand, and my heart punches against my ribs. It’s just like pain, this pleasure. There was a blurring sensation as Melanie skipped ahead, her thoughts dancing through the hot day until hours after the sun had fallen behind the red canyon walls. I went along, almost hypnotized by the endless road stretching ahead of me, the skeletal bushes flying by with mind-numbing sameness. I peek into the one narrow little bedroom. The full-size mattress is only inches away from the rough stone walls on either side. It gives me a deep, rich sense of joy to see Jamie asleep on a real bed, his head on a soft pillow. His lanky arms and legs sprawl out, leaving little room for me where I am meant to sleep. He is so much bigger in reality than the way I see him in my head. Almost ten-soon he won’t be a child at all. Except that he will always be a child to me. Jamie breathes evenly, sleeping sound. There is no fear in his dream, for this moment at least. I shut the door quietly and go back to the small couch where Jared waits. â€Å"Thank you,† I whisper, though I know shouting the words wouldn’t wake Jamie now. â€Å"I feel bad. This couch is much too short for you. Maybe you should take the bed with Jamie.† Jared chuckles. â€Å"Mel, you’re only a few inches shorter than I am. Sleep comfortably, for once. Next time I’m out, I’ll steal myself a cot or something.† I don’t like this, for lots of reasons. Will he be leaving soon? Will he take us with him when he goes? Does he see this room assignment as a permanent thing? He drops his arm around my shoulders and tucks me against his side. I scoot closer, though the heat of touching him has my heart aching again. â€Å"Why the frown?† he asks. â€Å"When will you†¦ when will we have to leave again?† He shrugs. â€Å"We scavenged enough on our way up that we’re set for a few months. I can do a few short raids if you want to stay in one place for a while. I’m sure you’re tired of running.† â€Å"Yes, I am,† I agree. I take a deep breath to make me brave. â€Å"But if you go, I go.† He hugs me tighter. â€Å"I’ll admit, I prefer it that way. The thought of being separated from you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He laughs quietly. â€Å"Does it sound crazy to say that I’d rather die? Too melodramatic?† â€Å"No, I know what you mean.† He must feel the same way I do. Would he say these things if he thought of me as just another human, and not as a woman? I realize that this is the first time we’ve ever been really alone since the night we met-the first time there’s been a door to close between a sleeping Jamie and the two of us. So many nights we’ve stayed awake, talking in whispers, telling all of our stories, the happy stories and the horror stories, always with Jamie’s head cradled on my lap. It makes my breath come faster, that simple closed door. â€Å"I don’t think you need to find a cot, not yet.† I feel his eyes on me, questioning, but I can’t meet them. I’m embarrassed now, too late. The words are out. â€Å"We’ll stay here until the food is gone, don’t worry. I’ve slept on worse things than this couch.† â€Å"That’s not what I mean,† I say, still looking down. â€Å"You get the bed, Mel. I’m not budging on that.† â€Å"That’s not what I mean, either.† It’s barely a whisper. â€Å"I meant the couch is plenty big for Jamie. He won’t outgrow it for a long time. I could share the bed with†¦ you.† There is a pause. I want to look up, to read the expression on his face, but I’m too mortified. What if he is disgusted? How will I stand it? Will he make me go away? His warm, callused fingers tug my chin up. My heart throbs when our eyes meet. â€Å"Mel, I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His face, for once, has no smile. I try to look away, but he holds my chin so that my gaze can’t escape his. Does he not feel the fire between his body and mine? Is that all me? How can it all be me? It feels like a flat sun trapped between us-pressed like a flower between the pages of a thick book, burning the paper. Does it feel like something else to him? Something bad? After a moment, his head turns; he’s the one looking away now, still keeping his grip on my chin. His voice is quiet. â€Å"You don’t owe me that, Melanie. You don’t owe me anything at all.† It’s hard for me to swallow. â€Å"I’m not saying†¦ I didn’t mean that I felt obligated. And†¦ you shouldn’t, either. Forget I said anything.† â€Å"Not likely, Mel.† He sighs, and I want to disappear. Give up-lose my mind to the invaders if that’s what it takes to erase this huge blunder. Trade the future to blot out the last two minutes of the past. Anything. Jared takes a deep breath. He squints at the floor, his eyes and jaw tight. â€Å"Mel, it doesn’t have to be like that. Just because we’re together, just because we’re the last man and woman on Earth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He struggles for words, something I don’t think I’ve ever seen him do before. â€Å"That doesn’t mean you have to do anything you don’t want to. I’m not the kind of man who would expect†¦ You don’t have to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He looks so upset, still frowning away, that I find myself speaking, though I know it’s a mistake before I start. â€Å"That’s not what I mean,† I mutter. â€Å"Have to’ is not what I’m talking about, and I don’t think you’re that kind of man.’ No. Of course not. It’s just that -â€Å" Just that I love him. I grit my teeth together before I can humiliate myself more. I should bite my tongue off right now before it ruins anything else. â€Å"Just that†¦?