COUPLES: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Flashcards
definition of dv and statistical evidence
Domestic Violence is defined as ‘any incident of violence or abuse between those ages 16 or over, who are intimate partners or family (regardless of gender or sexuality)’. Including psychological, physical , sexual, financial and emotional abuse.The common notion that domestic violence is the behaviour of the disturbed is challenged by sociologists who otherwise see it to be ‘too widespread to be simply the work of a few disturbed individuals’.According to the Crime survey for England and Wales(2013), two million people reported having been victims of domestic violence. Domestic Violence is furthermore not viewed as a behaviour that occurs randomly but rather follows a pattern that has social causes.The most alarming of which is the growing rate of male violence against women. According to Coleman and Osbourne, two women per week are killed by a partner or former partner.This pattern is confirmed by police, court records and interviews with women in women’s refuges; who cite examples of being beaten,raped and killed by their husbands. The frequency and severity of abuse has a significant gender gap, Ansara and Hindin found women suffered more severe violence and serious psychological effects; further finding that women were more likely (than men) to be fearful of their partners.
Official Statistics
Official statistics on domestic violence understate its true extent. Arguably due to many victims b being unwilling to report it to the police.On average a woman suffers 35 assaults before making a report. Far argue victims of domestic violence are less likely than other victims of violence to report the offence as they believe it is too trivial or fear reprisals. Additionally, police are reluctant to recorded, investigate and prosecute such cases. Cheal argues this hesitance is due to the police and other state agencies not being prepared to be involved in the family.Assuming the family is a private sphere, thus state agencies intervention should be limited; the family is a good thing and so neglect its ‘dark side’. They further see individuals as autonomous, assuming a woman experiencing abuse is free to leave. With a lack of consideration of male violence being coupled with male economic power: abused women are commonly financially dependent on their husbands and so is me to leave. Inadequate police and prosecutorial action mean most abuse cases go unpunished- only 7% of reported cases led to convictions in 2020, revealing a much larger unseen problem.
RADICAL feminist explanation of DV
Radical Feminists interpret findings such as those of Dobash and Dobash (domestic violence as a means to reassert a husband’s authority) as evidence of patriarchy. Firestone at al (1970) see the key division in society is between men and women.Men are the enemy: the oppressors and exploiters of women. Additionally, the family and marriage are key institutions in patriarchal society and the main source of women’s oppression. Within the family, men dominate women through domestic violence. Radical feminists view widespread domestic violence as an inevitable feature of patriarchal society and serves to preserve masculine hegemony.This explains why most domestic violence is committed by men. Radical Feminists give a sociological, rather than psychological, explanation through linking patterns of domestic violence to dominant social norms of marriage.They further see the male domination of state institutions help to explain the reluctance of police effectively dealing with cases of domestic violence.
HOWEVER,
ELLIOT(1996) rejects Raducal feminists claim that all men benefit from violence against women as not all men are aggressive and most oppose domestic violence.This is ignored by Radical feminism. They further fail to explain Female violence including child abuse and violence against male partners and within lesbian relationships. The crime survey for England and Wales (2020) estimates 13.8% of men have experienced domestic violence since the age of 16.
Additionally, Raducal Feminists utilise the concept of the patriarchy to explain why most domestic violence victims are women, but wrongly assume all women are equally at risk of patriarchal violence. They explain why it is women who are victims but fail to explain which women are most likely to be victims.Evidence from the Office of National statistics suggest women from certain social groups face greater risk of Domestic violence, these include: younger women, those with a disability or using illegal drugs. Many of these groups overlap, statistics show children from lower social classes appear a higher risk of abuse.
MATERIALIST explanation of DV
Materialistic explanations of domestic violence focus upon economic and material factors such as inequalities in income and housing to explain why some groups are more at risk. Wilkinson and Pickett (2010) see domestic violence as a result of stress on family members caused by social inequality.Those on low income or living in over-crowded spaces are likely to experience higher levels of stress. Reducing their chances of maintaining stable relationships ultimately increasing the risk of conflict and violence.Worries about money,jobs and housing may spill over into domestic conflict as tempers rise. These findings suggest not all people are equally in danger of domestic violence:those with less power,status and wealth are often at greatest risk. Whilst Wilkinson and Pickett’s approach is useful in showing how social inequality triggers conflict and violence in families. As those in lower classes face greater hardship and thus stress, helping to explain class differences in the statistics on domestic violence.However, unlike radical feminists, Wilkinson and Pickett don’t explain why women rather than men are the main victims.
