The Impact of a Fitness Intervention on People with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities

In this article, Barbara Wilhite, Gregory Biren, and Leslie Spencer (2012) examine the impact of a fitness intervention on people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. This intervention is described as a recreational activity. The authors pay attention to the experiences of caregivers during their participation in this program.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on The Impact of a Fitness Intervention on People with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The scholars rely on such a method as the semi-structured interview. Yet, one can also speak about the use of surveys containing multiple choice questions (Wilhite et al., 2012, p. 253). The results of this study indicate that the participants were able to derive such benefits as lower level of stress, improved muscle tone, or decreased weight (Wilhite et al., 2012, p. 257). More importantly, the participants learned to interact with people who might not be closely familiar to them (Wilhite et al., 2012, p. 260). This is one of the issues that should be singled out. Apart from that, one should speak about caregivers such as the relatives of people with disabilities. These people have to struggle with increased levels of stress (Wilhite et al., 2012). In turn, the participation of this program can help them cope with this problem. The authors acknowledge the limitations of their study. In particular, they mention that it did not have a comparison or control group (Wilhite et al., 2012, p. 263). Nevertheless, they believe that physical activity can be a good recreational opportunity for people with disabilities. These are the main issues that the scholars discuss in this research article. This article can be useful for discussing the topic of this paper. First of all, the scholars show that one should consider the needs of people with disabilities and their caregivers since these individuals close ly interact with one another. In many cases, caregivers require some respite in order to cope with their duties more effectively. This is one of the issues that should be considered. Furthermore, it is vital to take into account the health risks to which people with disabilities can be exposed. As a rule, they represent a physically inactive group. One should pay attention to such characteristics of a person as cardiovascular endurance or muscular strength (Wilhite et al., 2012, p. 250). This information is important for the development of physical exercises that can best suit the needs of these individuals. Additionally, recreational activities of people with disabilities should help them socialize with others. In many cases, they do not have opportunities to communicate with others, and this problem should be addressed.Advertising Looking for article on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Apart from that, peopl e, who organize recreational programs, should emphasize the need for physical activities. To a great extent, medical workers need to raise the awareness of these people about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. During recreational programs, one should focus on the dietary habits of people with disabilities since very often they cannot choose the food which is most beneficial for them. These are the main aspects that can be distinguished. On the whole, one can argue that this article can throw light on the organization of recreational activities for people who have a disability. The authors show what characteristics should be considered by medical workers and caregivers. This article demonstrates that recreational activities have to serve multiple purposes such as socialization, respite, and adoption of healthy lifestyles. This is the main point that can be made. Reference List Wilhite, B., Biren, G., Spencer, L. (2012). Fitness intervention for adults with developmental disabiliti es and their caregivers. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 46(4), 245-267. This article on The Impact of a Fitness Intervention on People with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities was written and submitted by user Aydan B. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles Essay Example

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles Essay Example Generally Accepted Accounting Principles Essay Generally Accepted Accounting Principles Essay If the instrument is classified as debt, the annual payments are classified as interest expense, which reduces earnings, and the redemption premium is corded as a loss on retirement, also reducing earnings. (If the $6,000 excess of retirement price over par were contracted in advance, it would be accrued over the life of the liability). If the financial instrument were equity, both items would reduce retained earnings directly, by-passing earnings. 5. Retractable preferred shares are preferred shares that must be paid back with cash at a specific time, or paid in cash at the option of the shareholder. Because the agreement to pay out the redemption price is legally enforceable, such shares are classified as debt. 6. The principal of convertible debt is classified as equity if it is mandatory convertible into a fixed number of shares. The portion related to annual interest is an unavoidable cash obligation of the company and must be classified as a liability. Thus, the security is compound financial instrument. If the convertible debt is convertible at the investors option, the initial proceeds are divided between the debt element (both principal and interest) and the equity element, the conversion option. 