† he asks. I try to shake my head, but he’s still holding my chin tight between his fingers. â€Å"Mel?† I yank free and shake my head fiercely. He leans closer to me, and his face is different suddenly. There’s a new conflict I don’t recognize in his expression, and even though I don’t understand it completely, it erases the feeling of rejection that’s making my eyes sting. â€Å"Will you talk to me? Please?† he murmurs. I can feel his breath on my cheek, and it’s a few seconds before I can think at all. His eyes make me forget that I am mortified, that I wanted to never speak again. â€Å"If I got to pick anyone, anyone at all, to be stranded on a deserted planet with, it would be you,† I whisper. The sun between us burns hotter. â€Å"I always want to be with you. And not just†¦ not just to talk to. When you touch me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I dare to let my fingers brush lightly along the warm skin of his arm, and it feels like the flames are flowing from their tips now. His arm tightens around me. Does he feel the fire? â€Å"I don’t want you to stop.† I want to be more exact, but I can’t find the words. That’s fine. It’s bad enough having admitted this much. â€Å"If you don’t feel the same way, I understand. Maybe it isn’t the same for you. That’s okay.† Lies. â€Å"Oh, Mel,† he sighs in my ear, and pulls my face around to meet his. More flames in his lips, fiercer than the others, blistering. I don’t know what I’m doing, but it doesn’t seem to matter. His hands are in my hair, and my heart is about to combust. I can’t breathe. I don’t want to breathe. But his lips move to my ear, and he holds my face when I try to find them again. â€Å"It was a miracle-more than a miracle-when I found you, Melanie. Right now, if I was given the choice between having the world back and having you, I wouldn’t be able to give you up. Not to save five billion lives.† â€Å"That’s wrong.† â€Å"Very wrong but very true.† â€Å"Jared,† I breathe. I try to reach for his lips again. He pulls away, looking like he has something to say. What more can there be? â€Å"But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"But?† How can there be a but? What could possibly follow all this fire that starts with a but? â€Å"But you’re seventeen, Melanie. And I’m twenty-six.† â€Å"What’s that got to do with anything?† He doesn’t answer. His hands stroke my arms slowly, painting them with fire. â€Å"You’ve got to be kidding me.† I lean back to search his face. â€Å"You’re going to worry about conventions when we’re past the end of the world?† He swallows loudly before he speaks. â€Å"Most conventions exist for a reason, Mel. I would feel like a bad person, like I was taking advantage. You’re very young.† â€Å"No one’s young anymore. Anyone who’s survived this long is ancient.† There’s a smile pulling up one corner of his mouth. â€Å"Maybe you’re right. But this isn’t something we need to rush.† â€Å"What is there to wait for?† I demand. He hesitates for a long moment, thinking. â€Å"Well, for one thing, there are some†¦ practical matters to consider.† I wonder if he is just searching for a distraction, trying to stall. That’s what it feels like. I raise one eyebrow. I can’t believe the turn this conversation has taken. If he really does want me, this is senseless. â€Å"See,† he explains, hesitating. Under the deep golden tan of his skin, it looks like he might be blushing. â€Å"When I was stocking this place, I wasn’t much planning for†¦ guests. What I mean is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The rest comes out in a rush. â€Å"Birth control was pretty much the last thing on my mind.† I feel my forehead crease. â€Å"Oh.† The smile is gone from his face, and for one short second there is a flash of anger I’ve never seen there before. It makes him look dangerous in a way I hadn’t imagined he could. â€Å"This isn’t the kind of world I’d want to bring a child into.† The words sink in, and I cringe at the thought of a tiny, innocent baby opening his eyes to this place. It’s bad enough to watch Jamie’s eyes, to know what this life will bring him, even in the best possible circumstances. Jared is suddenly Jared again. The skin around his eyes crinkles. â€Å"Besides, we’ve got plenty of time to†¦ think about this.† Stalling again, I suspect. â€Å"Do you realize how very, very little time we’ve been together so far? It’s been just four weeks since we found each other.† This floors me. â€Å"That can’t be.† â€Å"Twenty-nine days. I’m counting.† I think back. It’s not possible that it has been only twenty-nine days since Jared changed our lives. It seems like Jamie and I have been with Jared every bit as long as we were alone. Two or three years, maybe. â€Å"We’ve got time,† Jared says again. An abrupt panic, like a warning premonition, makes it impossible for me to speak for a long moment. He watches the change on my face with worried eyes. â€Å"You don’t know that.† The despair that softened when he found me strikes like the lash of a whip. â€Å"You can’t know how much time we’ll have. You don’t know if we should be counting in months or days or hours.† He laughs a warm laugh, touching his lips to the tense place where my eyebrows pull together. â€Å"Don’t worry, Mel. Miracles don’t work that way. I’ll never lose you. I’ll never let you get away from me.† She brought me back to the present-to the thin ribbon of the highway winding through the Arizona wasteland, baking under the fierce noon sun-without my choosing to return. I stared at the empty place ahead and felt the empty place inside. Her thought sighed faintly in my head: You never know how much time you’ll have. The tears I was crying belonged to both of us. How to cite The Host Chapter 8: Loved, Essay examples

