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The ‘dark side of the family’

So, what is domestic violence?

Or

How would you define domestic violence?

What is domestic violence?

Just a few psychologically disturbed individuals?

Sociologists argue it is not just a few disturbed or 'sick' individuals. They give two reasons why this is the case:

1. Domestic violence is too widespread to be simply a few individuals.

2. It doesn't occur randomly but follows particular social patterns (Mostly committed by men for example)

'physical, psychological sexual or financial violence that takes place within an intimate or family-type relationship and forms a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour. It may involve partners, ex-partners, household members or other relatives.'

(Women's Aid, 2008)

Dobash and Dobash (1979)

5 mins - In pairs

Dobash & Dobash

How did they research?

How was violence 'set off'?

How would this support the feminist view?

Cheal

Be able to explain his 3 reasons

Victims may be unwilling/reluctant to report domestic violence it to the police.

Stephanie Yearnshire (1997) found that on average a woman suffers 35 assaults before making a report. Domestic violence is the violent crime most likely to go ____________

Mirrlees-Black

Interviewed women in women's refuges in Scotland and used police and court records to research domestic violence.

Dobash and Dobash found that violent incidents could be set off by what a husband saw as a challenge to his authority.

They argue that marriage legitimates violence against women.

Most victims are women

99% of all incidents against women are committed by men.

Nearly one in four women has been assaulted by a partner at some point in her life time, and one in eight repeatedly so.

What do all these celebrities have in common?

The British Crime survey (2007)

Lesson Objectives

Domestic violence accounts for almost a sixth of all violent crime.

It is estimated that there are 6.6 million domestic assaults a year, about half involving physical injury.

Answers

1. Instrumental (1)

2. Joint (1)

3. (a) working full time (1)

4. Freezers, microwave ovens, ready meals, fast-food. (2)

5. The different roles that men and women in heterosexual couples are expected to play (1)

6. Kempson; Barrett and McIntosh; Graham. (1)

7. They earn more. (1)

8. It is too widespread; it follows particular social patterns (e.g. its perpetrators are usually men). (2)

9. Children; the lowest social classes, those in rented accommodation; those on low incomes; drug/alcohol users. (2) Out of 12.

Police and prosecutors reluctant to record, prosecute or investigate domestic violence.

  • Understand the prevalence of domestic violence and why it is under reported.
  • Understand the radical feminist view of domestic violence.
  • Be able to assess why this view is criticised.

Official Statistics

  • Cheal (1991) argues that reluctance is due to 3 assumptions about the family:

  • Family part of the 'private sphere' and so state agency access should be limited.

  • Family seen as a good thing so agencies tend to neglect the 'darker side of the family'.

  • Individuals seen as free agents so it is assumed you are free to leave if a victim.

Radical Feminist View

Wilkinson (1996): domestic violence, inequality and stress

Criticisms of radical feminism

What problems do you think there may be with Official Statistics (in relation to domestic violence)?

Dobash and Dobash is evidence of patriarchy.

The family is the main source of female oppression. Women are dominated through domestic violence/threat of domestic violence.

What do we know about state agencies?

Domestic violence way of exerting dominance in patriarchal society.

Domestic violence as the result of stress on family members caused by social inequality.

Social inequality -> Stress -> Domestic Violence

Those with fewer resources (income & housing) have higher levels of stress.

Stress likely to boil over into confrontation/argument.

Lack of money and time restricts their social circle and reduces support for those under stress.

Wilkinson & Mirrlees-Black found that not all people in equal danger of domestic violence. Those with less power, status and wealth are often at the greatest risk.

Unlike radical feminist approach he doesn't argue why women are more likely to be victims.

Faith Robertson Elliot 1996 rejects radical feminist view.

Not all men are aggressive or violent. Radical feminists tend to ignore this.

Mirlees-Black: 1 in 7 men assaulted by women. 1 in 20 repeatedly so.

Other groups at higher risk of domestic violence:

  • Children
  • Those in lower social classes
  • Drug users and those who consume high levels of alcohol
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