7. If a convertible bond has a conversion price that is set in reference to the air market value of shares on the conversion date, then the bond is classified entirely as debt. No (price) risk or reward is transferred to the investor and therefore there is no equity element. 8. When a convertible bond is converted, the common share conversion option account is transferred into the common stock account. If the bond is not converted, this account is still left in equity, but transferred to a different contributed capital account. 9. Interest expense, $76,400 x . 08 = $6,112 Annual payment, $400,000 x . 08 = $32,000 10. : Stock options provide the holder with an option to acquire a specified umber of shares in a corporation under prescribed conditions and within a stated future time period. Options that are issued as an attachment to other securities are called stock warrants. Warrants may trade separately while options do not. Options often have a limited life while warrants often have no expiry date. 1 1 . A share-based payment to a supplier is measured based on the fair value of the goods or services rendered. In the rare circumstances that these cannot be valued, then the fair value of the rights is used to measure the transaction. 12. If stock rights are recognized on issuance, the stock rights account is rendered into the common stock account on exercise and into a different contributed capital account if options are allowed to lapse. This is identical to the treatment given to the common share conversion option account for convertible bonds. 13. A share-based compensation contract would result in recognition of an equity account if the contract is share-settled, or required issuance of shares. The contract would result in recognition of a liability element if the contract was cash-settled, meaning that compensation is required to be paid in cash. An equity-settled plan is trued up only to the retention rate; he fair value is estimated on initial grant date and is not adjusted to the value that employees receive. 17. A Sara program involves a payment to the employee at the settlement date. The value paid is equal to the fair value of the shares on the payment date, less some reference price, which is usually the fair value of the shares when the Sara were granted. That is, the employee receives a payment (cash or shares) equal to the appreciation in stock price over the life of the Sara. 18. A derivative is an exchange contract meant to transfer risk. It is a secondary financial instrument whose value is linked to a primary financial instrument, an index, or a commodity. Derivatives are options, futures or forward contracts, or a combination of these. Derivatives embody an exchange of financial instruments at fixed terms. A hedge is a way to offset risk to which the company would otherwise be exposed. For an item to be a hedge, the company must first have risk in an area, and then put a hedge in place to counter the risk. That is, a loss on a primary instrument will offset a gain on a hedge instrument. 9. The company could hedge against the risk of exchange fluctuations by entering into a forward exchange contract with a bank to deliver US dollars. The price to be paid would be set by the terms of the contract, and would not fluctuate. The contract would be recorded at cost, and revalued to fair market value annually. Changes in market value of BOTH the transaction balance and the hedge would be reported as gains/losses in earning s and offset. 20. Disclosure for financial instruments is required in the following general categories [per text listing]: 1 . The important components of each financial statement category; e. G. , various loans. 2. Information related to fair value for liabilities. Methods used to assess fair value must be explained. When a financial instrument has been valued at fair value, detail about the change in fair value is required. 3. Information related to the legal terms of the financial instrument, including maturity dates, interest rates, collateral, etc. 4. Various revenue and expense amounts and OIC reserve amounts must be disclosed separately, including interest expense, changes in equity reserve accounts, etc. . Information on exposure to various sources Of risk, as appropriate. Risks might include credit, risk, liquidity risk and market risk. Objectives, policies, and processes or managing risk must be disclosed. Such disclosure is extensive, and includes both qualitative and quantitative elements. 6. Accounting policy information is required as a matter of course for all financial statement elements. Ext ensive disclosure is required to describe the terms of the financial instrument. 15-AI to 15-AAA Financial restructuring; material posted on Connect. 1 . A financial restructuring happens when a company that is in legal violation of debt agreements is financially reorganized and allowed to continue operating, rather than be placed in receivership or bankruptcy. Restructuring an involve a financial reorganization (substantial realignment of debt and equity) or a troubled debt restructuring (lenders settle for less). 2. Financial restructuring may be bound by the following principles or rules, although there are no explicit standards in Canada: a. Accounting entries must reflect the terms of the agreements made by debt and equity holders. . Conversions of debt to equity are made at book value. C. Debt forgiveness is recognized as a gain in earnings. 3. The debt and the assets would be removed from the books. A $1 50,000 gain on asset disposal and a $200,000 gain on debt restructure would be agonized to balance the entry. 