topic 1 - couples (decision making+dv) Flashcards
aside from inequality in regards to who performs what roles, where else is there inequality
how the family’s resources are shared between the men and women
what do B and M note
Barrett and McIntosh note:
- men receive far more from women’s domestic labour than the give back in financial support
- the financial support offered was frequently inconsistent and contingent on certain conditions
In many households, a woman has…
little to no entitlement to a share of household resources
two examples as to how or why women do not have entitlement to a share of household resources in her own right
- in low income families, women are the first to deny their own needs such as eating smaller portions of food
- women also are unlikely to spend on themselves as they regard it as ought to be spent on their children
what are the two types of control over family income
Paul and Vogler:
- the allowance system
- pooling
the allowance system
men give their wives an allowance out of which they have to budget to meet the family’s needs and the man retains any surplus income for himself
pooling
where both partners have acess to income and joint responsibility for expenditure, e.g. through a joint bank account
criticisms of pooling
where the pooled income is controlled by the husband, he has more power in relation to major financial decisions
H
study to support this and futher inequalities
Hardill:
- study of 30 dual career couples who disclosed that important decisions were usually taken by the man alone
- moreover, his career took priority in major decisions such as moving house
who’s study looks into the inequality in decision making futher and how
Edgell’s study of professions couples found that:
- very important decisions such as as changing jobs or moving house were made by the husband alone or even when jointly considered, the husband had the final say
- decisions regarding childrens education or holidays were usually taken jointly
- less important decisions such as home decor or children’s clothes were usually made by the wife alone
why does Egdell think men are more likely to make important decisions and what study supports this
they earn more than women and women are economically dependent on them
who argues against this
Gershuny and Laurie:
by 1995, 70% of couples said they had an equal say in decision making, but it is important to note they found greater equality where women were high earning and well qualified
what do feminists argue
they argue this is a material explanation and it is it not enough to explain inequalities in decision making
- instead they point towards patriarchal society where men being decision makers is deeply ingrained through gender role socialisation
- change will only occur if these norms are questioned
why is there importance placed on the meaning of money
- pooling money does not always equate to inequality there are other factors such as how much each person contributes e.g. even if a man earns twice as much as rhw woman but but contribute the same amount to the pooled joint account, does this signify equality
- moreover, maintaining finances separately does not mean inequality as Vogler found that cohabiting couples who follow this system are more likely to share domestic tasks
what does N conclude
Money does not have a fixed meaning, it can differ from couple to couple so can also differ in ways it influences equality
what is the personal life perspective on money
focuses on the meanings couples give towards who controls the money
e.g. while some may see control over money as a sign of inequality, the couple themselves may not
how does S’s study support this
Smart’s study of same-sex couples found that they rarely attach connotations of control and inequality if one partner is in control of the finances, instead they are willing to leave this responsibility to their partner
- this is because they do not enter relationships with the same gender scripts which enables them to do what suits them as a couple rather than fulfil societal expectations
how does W’s study also support this
Weeks et al found that the typical pattern was pooling some money for hosuehold expenditure, whilst maintaining separate accounts for personal spending
how does the home office define domestic violence
Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening
behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have
been intimate partners or family members1
regardless of gender or sexuality
what is the common assumption about domestic violence
it is the behavuoiour of a few disturbed individuals and its causes are psychological rather than social
scale
why is this assumption not correct
domestic violence is too widespread to be commited by a few individuals
- the Women’s Aid Federation noted that dv accounts between 1/6 to 1/4 of all recorded violent crime (2014)
consistency
why is this assumption not correct
dv does not occur randomly but instead dollows particular social patterns with social causes with the most notable pattern being it is often violence by men against women
- Coleman and Osborne (2010) note that 1/3 of all female homocide victims are killed by a partner or a former partner
how do D and D studies reinforce the most striking pattern (violence by men against women)
- researched police and court records along with women in women’s refuges (Scotland) which cite examples of wives being slapped, pushed about, beaten, raped or killed
what is a possible reason as to why the violence may occur according to DandD
violent incidents could be triggered by any threat to the man’s authority such as a question regarding why he was late to come home
- moreover, marriage reinforces women’s position of dependency on their husbands so legitimates violence against women
is there a gender gap accourding to the Crime Survey for ENfland and Wales
2013 - there is a narrow gap with 7.3% of women and 5% of men reported of having experiences abuse in the previous year
however, these surveys are not useful because
they do not highlight the severity or frequency
1st proof of the gender gap
- Walby and Allen found that women were much more likely to be victims of multiple incidents of abuse
2nd proof of the gender gap
Ansara and Hindin note that women suffered more severe violence and were more likley that men to be fearful of their partners
3rd proof
Dar points out that it can be difficult to count separate dv incidents as the abuse may be continuous or occurs so often it is impossible to keep count
are official stats representative of the true extent of dv
no
first reason as to why not
victims may be unwilling to report as Yearnshire found that on average a woman suffers 35 assults before making a report and Dar argues victims are less likely to report in fear of reprisals or have been conditioned to think it is not a matter for the police
second reason as to why not
- police and prosecutors may be reluctant to record, investigate or prosecute as Cheal identifies that such institutions are not prepared to be involved in the family
what assumptions do these instituions make about the family
- it is a private sphere so access by state agencies should be limited
- the family is a positive aspect so agencies neglect the darker realities
- individuals are free agents so overassume that a woman is free to leave upon experiencing abuse
two explanations for dv
- the radical feminist explanation
- the materialist explantion
how do radical feminists see the results of D and Ds studies
evidence for patriarchy as Firestone and Millett along with other radical feminists argue that al societies are founded on patriarchy
why is widespread female violence inevitable
instituions in patriarchal society such as marirage preserve the power of men over women through women’s suboordinate position in the family and wider society
how do radical feminists explain the reluctance of the police and the CJS
male domination and control over state institutions
evaluation 1 of the radical feminist perspective
- fail to explain female violence including violence against men, children and within lesbian relationships
- the Crime Survey for England and Wales found that 18% of men have experiences dv since the age of 16
evaluation 2 of the radical feminist perspective
explain that women are morelikey to be victims, but overlook who specifically as the Office for National Statistics suggest that certain women are at greater risk such as: young women, lower class women living in poverty, women with a long term disbaility or illness
what is the materialist explanation of dv
focuses on the economic disparities
- Wilkinson and Pickett see dv as the result of stress on family members due to social inequality in particular material inequality
- worries regarding employment or housing may spill over into daily conversation leading to conflicts
- lack of money restricts individual’s social cicle and leisure time which reduces the ability to get support or relieve tensions
how do marxists feminists build on this arguement
- Ansley describes women as ‘takers of shit’ as dv is the result of capitalism: male workers are exploited at work and release their frustration on their wives which helps to explain male violence against females
