Domestic Violence - 2.3

Question 1

Definition of DV

Answer 1

Series of incidents of physical and psychological or sexual abuse by a current or previous partner.

Question 2

What is the misconception of domestic violence (DV)?

Answer 2

Behaviour of a few disturbed/sick individuals and it’s causes are psychological rather than social.

Question 3

DV Key Sociologists

Answer 3

> BCS (NO of Assaults)

> Coleman et al (Trends in DV)

> Osborne (Trends in DV)

> Yearnshire (Trends in DV)

> Cheal (Unrecorded DV)

> Dar (Unrecorded DV)

> Crime Survey for England and Wales (2013) (Gender Differences in DV)

> Ansara and Hindin (Gender Gap in DV)

> Walby & Allen (Gender Gap in DV)

> Firestone (Radical Feminists Explanation)

> Dobash & Dobash (Radical Feminists Explanation)

> Wilkinson and Pickett Materialist Explanation (Marxist)

> Ansley (Marx Fem)

Question 4

How do sociologist challenge the misconception of DV by stating it’s too widespread?

Answer 4

> BCS stated there 6.6Mil assaults a year

Question 5

How do sociologist challenge the misconception of DV by stating it’s doesn’t occur randomly?

Answer 5

> It follows particular social patterns which have social causes e.g. mostly violence by men vs women.

Question 6

Coleman et al findings on Domestic Violence?

Answer 6

• Women more likely than men to experience violence incl. partner/family abuse, sexual assault and stalking.

Question 7

Osbourne findings on Women being killed

Answer 7

• 2 women a week killed by partner/former partner.

Question 8

How does Official Statistics understate the true extent of DV? - 2 Reasons

Answer 8

> Underreported

> Underecorded (Cheal)

Question 9

Why is DV underreported, how is this supported by Yearnshire

Answer 9

• DV is least likely violent crime to be reported to police.
• BCS estimate under ⅓ of assaults are reported.

> Yearnshire: On avg women suffers 35 assaults b4 reporting abuse.

Question 10

According to Dar why is DV underrecorded/underreported?

Answer 10

• Victims don’t report abuse to police due to fear of reprisal, they won’t be believed or feel it’s their fault.
• Can be diff to separate out incidents as it’s continuous, so often victim can’t accurately recall.
• Psychological or Emotional Abuse is difficult to prove.

Question 11

According to Cheal why is DV underrecorded?

Answer 11

• Police unwilling to record DV as they’re reluctant to get involved in the priv sphere of the family.
• Believe individuals are free to leave if they wish.
• But can’t as women and kids are financially dependent on partners.

Question 12

Crime Survey for England and Wales (2013) findings on DV between men and women?

Answer 12

7.3% of women (1.2mil) compared with 5% of men (800K) experience DV in the previous year.

Question 13

What is the criticism of the Crime Survey for England and Wales?

Answer 13

• No info on frequency, severity or effects of abuse they suffer - here there’s significant gender gap.

Question 14

Trends in DV, according to Ansara and Hindin?

Answer 14

Women suffered more severe violence with serious psychological effects w/ women more fearful of partners.

Question 15

What are the 3 types of explanation for Domestic Violence?

Answer 15

> Radical Feminists Explanation
Materialist Explanation (Marxist)
Marxist Feminist (Ansley)

Question 16

Radical Feminist view on DV

Answer 16

• Result of patriarchal domination.
• Men oppress women, through family, benefitting from women’s unpaid DOL and sexual services.
• DV and threat of it enables men to control women, so it’s inevitable in patriarchal society.
• Men also dominate state, thus police and courts fail to take DV seriously.

Question 17

Dobash and Dobash Radical Feminist findings on DV?

Answer 17

> Evidence of patriarchy, caused by challenges to male authority, e.g. wife asking why he was late for a meal.

> In recent years this is linked to crisis of masculinity, where men are unsure of their place in society, so strike out.

Question 18

A03 DV Explanation Sociologists

Answer 18

> Elliott (Criticisms of Rad Fem)

Question 19

How does Elliot criticise the Rad Fem view on Domestic Violence

Answer 19

> Elliot: Not all men are violent and not all men benefit from DV.

> Fails to note violence by women vs men and children or lesbian partners.

Question 20

What is the Materialist Explanation for DV?

Answer 20

> Result of stress on family members caused by social inequality

> Having less resources then others e.g low income, poor housing.

> So suffer more stress, increasing risk of DV.

> Lack of time & money can reduce, social circle and people for support.

> Kids, WC, Alcohol & Drug users more at risk

Question 21

Criticism of Materialist Explanation

Answer 21

> Don’t explain why women rather than men are the main victims.
Not all male WC workers commit DV.

Question 22

Ansley Marxist Feminist view on DV?

Answer 22

Wives are ‘takers of shit’’ and male workers exploited at work take out the anger on wives, which they should be directed to employers.