4. In a comprehensive revaluation, all assets and liabilities are revalued to fair value, whether fair value is highe r or lower than book value. Retained earnings (if any) are reclassified; any debit balance of retained earnings is eliminated by reducing other equity accounts. Gains and losses go directly to retained earnings and by-pass earnings. Cases Case 15-1 Zebu Limited Overview Zebu Limited is a subsidiary of Holdings Limited, and complies with FIRS. The company has several transactions to complete for XX, and several financing options to consider for XX. The company must com ply with a current ratio and a total liabilities to tangible net worth ratio, as part of existing loan arrangements. There may be pressure to adopt accounting policies to achieve compliance; ethical behavior is important. Issues . Required adjustments 2. Statement of changes in equity 3. Covenant evaluation 4. Financing alternatives 5. Action re: covenant issues Analysis and conclusion 1. Required adjustments Retirement and conversion of the preferred shares and all stock option transactions are journalized in Exhibit 1 and revised draft SSP accounts are shown in Exhibit 2. These transactions are straight-forward and no reporting alternatives are available. The Zebu statement of changes in equity, in multi-column form, is shown in Exhibit 3. It is assumed that no dividends were declared during the year; if there were dividends, the earnings amount changes. Changes in retained earnings and accumulated OIC were entirely assumed to relate to comprehensive income for XX. Based on the xx revised financial statements in exhibit 2, the covenants are as follows: Covenant Limit Calculation (per exhibit 2) Rest It Current assets to current liabilities Not less than 0. 82 Total liabilities to tangible net worth Not greater than 1. 5:1 ($28,589 $5,500) 1 . 61 Zebu is out of line with the current ratio covenant, since 0. 82 is less than 1. They are also out of line on the total liabilities covenant, since 1 . 61 is greater than 1. 5. This situation must be addressed. Possible actions are explored in item 5, below. 4. Financing alternatives. The two financing alternatives are identical in terms of capital raised, term, and security. The alternatives are different in the following ways: 1 Alternative 1 has an interest cost of 4% while alternative 2 has an interest cost f 6%. This is a difference of SSL O million x 2% = $200,000 annually for ten year; assuming a tax rate of 40%, this is $1 20,000 of after-tax savings per year. 2. Alternative 1 allows the company to substitute shares for principal at maturity, eliminating $10 million of principal repayment at maturity if the company wishes. However, it also dilutes ownership, if this is an issue for existing shareholders. 3. Alternative 1 sets a share price of $20 per share for shares issued at maturity ($10 million/500,OHO shares). Based on the outstanding options, the companys share price seems to be in the range of 20; $30 options were allowed to lapse and new options were issued for $20. Therefore, the $20 used as a reference price in Alternative 1 seems to set the terms of the debt arrangement at current market prices. This must be attractive to investors, since the interest rate on Alternative 1 is lower than that for Alternative 2; Alternative 2 does not set a share price for conversion. 4. Alternative 1 would be accounted for as partially debt and partially equity while Alternative 2, since the share price is undetermined, is all debt. Alternative 1 would be split as follows: $10,000 Interest liability $7,025 Issuance price $200 PDP) 2,975 Equity component A discount rate of 3% has been used, looking at Alternative 2 with no equity component and a 6% rate (3% 6%/2).

Aplastic Anemia Essays - Transplantation Medicine, Stem Cells

Aplastic Anemia Aplastic anemia is a disease of the bone marrow the organ that produces the body's blood cells. Approximately two thousand people in the U.S. are diagnosed each year with aplastic anemia. The symptoms of aplastic anemia are fatigue, bruising, infections, and weakness. Although these symptoms are much like those associated with leukemia, aplastic anemia is not a form of cancer. In patients with aplastic anemia the bone marrow stops producing, or produces too few red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Without sufficient red blood cells, oxygen cannot reach organs and tissues throughout the body. A decrease in the number of white blood cells causes the body's ability to fight infection as well as it should. Platelets are needed to help blood clot (Bone). Although the exact cause of aplastic anemia is not known, most evidence points to a combination of factors. The first factor is damaged stem cells. These are the primitive cells in the bone marrow that produce blood cells. Another factor is damage to the bone marrow environment in which blood cells develop (Aplastic). Other factors include abnormalities in the proteins that regulate blood cell production and a malfunctioning immune system that interferes with the normal blood cell production (Bone). Certain environmental factors have been associated with the development of aplastic anemia. Chemotherapy drugs such as busulfan or antibiotics such as chloraphenicol can cause temporary or prolonged aplastic anemia. Chemicals such as benzene and pesticides, infections such as viral hepatitis and mononucleosis, autoimmune disorders and ionizing radiation also have been linked to the development of aplastic anemia. Although exposure to these agents increases the risk of developing aplastic anemia, it is proven that they are not the sole cause of aplastic anemia (Aplastic). Aplastic anemia was once considered incurable. Today, more than fifty percent of patients diagnosed with aplastic anemia can be cured. For patients under the age of fifty and those over fifty that are in good health, the treatment of choice is a bone marrow transplant (National). However, more