Personal Dilemma Essay

Personal Dilemma Paper

CJA/324

        October 17, 2011

In everyday life, we are faced with having to make choices. In certain professions those choices may present ethical or moral dilemmas. There are times when confidentiality presents a problem when a life may be in danger. We know when we are persons of character and when we are not. . . . . Ethics is not only about morality, it is about character and virtue. A Moral dilemma is a certain kind of conflict between the wrongness and rightness of the actions; the badness or goodness of the consequences of the actions. I have faced a dilemma last year. It was a very personal dilemma and I felt myself getting more and more involved in it because I could not control myself. Also, I felt sympathy and empathy for one of the persons involved in the situation and I really wanted to do something. This was a very unusual dilemma and I think that I could have very well ignored getting involved in this situation, but human mind is such that it doesn’t let you forget certain things.
One day a young lady at my church wanted to meet to discuss a situation that was occurring at home. She was quite sad and upset when she met with me. She had obvious bruises on her arms, neck, and face. She had a young infant who was only a few months old who also showed signs of abuse. It was obvious this young lady was in trouble. I sat down with her and we had a lengthy conversation. She confided that her husband had been beating her and her child regularly. She was scared for her life and that of her child. We discussed the various courses she could take in response to the abuse. We discussed shelters, calling the police, and going to the emergency room. The woman was adamant that if she did anything the man would kill her or her child. She was petrified and would not take any action that she thought would infuriate the man.   She left my house and I began to contemplate my options. In order for me to gain her trust I must...