Bastard out of Carolina

Bastard out of Carolina

Risk factors simply are defined as all things that may put a child at risk of maltreatment. Though risk factors may be present it does not always mean the child is being maltreated. In the case of Ruth Ann Boatwright, there are a lot of red flags that would indicate maltreatment. For starters, when she was born, Ruth Ann's mother was a single mother. Her family was poor and there were a good number of people living under one roof. Not that abuse is ever the fault of the child, but Ruth Ann had some personality characteristics that may have put her at a greater risk for abuse. She was old enough to have a memory of her father, whom she loved dearly. The icing on the top of this abuse cake, Daddy Glenn has a history of abuse and constantly was getting into fights at work that got him fired. Daddy Glenn had a low tolerance frustration tolerance and it seemed that he had low self confidence.

The number one risk factor for child maltreatment is poverty. Studies have shown that "lower income was correlated with a higher incidence of abuse" (McCoy pg. 26). Although all families that are poor are not guilty of maltreatment, it is still a huge risk factor. In the case of Ruth Ann Boatwright, her family is so poor that her mother is desperate enough to prostitute herself for money to feed her family. Poverty can put a lot of stress on a family and put the parents on edge. Unemployment is closely linked to poverty. Daddy Glenn was constantly out of a job, which forced the family into having one income that was consider low income. Daddy Glenn was frustrated at the fact that he could not find a job or keep a job and having to be around two young children everyday only added to his anger.

Having a history of abuse in the family puts the parent at a higher risk to be abusive themselves. Daddy Glenn was abused by his father, both physically and emotionally. He carried this on to Ruth Ann. The first time Daddy Glenn beat Ruth Ann, he said someone had to love her enough to punish her. He was justifying the abuse and pain he inflicted on Ruth Ann. No matter how badly Daddy Glenn beat Ruth Ann, she never told anyone who was responsible for the horrible bruises. Her own mother always stuck by Daddy Glenn's side no matter what. Even when she walked in on Daddy Glenn raping Ruth Ann, Annie Boatwright still stood by her husband. She refused to admit that Glenn would do something like that to her daughter. What is worse, Ruth Ann was made to feel like the bad guy, like everything that was happening to her was somehow her fault.

Daddy Glenn has a whole list of problems. He is clearly jealous of Ruth Ann and the relationship she has with her mother. He is also jealous that Ruth Ann remembers the man that came before him and that Ruth Ann loved that man. Ruth Ann mocked Daddy Glenn, which frustrated him. Daddy Glenn had a low frustration tolerance. He would get