than half of the patients that are diagnosed are ineligible foe a bone marrow transplant because of age or the lack of a suitable bone marrow donor. For these patients, the preferred treatment is immunosuppressive therapy consisting of injections of antithymocyte globulin (ATG), with or without oral closporine. ATG therapy boosts the production of red blood cells, blood cells, and platelets in thirty to fifty percent of patients. In some cases, blood cell production returns to normal, while in others it returns to a level that allows the patient to have a normal lifestyle (Aplastic). Approximately ten to fifteen percent of patients who initially respond to ATG therapy have the disease relapse during the first twelve months following treatment. Another round of ATG therapy may be administered in an effort to bring blood cell production back to an acceptable level. Some patients who respond to ATG therapy eventually develop another bone marrow disorder such as myelogenous syndrome or acute nonmyelogenous leukemia. These disorders may be temporarily treatable, but are seldom curable. Overall, between thirty and forty percent of patients treated with ATG therapy become long term survivors and the majority of these long term survivors appear to be cured (Aplastic). Patients who have a relative with matching bone marrow have a seventy to ninety percent chance of being cured following a bone marrow transplant. Patients transplanted with marrow from a related donor whose marrow type nearly matches the patient's have a fifty percent chance of being cured. If marrow from a matched unrelated donor is used, the likelihood of a cure is twenty to thirty percent (Bone). Physicians determine whether a donor's marrow type matches the patient's by examining genetic markers on the surface of white blood cells called HLA antigens. These are the antigens that help the body identify invading organisms, and trigger an immune system attack on any substances that do not belong in that particular person's body, such as viruses and bacteria (Severe). If the patient's and donor's HLA antigens do not match, the patient's body will perceive the donor's bone marrow as foreign material to be destroyed. This condition is called graft rejection and results in a failed bone marrow transplant.

Project managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Project managment - Essay Example Assistant project manager shall be responsible for assisting the manager and completing tasks designated by him. To avoid redundancy of functions, project is aided through specialization of already existing functional divisions of organization. Limited number of employees shall be hired to form part of project team, providing technical expertise that is not available with in-house departments. General equipment, labor and material are provided by such units which in turn charge them off against project costing account. Contracts officer must be hired to manage all communications between project team and functional divisions, to convey project requirements to them and to establish contractual terms with customers. The subcontractor contributes to completion of project tasks that are primarily allocated to main contractor (Whelan & George, 80). Correspondence with them must be handled directly by the contracts officer. A common project office should be established to furnish subcontrac tors adequately and formal channels of communications shall be in place. A formal document, namely Statement of Work, shall be prepared, defining responsibilities of team members and subcontractor. The organizational support functions shall provide assistance in aspects of quality control, training needs of members and information technology. A master schedule shall be prepared that identifies the constraints, significant milestones and interdependence and linkages between project activities (Public Health Emergency, 2013). How this structure actually works in the given scenario? The hierarchy in a given case is irregular, with project manager leading the project followed by assistant project manager who chairs the steering committee. Managers, of those functional divisions whose resources are being absorbed in project activities, are members of the committee. Project manager manages all matters and communications directly with the subcontractor. However, assistant project manager i s responsible for handling matters related to prime contractors. A general project office has been established to provide supporting activities of the project, while an independent contracts officer is hired who coordinates and bridges the gaps between project team, functional divisions and the project customer. Moreover, he also ensures that concrete contractual arrangements are established for all services and duly signed agreements are created and documented. Can the project manager be from military background? Armed forces have highly formalized environment, with stringent deadlines and steadfast policies and procedures. Various projects are ongoing in military forces and soldiers holding influential positions are responsible for execution of these projects. As a result, some of them have strong and effective project management experience and skills which make veterans a natural fit for leading non-military projects as well. Advantages and disadvantages of this structure Advanta ges: Involvement of managers of functional division in steering committee is highly effective since their specialized knowledge and experience can come in handy for taking decisions pertaining to project. Presence of independent contracts officer shall ensure compliance with contractual obligations, efficient coordination and collaboration of efforts to achieve project goals.

