SOC 220 Week 4 Discussion 1
answer:
Discrimination and Exploitation of Adolescents Discrimination is the unfair treatment of individuals, groups, or minorities on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender identity, etc. It can involve a variety of behaviors ranging from minor snubs to rape and genocide. Exploitation is a form of coercion that involves the abuse of a position of vulnerability for personal gain. It can involve any kind of abuse—physical, sexual, emotional and mental—or the use of somebody’s resources for the benefit of another person at his or her expense. Both discrimination and exploitation place adolescents in vulnerable positions that inhibit their empowerment and self-determination. Discrimination Adolescence is a period of transition in which individuals are in between childhood and adulthood. Society often imposes unrealistic expectations on this population as they navigate physical transformations while trying to figure out who they are as people; much like how they were told how to be children and now must figure out what being an adult means to them. Adolescence is a time when people are highly vulnerable to peer pressure and therefore have difficulty resisting dangerous or illicit activities if pressured by wrong peers. Unfortunately, there are also negative adults who take advantage of adolescents’ transition into adulthood for their own malicious reasons. Adults often tend
Vulnerable populations are at risk for discrimination and exploitation. In general, the social problems of organized conflict, deviance, or prejudice are associated with those members of society who may have limited power and resources in society. The social problems of organized conflict, deviance and prejudice place vulnerable populations at risk for exploitation or victimization by others.
The World Health Organization estimates that as of 2009 there were 635 million people between the ages of 10 and 24 in the world. While this number is expected to total more than 1 billion by 2015, young people are often marginalized, ignored, and under-represented in global policies. The factors that place this population at risk are not limited to a specific problem and include economic hardship, social norms and values, psychological trauma, social change, access to justice and violence.
Teens are in a vulnerable position because of their young age and the changes that come with it. They are still developing a sense of responsibility as they move through adolescence and into adulthood. On an individual level, many teens face issues of discrimination such as peer pressure or bullying, both of which can lead to problems with drug or alcohol abuse, eating disorders, and many other forms of self-harm.
The most vulnerable population in the United States is the homeless population. Commercials have mislead everyone into believing that everyone has a place to live and a car (that may or may not be paid for). The homeless population lives on the streets, under bridges and in abandoned buildings. Because they are often unsheltered they are subject to intense heat or intense cold as well as being vulnerable to crimes. They face discrimination that puts them at a further disadvantage both socially and economically.
question
For the vulnerable population you had to research for the assignment, identify other social problems associated with teenagers. How do these social problems affect society on a macro level? How do these social problems affect an individual on a micro level? What factors place this population in a position of vulnerability to discrimination or exploitation?