Women battered Essay Example For Students

Women battered Essay In a conversation with my girlfriend about battered women, she said, Id never put up with that and then asked, Why would a woman stay in an abusive relationship? As relationships progress, there are more emotional and financial ties which makes it harder to leave. The average woman will leave her abuser seven or eight times before making the final break. Women may be afraid of strangers, but it is a husband, a lover, a boyfriend, or someone they know who is most likely to harm them. According to a U.S. Justice Department study, someone the woman knows commits two-thirds of violent attacks against women. In the United States, the most dangerous place for a woman is in her own home, where anger may explode into violence. Even though lower-class women have more recorded statistics on being battered, middle and upper-class women are also having to fight these same battles. However, fear of social embarrassment, harming their husbands standing in the community, and, most importantly, fear of not being believed cause middle and upper-class women to keep quiet. According to the FBI, there are approximately 1,500 women killed by husbands or boyfriends each year and there are about 2 million men who beat their partners each year. Furthermore, the FBI also states that domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women ages 15-45, more than rapes, muggings, and automobile accidents combined. Statistics on battered women are inaccurate, partially because of poor reporting techniques; women are afraid to come forth and usually there is no witness present. In order to help better define battered womens syndrome, the origins and development of the three primary theories of the syndrome and recommended treatments are outlined below. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), known in the mental health field as the clinicians bible, does not recognize battered womens syndrome as a distinct mental disorder. In fact, Dr. Lenore Walker, the architect of the classical battered womens syndrome theory, notes the syndrome is not an illness, but rather a theory that draws upon the principles of learned helplessness to explain why some women are unable to leave their abusers. Therefore, the classical battered womens syndrome theory is best regarded as an offshoot of the theory of learned helplessness and not a mental illness that afflicts abused women. The theory of learned helplessness sought to account for the passive behavior subjects exhibited when placed in an uncontrollable environment. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Martin Seligman, a famous researcher in the field of psychology, conducted a series of experiments in which dogs were placed in one of two types of cages. In the former cage, henceforth referred to as the shock cage, a bell would sound and the experimenters would electrify the entire floor seconds later, shocking the dog regardless of location. The latter cage, however, although similar in every other respect to the shock cage, contained a small area where the experimenters could administer no shock. Seligman observed that while the dogs in the latter cage learned to run to the non-electrified area after a series of shocks, the dogs in the shock cage gave up trying to escape, even when placed in the latter cage and shown that escape was possible. Seligman theorized that the dogs initial experience in the uncontrollable shock cage led them to believe that they could not control future events and was responsible for the observed disruptions in behavior and learning. Thus, according to the theory of learned helplessness, a subject placed in an uncontrollable environment will become passive and accept painful stimuli, even though escape is possible and apparent. In the late 1970s, Dr. Walker drew upon Seligmans research and incorporated it into her own theory, the battered womens syndrome, in an attempt to explain why battered women remain with their abusers. According to Dr. Walker, battered womens syndrome contains two distinct elements: a cycle of violence and symptoms of learned helplessness. The cycle of violence is composed of three phases (illustrated below): the tension building phase, the violence phase, and the seduction phase. This also illustrates how three dynamics, love, hope, and fear, keep the cycle in motion and make it hard to end a violent relationship. During the tension building phase, the victim is subjected to verbal abuse and minor battering incidents, such as slaps, pinches and psychological abuse. In this phase, the woman tries to pacify her batterer by using techniques that have worked previously. Typically, the woman showers her abuser with kindness or attempts to avoid him. However, the victims attempts to pacify her batter are often futile and only work to delay the inevitable acute battering incident. The tension building phase ends and the violence phase begins when the verbal abuse and minor battering evolve into an acute battering incident. A release of the tensions built during phase one characterizes the violence phase, which usually last for a period of two to twenty-four hours. The violence during this phase is unpredictable and inevitable, and statistics indicate that the risk of the batterer murdering his victim is at its greatest. The batterer places his victim in a constant state of