Text analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Text analysis - Essay Example The argument by the author for this phenomenon is that there are immense psychosomatic implications that impact very much on the military officer or the law enforcement agent if it terminates the life of a fellow human being. This can be shown through the mental anguish that the military officer or the law enforcement agent suffers if they did so without the support of their superiors or peers, or if they are incapable of justifying their act of killing. In explaining his book, Grossman asks why there is little evidence of soldiers discussing of having killed a prisoner or combatants in war. In Grossman’s analysis of battleground fears, there is a revelation that even more than the fear of injury or death, the military personnel has a fear of being seen to have failed in their military obligations of combat. If the military officer kills in times of war, he will be burdened with guilt while if he fails to kill he is ashamed of his failures. The use of the term â€Å"Bulletpro of mind† as an imagery explores what the mind and soul of the soldiers presented in the book is during and after the combat or the war showing the dilemma facing such soldiers with regards to killing. The stresses of the deadly wars that would require the â€Å"Bulletproof† mind include negative impacts on the nervous system, breathing system, memory and visible and auditory functioning that soldiers must find ways of controlling in order to survive. The imagery Bulletproof is therefore simply an analysis of the entire physiological processes that is involved with the killing of a human being (Grossman, 43). The argument that is being brought out by the imagery of The Bulletproof mind is that majority of the people usually have that phobic level of response when it comes to the issue of violence. Therefore, there is need for soldiers to be trained on how to kill in order to have that mind set of performing the duties without fear. There are a lot of physical effects tha t are brought about by violence. These effects stresses on the humans such as changes in the sonic perception, tunnel vision and the post-traumatic stress disorder (Grossman, 56). The relevance of such information about the physiological aspect of the human body is to be able to bring out a clear picture of the stressful training that may end up affecting and bringing out a deadly threat to the human environment. Another aspect that is brought out in chapter three of the book is that of the mental attitude which is required by any warrior in order to fight. There is that perception of the level of stress inoculation that is required as well the importance of the training required. The argument that can be brought out in this section is that of the will of a person to do a certain job without having to be subjected to use lethal force. The determination that is aimed at performing the ultimate required act to the intended recipient to whom the force is addressed may in itself deter t he set actions. If a person is able to adapt the look of being steel eyed then just by the sight of the eyes the enemy may not attempt to test your wrath. In this case you become the weapon and everything else around you becomes a tool. The work of Grossman is an attempt to give a connection between the increasing violence

Emerson and Thoreau Transcendentalism Beliefs Essay Example for Free

Emerson and Thoreau Transcendentalism Beliefs Essay Both Emerson and Thoreau use the images of eyes, vision, and perception to properly demonstrate their transcendentalist beliefs. Transcendentalism is defined as the â€Å"idea that our spirits have a deep connection with nature and our ideas transcend to the natural world. † By using the â€Å"transparent eyeball† and other uses of perception of the whole in nature in their works, both authors establish a strong belief of perception through transcendentalism within the natural world. Their works have many parallels between them regarding perception and ultimately the use of eyes. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a very important author whose ideas were adopted and adapted almost immediately after his works came to light. First, in Emerson’s piece, Nature, he introduces the audience to an idea of a transparent eyeball. He states, â€Å"Standing on the bare ground, my head bathed by the blithe air, and uplifted into infinite space, all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent eyeball. I am nothing. I see all. The currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or particle of God. † (1112). The most influential line in this quote is â€Å"all mean egotism vanishes. † This exemplifies the idea that it is not a personal experience in which he is undergoing; it is, in fact, a spiritual involvement with the natural world. By using the impression of an eyeball, it shows that he sees all and is part of nature as a whole. â€Å"The ruin or the blank †¦ is in our own eye. The axis of vision is not coincident with the axis of things, and so they appear not transparent but opaque. The reason why the world lacks unity is because man is disunited with himself. † (1133). While things in Nature should be seen as transparent, we view them as impervious, which affects our perception within. Emerson also states, â€Å"There is a property in the horizon which no man has but he whose eye can integrate all the parts, that is, the poet. † (1112). This quote shows the importance of seeing the natural world as one. Emerson also wrote a poem called â€Å"Each and All. † In this piece, his main theme is the idea of gratefulness in the natural world. He explains that every moment in nature is a whole. He states, â€Å"I thought the sparrows note from heaven, Singing at dawn on the alder bough; I brought him home in his nest at even;—He sings the song, but it pleases not now; For I did not bring home the river and sky; He sang to my ear; they sang to my eye. † (341). This part of the poem is momentous, because it explains that although the moment of hearing the