Violence Against Women - Domestic Violence
Violence Against Women: Domestic Violence
“Violence against women and girls continues unabated in every continent, country and culture. It takes a devastating toll on women’s lives, on their families, and on society as a whole. Most societies prohibit such violence — yet the reality is that, too often it is covered up or tacitly condoned”. — UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, 8 March 2007
1. DEFINITIONS
According to the Commonwealth’s Office for Women (OFW), domestic violence includes physical violence, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, intimidation, economic deprivation or threats of violence. Domestic violence occurs in all geographic areas of Australia, and in all socio-economic and cultural groups, although it is a more significant problem for certain groups, such as regional and rural Australia, and Indigenous communities.
2. BIBLE REFERENCES
The Bible is full of references to male-female relationships, and many have been understood to mean that every woman should submit to her husband no matter how he treats her; I will not quote those here. I will point out that the Bible calls to both husband and wife to behave in a worthy manner. For instance, Ephesians 5:33 “However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” Colossians 3:19 “Married men, be affectionate to your wives, and do not treat them harshly.” Proverbs 13:2 “By the fruit of his lips, a man enjoys good things; but the unfaithful crave violence.” Proverbs 21.7 “The violence of the wicked will drive them away, because they refuse to do what is right.”
3.FACTS
November 25th was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, which was declared in 1999 by the United Nations, in order to raise awareness of the widespread violation of the rights of women. As the then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan explained, “violence against women is global in reach, and takes place in all societies and cultures. It affects women no matter what their race, ethnicity, social origin, birth or other status may be.”
The human rights organization Amnesty International lists “violence against women and girls as the most pervasive human rights challenge” of our era. Domestic violence occurs when a family member, partner or ex-partner attempts to physically or psychologically dominate or harm the other.
Some women experience domestic violence in the family at the hands of an abusive partner, ex-partner or relative. And abuse is not just physical, but may also be emotional, sexual or psychological. Over 50% of these incidents are alcohol-related.
Domestic violence directly affects the victims, their children, their families and friends, employers, co-workers, and has repercussions for the quality of life in a local community. There can be far-reaching financial, social, health and psychological consequences. The impact of violence can also have indirect costs, including the costs to the community of bringing perpetrators to justice or the costs of medical treatment for injured victims. According to the NSW Office of Women, the estimated total annual cost of domestic violence to the NSW economy is $2.89 billion.
According to the same research, in 2005 only an estimated 35% of incidents were reported to the police. Reasons given for not reporting an incident were: the women wanted to handle it themselves, wanted the matter kept private from their neighbours and friends, they were ashamed, or they were afraid of what the offender might do next, if they did report it.
Recent figures show the domestic violence is the single most prevalent cause for women and children accessing homeless assistance services in Australia. It is reported that more than half of those seeking urgent help from homeless shelters are turned away, according to the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program.
Throughout history, violence has been used as a way of controlling women, both within the family and the wider society, and reinforcing their subordinate position to men. There are a number of cultural, social and political factors, which perpetuate and exacerbate the problem. Factors such as cultural norms, negative media images, social pressures on men to express their ‘masculinity’, inadequate laws to prohibit violence against women, government complacency and the absence of educational programmes to address the causes and consequences of violence.
SOME IDENTIFIED TRIGGERS FOR MALE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:
- Alcohol, and drugs
- Pressures from work
- Family problems, disagreements over the way to raise children
- Debt, unemployment, poverty
- Frustration, fear of loss of authority, not coping
- Seeking power and control
- Modelling the behaviour of others (e.g. father)
- Influences from the media
- Experience of violence in their own childhood
- Entrenched belief that violence against women is normal
- Mental illness, behavioural disorders
- Feeling rejected, or alienated
4.FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT STRATEGIES
A common theme throughout the research is that there is a need for a more long-term integrated response to domestic violence in Australia, which will aim to prevent domestic violence in the first place. The challenge is in the provision of on-going programs in order to address on-going problems and to achieve longer-term goals.
International studies on domestic violence have also pointed to the need to:
- Provide direct support to women and girls affected by violence
- Support education and awareness-raising activities
- Inform and influence relevant laws, policies and practices
- Improve protection offered by Apprehended Violence Orders (AVO)
- Improve domestic violence data collection
- Improve evaluations of intervention, public awareness and education programs
- Improve cost estimates, including incidental economic consequences such as loss of income, childcare costs, housing costs and legal or court costs
- Include indirect and non-economic costs of domestic violence to the community, such as educational disruption, restriction of occupational attainment, the impact on individual self-esteem and the long-term social, educational and psychological impacts on women and children
- Include intergenerational effects of domestic violence such as the development of life cycles of abuse from one generation to another
5.HOW YOU CAN ACT
a.TO HELP YOURSELF·Emergency (Police) 000, or your local Domestic Violence Liaison Officer (DVLO) at your local Police station
·24 Hour Domestic Violence Hotline 1 800 65 64 63 (rural free call)
·http://www.womensrefuge.org.au/ has a list of refuges across NSW
·Domestic Violence Advocacy Service Advice Line
1 800 81 07 84 or (02) 8745 6999
·Women’s Family Law Support Service (02) 9217 7389 for free and confidential support. Level 5, Sydney Family Law Registry, Lionel Bowen Building, 97-99 Goulburn Street, Sydney 2001
b.TO HELP A LOVED ONE
·Help move them to a safe place temporarily, if necessary.
·Encourage them to seek medical attention, and professional counselling.
c.TO HELP THE SITUATION
·Lobby your Federal MP to increase funding for homeless shelters for women (including women with children) escaping domestic violence
·Model non-violent behaviour in your home and community
·Teach your children respect and appropriate behaviour
·Support institutions and activities that strengthen the family unit
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND FURTHER READING
Amnesty International Stop Violence Against Women Campaign
http://www.amnestyusa.org/Our_Issues/Womens_Human_Rights
Local Government Area Crime Reports – November 2007 – NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, NSW Attorney General’s Department
http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au
NSW Women’s Refuge Resource Centre
http://www.wrrc.org.au/
United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/
United Nations Development Fund for Women
http://www.unifem.org/campaigns/vaw/facts_figures.php
Violence: the women’s issue that defines the decade
The Premier’s Council for Women 2006
http://www.women.nsw.gov.au/PDF/Women_Violence_2008.pdf
Women, Violence and Safety, Office for Women NSW Premier’s Department 2007