fear, and she is unable to control her batterers violence by utilizing techniques that worked in the tension building phase. The victim, realizing her lack of control, attempts to lessen the violence by becoming passive. After the violence phase comes to a close, the cycle of violence enters the seduction or honeymoon phase. During this phase, the batterer apologizes for his abusive behavior and promises that it will never happen again. The behavior exhibited by the batter in the seduction phase closely resembles the behavior he exhibited when the couple first met and fell in love. The seduction phase is the most psychologically victimizing phase because the batterer fools the victim, who is relieved that the abuse has ended, into believing that he has changed. However, inevitably, the batterer begins to verbally abuse his victim and the cycle of abuse begins anew. According to Dr. Walker, Seligmans theory of learned helplessness explains why women stay with their abusers and occurs in a victim after the cycle of violence repeats numerous times. Dr. Walker asserts that, In the domestic abuse ambit, sporadic brutality, perceptions of powerlessness, lack of financial resources, and the superior strength of the batterer all combine to instill a feeling of helplessness in the victim. In other words, batterers condition women into believing that they are powerless to escape by subjecting them to a continuing pattern of uncontrollable violence and abuse. Dr. Walker, in applying the learned helplessness theory to battered women, changed societys perception of battered women by dispelling the myth that battered women like abuse and offering a logical and rationale explanation for why most stay with their abuser. As the classical theory of battered womens syndrome is based upon the psychological principles of conditioning, experts believe that behavior modification strategies are best suited for treating women suffering from the syndrome. This wheel (illustrated below) depicts relationships as a whole and how each seemingly unrelated behavior is an important part in an overall effort to control someone. A simple, yet effective, behavioral strategy to this consists of two stages. In the initial stage, the battered woman removes herself from the uncontrollable or shock cage environment and isolates herself from her abuser. Generally, professionals help the victim escape by using assertiveness training, modeling, and recommending use of the court system. After the woman terminates the abusive relationship, professionals give the victim relapse prevention training to ensure that subsequent exposure to abusive behavior will not cause maladaptive behavior. Although this strategy is effective, the model offered by Dr. Walker suggests that battered women usually do not actively seek out help. How to Write Literary Analysis Essay The authors of the early and present theory of post traumatic stress disorder considered a traumatic event to be outside the range of human experience. Such events included rape, torture, war, the Holocaust, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes, airplane crashes, and automobile accidents, but did not contemplate applying the diagnosis to battered women. Presently, the traumatic event need only be markedly distressing to almost anyone. Therefore, battered women have little trouble meeting the DSM-IV traumatic event diagnostic requirement because most people would find the abuse battered women are subjected to markedly distressing. In addition to meeting the traumatic event diagnostic criteria, an individual must have symptoms from the intrusive recollection, avoidant/numbing, and hyper arousal categories for a post traumatic stress disorder diagnosis to apply. The intrusive recollection category consists of symptoms that are distinct and easily identifiable. In individuals suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, the traumatic event is a dominant psychological experience that seemingly would evoke panic, terror, dread, grief, and/or despair. Often, these feelings are manifested in daytime fantasies, traumatic nightmares, and flashbacks. Additionally, stimuli that the individual associates with the traumatic event can evoke mental images, emotional responses, and psychological reactions associated with the trauma. Examples of intrusive recollection symptoms a battered woman may suffer are fantasies of killing her batterer and flashbacks of battering incidents. The avoidant/numbing cluster consists of emotional strategies individuals with post traumatic stress disorder use to reduce the likelihood that they will either expose themselves to traumatic stimuli, or if exposed, will minimize their psychological response. The DSM-IV divides the strategies into three categories: behavioral, cognitive, and emotional. Behavioral strategies include avoiding situations where the stimuli are likely to be encountered. Cognitive strategies include amnesia by which individuals with post traumatic stress disorder cut off the conscious experience of trauma-based memories and feelings. Lastly, the individual may separate the cognitive aspects from the emotional aspects of psychological experience and perceive only the former. This type of psychic numbing serves as an emotional anesthesia that makes it extremely difficult for people with post traumatic stress disorder to participate in meaningful interpersonal relationships. Thus, a battered woman suffering from post traumatic stress disorder may avoid her batterer and repress trauma-based feelings and