Families & Households - Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence
♥ The study of domestic violence is usually associated with Feminists / Radical Feminists
♥ The definition of domestic violence has changed in recent years to include emotional, psychological & child abuse.
♥ There are problems with defining and measuring domestic violence
♥ Domestic violence is on the increase; especially among males
♥ In the past domestic violence was not seen as a crime
♥ Domestic violence is no longer a taboo subject. There is much more support available for victims of domestic violence.
♥ Domestic violence was always a social problem but it seemed to be “rediscovered” in the 1970s
Domestic Violence & Feminists
Feminists in particular are very concerned with the issue of domestic violence. Radical feminists see domestic violence as a form of patriarchal control. They see it as a way of oppressing women within the private sphere of the family.
Radical feminists have been criticised as presenting men as all powerful and women as powerless when in reality women hold some power over men.
Domestic Violence Studies
The two main sociological studies on domestic violence are:
♥ Dobash & Dobash’s 1980 study “Violence against wives” Dobash and Dobash interviewed 109 women who were victims of domestic violence and claimed the sources of the conflict were (1) sexual jealousy, (2) sexual refusal, (3) status problems, (4) money / lack of money and (5) not living up to the expectations of the perfect mother and housewife.
♥ Mc William’s & Mc Kernan’s 1993 study “Bringing it out in the open - Domestic violence in Northern Ireland”
Domestic Violence Definitions
♥ Mc William’s used the following definition - “The intentional physical abuse of a woman in a way that causes pain or injury; or the threat of physical abuse by the male partner with whom she lives or has lived” Mc William’s definition was criticised because (1) It ignores emotional’, psychological & child abuse (2) it wrongly implies that only women are victims of domestic violence (3) it assumes domestic violence only occurs in heterosexual relationships.
♥ Broader definitions include not only physical abuse but also sexual and emotional violence. This can involve the use of threats, the use of intimidation, the use of isolation, the use of children and the use of economic abuse.
♥In the wider sense domestic violence can involve child abuse, violence between sibling; and the abuse and neglect of the elderly.
Measurement of Domestic Violence
The British Crime Survey of 1999 showed that :
♥ 4.2% of women & 4.9% of men said they had been physically assaulted by a partner in the last year.
♥ In total there were 6.6 million incidents reported.
♥ Women were twice as likely as men to be injured(or at least to report being injured) by a partner
♥ 23% of women & 15% of men said they had experienced domestic assault at some time in their lives.
The British Crime Survey of 2000 showed that:
♥ Domestic Violence accounted for ¼ of violence reported.
♥ Domestic violence represented 10% of violent incidents reported by men and 40% of violent incidents reported by women
However it should be noted that official statistics are unreliable and we will never know the true extent of domestic violence because not all acts of domestic violence are reported and recorded.
Reasons why a victim may not report domestic violence
♥ They may blame themselves.
♥ They may feel embarrassed.
♥ They may regard it as a “one-off” incident.
♥ They may still love the person.
Why do people commit domestic violence ?
Explanations have been put forward to explain why domestic violence occurs. There are basically 4 explanations :
♥ “Male aggression is natural” This explanation proposes that men have natural instincts for aggression.
♥ “Violence reflects individual pathology” This explanation assumes that there are significant differences between abnormal men who abuse their partners and normal men who do not.
♥ “Violence reflects disturbed interactional patterns between partners” This explanation suggests that one is as much to blame as the otherand that couples may be seen as simply “bad for each other”
♥ “Domestic Violence reflects gendered power differences” This is the explanation preferred by Radical Feminists. Domestic violence is a problem of patriarchy. All men (not just a few disturbed ones) have the capacity for violence and all women are at risk.
Why do people stay in violent relationships ?
♥ The study of domestic violence is usually associated with Feminists / Radical Feminists
♥ The definition of domestic violence has changed in recent years to include emotional, psychological & child abuse.
♥ There are problems with defining and measuring domestic violence
♥ Domestic violence is on the increase; especially among males
♥ In the past domestic violence was not seen as a crime
♥ Domestic violence is no longer a taboo subject. There is much more support available for victims of domestic violence.
♥ Domestic violence was always a social problem but it seemed to be “rediscovered” in the 1970s
Domestic Violence & Feminists
Feminists in particular are very concerned with the issue of domestic violence. Radical feminists see domestic violence as a form of patriarchal control. They see it as a way of oppressing women within the private sphere of the family.
Radical feminists have been criticised as presenting men as all powerful and women as powerless when in reality women hold some power over men.
Domestic Violence Studies
The two main sociological studies on domestic violence are:
♥ Dobash & Dobash’s 1980 study “Violence against wives” Dobash and Dobash interviewed 109 women who were victims of domestic violence and claimed the sources of the conflict were (1) sexual jealousy, (2) sexual refusal, (3) status problems, (4) money / lack of money and (5) not living up to the expectations of the perfect mother and housewife.
♥ Mc William’s & Mc Kernan’s 1993 study “Bringing it out in the open - Domestic violence in Northern Ireland”
Domestic Violence Definitions
♥ Mc William’s used the following definition - “The intentional physical abuse of a woman in a way that causes pain or injury; or the threat of physical abuse by the male partner with whom she lives or has lived” Mc William’s definition was criticised because (1) It ignores emotional’, psychological & child abuse (2) it wrongly implies that only women are victims of domestic violence (3) it assumes domestic violence only occurs in heterosexual relationships.
♥ Broader definitions include not only physical abuse but also sexual and emotional violence. This can involve the use of threats, the use of intimidation, the use of isolation, the use of children and the use of economic abuse.
♥In the wider sense domestic violence can involve child abuse, violence between sibling; and the abuse and neglect of the elderly.
Measurement of Domestic Violence
The British Crime Survey of 1999 showed that :
♥ 4.2% of women & 4.9% of men said they had been physically assaulted by a partner in the last year.
♥ In total there were 6.6 million incidents reported.
♥ Women were twice as likely as men to be injured(or at least to report being injured) by a partner
♥ 23% of women & 15% of men said they had experienced domestic assault at some time in their lives.
The British Crime Survey of 2000 showed that:
♥ Domestic Violence accounted for ¼ of violence reported.
♥ Domestic violence represented 10% of violent incidents reported by men and 40% of violent incidents reported by women
However it should be noted that official statistics are unreliable and we will never know the true extent of domestic violence because not all acts of domestic violence are reported and recorded.
Reasons why a victim may not report domestic violence
♥ They may blame themselves.
♥ They may feel embarrassed.
♥ They may regard it as a “one-off” incident.
♥ They may still love the person.
Why do people commit domestic violence ?
Explanations have been put forward to explain why domestic violence occurs. There are basically 4 explanations :
♥ “Male aggression is natural” This explanation proposes that men have natural instincts for aggression.
♥ “Violence reflects individual pathology” This explanation assumes that there are significant differences between abnormal men who abuse their partners and normal men who do not.
♥ “Violence reflects disturbed interactional patterns between partners” This explanation suggests that one is as much to blame as the otherand that couples may be seen as simply “bad for each other”
♥ “Domestic Violence reflects gendered power differences” This is the explanation preferred by Radical Feminists. Domestic violence is a problem of patriarchy. All men (not just a few disturbed ones) have the capacity for violence and all women are at risk.
Why do people stay in violent relationships ?