sparrow sing is over, he has taken it in through the eye and now it is a memory as a whole. By using perception of the eye throughout his pieces, Emerson shows a vital key of knowledge in the transcendentalism ideals. Secondly, Henry David Thoreau had a major influence on the transcendentalist belief with his work called Walden. Walden Pond was a place in which Thoreau went for two years to build his house and wrote a narrative based on his learning and understanding of himself and nature during his time spent there. The depth of the Walden Pond was about 104 feet deep and it was blue with a tint of green. This pond was unique because of its clearness of the water, and the fact that it almost looked like the iris of an eyeball. Throughout his work, Thoreau used the pond as a metaphor of his existence in nature. By using the themes of economic, political, environmental, individualistic, and finally transcendental, Thoreau described an understanding of seeing all in nature. As he describes his surrounding, we get an idea of him becoming a â€Å"transparent eyeball. † Because Emerson was one of the most influential and important friendships in Thoreau’s career, he was heavily impacted by the idea of the â€Å"transparent eyeball†. By continuously describing his individualistic tendencies he learns while being on Walden Pond, it is evident that he is becoming a â€Å"transparent eyeball. † As we continue reading, Thoreau states, â€Å"I wanted to live deep and suck all the marrow of life. † (1920). By relating his life to the Walden Pond and its significant depth, he establishes a powerful awareness of perception in nature. His point of perception is also demonstrated by how Walden, is structured. He goes through each season making cycles for what he completes and the perception in which he completes it. In the idea of transcendentalism, the use of eyes and perception are very important because it creates a real life clarification as to what really matters. Becoming one in nature is a major element within the transcendentalism belief, and each author who believed this obviously put an emphasis on this metaphor. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau both had important transcendentalist ideas and contributed a great deal to other authors from then on. By allowing an eyeball and other uses of perception to explain all philosophy of transcendentalism, it simplifies the bigger meaning and allows readers to understand more effectively.

Sleeping With The Enemy Essay -- essays research papers

Sleeping With the Enemy Summary Oppression of women in our patriarchal society is seen daily. Men dominate women in so many ways it becomes hard to distinguish one form of oppression from another. In the movie Sleeping With the Enemy, a young woman battles daily with an abusive, domineering husband. Although the outside world may view Laura's life as perfect, the viewer sees the whole truth. Laura's perfect life consists of an attractive, wealthy husband who would do anything for her-even kill. They live in a beautiful mansion on the coast, and Laura does not have to work if she so chooses. Every day Laura is tortured and ridiculed and criticized by her husband. Her husband, Martin Burns, is obsessed about keeping the household in perfect condition. If one towel is out of line, one can out of order in the cupboard, or if dinner is slightly late, Laura receives a severe beating. The only way for Laura to escape from her tyrannical husband is by staging her own death. Laura takes her husband and neighbor out on a sailboat one stormy evening to execute her plan of escape. She "falls" off the boat and swims to shore. Her husband believes that Laura dies at sea because she could not swim. Secretly, though, Laura had been taking swimming lessons at the YWCA in order to facilitate her plan. After packing a small bag with some personal items and money, Laura Burns abandons her abusive husband and leaves her miserable life behind. Thus begins Laura Burns' new life as Sara Waters. She changes her name, location, situation, and is reborn. In Laura's new life, she works at a library and starts to date again. As Sara, she is able to enjoy life and be free. Sara rebuilds her self-esteem, is able to spend more time with her mother, and can relax without being afraid of whether the shelves in the kitchen will meet her husband's standards. The escape seemed foolproof, until Martin found a piece of evidence that proves Laura is still alive. (Laura had thrown her wedding ring in the toilet and Martin finally sees it.) After weeks of searching, Martin is able to hunt down his wife. He feels that if he cannot have her, then no one will. Sara does not want to return to the terrible oppressive lifestyle she was trapped in before. Instead of giving up her new life, she shoots the "intruder" in her house and puts an end to her husband's reign of terror over her.... ...common and rarely reported. Memories of these experiences often become suppressed because of the personal humiliation and shame women feel about the situation. Notice that, in the movie, Laura never seeks legal retribution for Martin's abuse, all she wants to do is escape. Sexual abuse and spousal abuse are psychologically devastating for women because these are acts that inflict feelings of guilt upon the victim. It is too often that a female rape victim will do nothing because she feels responsible. In the beginning of the movie, when Laura was subjected to daily abuse from her husband, she probably started to feel like she deserved the treatment because her husband constantly beat her down emotionally and made her feel like nothing. When someone is beaten down for long enough they start to believe that they are worthless. Finally, Laura escapes her oppressor forever when she kills him. Not all women are so fortunate to be able to start their lives over, though. Many women die from domestic violence, and most men do not suffer consequences for their actions. This movie shows the triumph of a woman over her oppressor because she goes to any length to gain her freedom and respect.