emotions. The hyper arousal category symptoms closely resemble those seen in panic and generalized anxiety disorders. Although symptoms such as insomnia and irritability are generic anxiety symptoms, hyper vigilance, and startle are unique to post traumatic stress disorder. The hyper vigilance symptom may become so intense in individuals suffering from post traumatic stress disorder that it appears as if they are paranoid. A careful reading of post traumatic stress disorder symptoms and diagnostic criteria indicates that Dr. Walkers classical theory of battered womens syndrome is contained within. For instance, both theories require that the victim be exposed to a traumatic event. In Dr. Walkers theory, she describes the traumatic event as a cycle of violence. The post traumatic stress disorder theory, on the other hand, only requires that the event be markedly distressing to almost everyone. Thus, the cycle of violence described by Dr. Walker is considered a traumatic stressor for the purposes of diagnosing post traumatic stress disorder. Additionally, like the classical theory of battered womens syndrome, the theory of post traumatic stress disorder recognizes that an individual may become helpless after exposure to a traumatic event. Although the post traumatic stress disorder theory seems to incorporate Dr. Walkers theory, it is more inclusive in that it recognizes that different individuals may have different reactions to traumatic events. Furthermore, it does not rely heavily on the theory of learned helplessness to explain why battered women stay with their abusers. There are several methods a professional can utilize to treat individuals suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. The most successful treatments are those that they administer immediately after the traumatic event. An expert would commonly call this type of treatment critical incident stress debriefing. Although this type of treatment is effective in halting the development of post traumatic stress disorder, the cyclical nature and gradual escalation of violence in domestic abuse situations make critical incident stress debriefing an unlikely therapy for battered women. The second type of treatment is administered after post traumatic stress disorder has developed and is less effective than critical incident stress debriefing. This type of treatment may consist of psychodynamic psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, pharmacotherapy, and group therapy. The most effective post-manifestation treatment for battered women is group therapy. In a group therapy session, battered women can discuss traumatic memories, post traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and functional deficits with others that have had similar experiences. By discussing their experiences and symptoms, the women form a common bond and release repressed memories, feelings, and emotions. To summarize, many experts regard battered womens syndrome as a subcategory of post traumatic stress disorder. The diagnostic criteria for post traumatic stress disorder include a history of exposure to a traumatic event and symptoms from each of three symptom clusters: intrusive recollections, avoidant/numbing symptoms, and hyper arousal symptoms. After exposure to a traumatic event, defined as one that is markedly distressing to almost everyone, an individual suffering from post traumatic stress disorder may suffer intrusive recollections, which consist of daytime fantasies, traumatic nightmares, and flashbacks. The individual may also try to avoid stimuli that remind them of the traumatic event and/or develop symptoms associated with generic anxiety disorders. Critical incident stress debriefing, psychodynamic psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, pharmaco therapy, and group therapy are all recognized as effective treatments for post traumatic stress disorder. Feminists have come up with theories in regards to why women do not leave their abuser: they cannot support themselves and their children, they are isolated from friends and family, and they have been terrorized into a state of helplessness by repeated beatings. It is also important to note that battered women usually do not have any place to go. There are half as many shelters for battered women in this country as there are for stray animals, and most do not accept children. For every two women sheltered, five are turned away; for every two children sheltered, eight are turned away. This equates to half of all homeless women and children being on the streets due to violence in the home. Although there are many different theories of battered womens syndrome, most are all variations or hybrids of the three main theories outlined above. A sound understanding of Dr. Walkers classical battered womens syndrome theory is found in Gondolf and Fishers survivor theory of battered womens syndrome and the post traumatic stress disorder theory. This permits the reader to identify the origins and essential elements of these various hybrids and provide them with a better understanding of the plight of the battered woman. Given the prevalence of domestic abuse in our society, it is important to realize that the battered woman does not like abuse or is responsible for her victimization. The three theories discussed above all offer rationale explanations for why a battered women often stays with her abuser and explore the psychological harm caused by abuse while discounting the popular perception that battered women must enjoy the abuseBibliography: