Domestic Violence against Women: Its Roots in Social Structure
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Authors
Godfrey, Lisbeth Sue
Issue Date
1985
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
My research was based on literature written by
psychologists, sociologists, feminists, formerly battered
women, and concerned others. The most fascinating aspect of
my research came from my contact with victims of domestic
assault. Due to my lack of counseling training, I was
unable to develop my own case load until the last few weeks
of my internship. My contact with clients was limited to
support group and casual chats, until the last three weeks
of work when I was then able to see clients in a counseling
capacity. Unfortunately, I was unable to gain specific case
histories and personal testimonials from victims of domestic
assault which would have enhanced my research information.
Yet, it was through my experiences at the Domestic Assault
Program that I gained the most crucial information. I could
have read all of the literature written on this subject, but
the reality of the problem would not come until I had heard
the horrible stories and had seen the pain, the frustration,
the fear, the anger, and the sadness on victims' faces.
For the purposes of readability and better
understanding I have divided this thesis into four sections.
The first discusses the historical precedents for wife
battering, explaining the roots of our present attitudes
toward women and subsequent treatment of them. The second
section applies the systems theory approach to wife
battering. This is a very complex section attempting to
explain the present structure of society and the subsequent
causes of domestic violence. Two questions are addressed in
this section, the first being, "why does wife battering
occur?" This question is developed through a cause and
effect approach looking at individual personalities, the
family system, the social structure and the influences each
has on domestic violence. The second question is, "how does
wife battering occur?", which takes a process approach to
the problem looking at the family as a social system and at
the effects of labeling within our society. This section
also looks at two very crucial concepts developed by Lenore
Walker, learned helplessness and the cycle of violence,
which explain the process of female victimization.
The third section deals with the assailants and common,
identifiable characteristics which they share. The
assailant is an important aspect of this issue, as he is the
actual violent element. Although he, too, may in some way
be a victim of society he, nevertheless, is responsible for
his behavior. His driving forces must be understood in
order to understand the victim's situation.
The last section deals with one of the most
misunderstood aspects of domestic violence, "why does a
battered woman remain in a violent relationship?" People
tend to hold the woman who stays responsible for the
treatment which she receives, because she is not trying to
escape the situation. It is assumed that, because she
remains, she must like the abuse. This section explains the
trap in which these women find themselves. They are often
totally dependent on their men and totally victimized by
social attitudes.
My research of this subject was limited in two
respects. The first limit was the clientele with whom I had
contact. The majority of the women who seek help from the
Domestic Assault Program are of lower socioeconomic
standing; therefore, my research was also limited to that
group of women. However, it is important to remember that
domestic violence is not limited to lower class people and
that members of all socioeconomic groups are potential
victims. The second limit concerns the type of
relationships in which battering exists. The relationships
that were the subject of my research were heterosexual
relationships; yet, it is important to remember that any
intimate relationship has the potential for being abusive.
Working at the Domestic Assault Program was a
consciousness raising experience for me. I became aware of
the few resources these women have and the little support
they receive from society.
Description
vii, 53 p.
Citation
Publisher
Kalamazoo, Mich. : Kalamazoo College.
License
U.S. copyright laws protect this material. Commercial use or distribution of this material is not permitted without prior written permission of the copyright holder. All rights reserved.