Domestic Violence - 2.3 Flashcards
Definition of DV
Series of incidents of physical and psychological or sexual abuse by a current or previous partner.
What is the misconception of domestic violence (DV)?
Behaviour of a few disturbed/sick individuals and it’s causes are psychological rather than social.
DV Key Sociologists
> 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)
How do sociologist challenge the misconception of DV by stating it’s too widespread?
> BCS stated there 6.6Mil assaults a year
How do sociologist challenge the misconception of DV by stating it’s doesn’t occur randomly?
> It follows particular social patterns which have social causes e.g. mostly violence by men vs women.
Coleman et al findings on Domestic Violence?
- Women more likely than men to experience violence incl. partner/family abuse, sexual assault and stalking.
Osbourne findings on Women being killed
- 2 women a week killed by partner/former partner.
How does Official Statistics understate the true extent of DV? - 2 Reasons
> Underreported
> Underecorded (Cheal)
Why is DV underreported, how is this supported by Yearnshire
- 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.
According to Dar why is DV underrecorded/underreported?
- 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.
According to Cheal why is DV underrecorded?
- 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.
Crime Survey for England and Wales (2013) findings on DV between men and women?
7.3% of women (1.2mil) compared with 5% of men (800K) experience DV in the previous year.
What is the criticism of the Crime Survey for England and Wales?
- No info on frequency, severity or effects of abuse they suffer - here there’s significant gender gap.
Trends in DV, according to Ansara and Hindin?
Women suffered more severe violence with serious psychological effects w/ women more fearful of partners.
What are the 3 types of explanation for Domestic Violence?
> Radical Feminists Explanation
Materialist Explanation (Marxist)
Marxist Feminist (Ansley)
Radical Feminist view on DV
- 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.
Dobash and Dobash Radical Feminist findings on DV?
> 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.
A03 DV Explanation Sociologists
> Elliott (Criticisms of Rad Fem)
How does Elliot criticise the Rad Fem view on Domestic Violence
> 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.
What is the Materialist Explanation for DV?
> 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
Criticism of Materialist Explanation
> Don’t explain why women rather than men are the main victims.
Not all male WC workers commit DV.
Ansley Marxist Feminist view on DV?
Wives are ‘takers of shit’’ and male workers exploited at work take out the anger on wives, which they should be directed to employers.
