Dark side of the family

Question 1

Domestic Violence

Answer 1

Incident or pattern of controlling threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those who are family members

Question 2

Radical feminist explanation of domestic abuse

Answer 2

Millet and Firestone argue that all societies are patriarchal- all men have power over all women. As a result men exploit and oppress women. It is in the family that men dominate women through domestic abuse or the threat of it. Domestic abuse is an inevitable feature of a
patriarchal society as it serves to preserve male
power over women. Men control all aspects of society which is why the police are reluctant to get involved in the incidents of domestic abuse.

Walby and Allen - Found that women are more likely to be victims of multiple incidents of abuse
Ansara and Hindin- found that women suffered more sever violence and control with more serious psychological effects.

Question 3

Criticism of Firestone and Millet and other Radical feminist views on domestic abuse

Answer 3

Robertson-Elliot points out that:

• Not all men are violent towards women. Most men are opposed to domestic abuse.
• Women can also be abusers of men and children
• Radical feminists fail to explain why some women are at a greater risk of domestic abuse(those on low income,younger women,etc.)

Question 4

Dobash and Dobash

Answer 4

Dobash and Dobash carried out research into domestic violence using police and court records and interviews with women victims. Their findings support the Radical Feminist theory on
domestic abuse: Majority of women are attacked at least twice a week in their own homes. This included being slapped, beaten, pushed about, raped and killed by their husbands. Violent incidents could be set of as a result of sexual jealousy, money, partner’s expectations of the woman’s housework skills, man’s feelings of loss of control. Dobash and Dobash argue that marriage legitimates violence against women by conferring power on husbands.

Question 5

Dobash and Dobash

Answer 5

Dobash and Dobash carried out research into domestic violence using police and court records and interviews with women victims. Their findings support the Radical Feminist theory on
domestic abuse: Majority of women are attacked at least twice a week in their own homes. This included being slapped, beaten, pushed about, raped and killed by their husbands. Violent incidents could be set of as a result of sexual jealousy, money, partner’s expectations of the woman’s housework skills, man’s feelings of loss of control. Dobash and Dobash argue that marriage legitimates violence against women by conferring power on husbands.

Question 6

Materialistic Explanation for domestic abuse- Wilkinson and Pickett

Answer 6

argue that domestic
abuse incidents are a result of stress which is
caused by social inequality. Social inequality means that some families have fewer resources such as income than others. As a result, they may live in overcrowded housing which causes tension
and can spill over into abuse.

Question 7

Evaluation for Wilkinson and Pickett

Answer 7

They fail to explain why women tend to be victims

Question 8

Official crime Statistics

Answer 8

Understate the true extent of domestic abuse for
2 reasons:

Domestic abuse tends to be unreported – victims
do not go the to police. Dar argues this is
because the victims believe it is not a police
matter and because they are frightened of reprisal.

It also tends to be unrecorded – even if the
victims do go to the police, the police do not deal
with it. Cheal argues this is because family is seen
as private and the state should not interfere, the
family is perceived as a ‘good’ institution so the
dark side is ignored, the police officers think the
woman can easily leave the abusive partner thus
helping herself.