Domestic Abuse: Setting the Context

Domestic Abuse:Setting the Context

Gender based violence

• Domestic abuse• Rape and sexual assault, • Sexual harassment, • Commercial sexual exploitation, • Forced marriage• Honour killings• Trafficking …

Gender-based violence is:

‘an umbrella term encompassing the spectrumof abuse aimed at individuals and groups

based on their specific gender role in society.It is experienced disproportionately

by women and is perpetrated predominantlyby men and may manifest in many ways.’

Gender-Based Violence

“Any form of violence used to establish, enforce or perpetrate gender inequalities and keep in

place gendered orders.

James Lang 2002

In other words gender basedviolence is a policing

mechanism.”

What do these kind of harms have in common?

They way women are valued... or devalued

Salient points:

• these harms are not separate

• these harms are connected

• often more than 1 form of abuse

expereinced

Connections

• Gender• Power and control• Tolerance and victim blaming• High levels of under-reporting• High levels of repeat victimisation• Justice gap (prosecution & conviction)• Impact and consequences

A Gender AnalysisIs a framework for collecting & examining

information about the differencesin women’s and men’s lives, experiences,

behaviours, status, opportunities & limitations.

It also investigates the social, economic, political & cultural structures which serve to maintain or transform gender-based

stereotypes, inequalities & abuses.

What is Gender?

rolestraits

attitudesbehaviours

valuesresponsibilitiesrelative power

statusinfluence

ascribed to male & female humanson a differential basis.

World Health Organisation

Gender refers to the array of socially constructed;

It’s changeable over timeand varies widely within & across cultures.

Gender identity (masculinity/femininity)is not biological, it’s learned.

World Health Organisation

Gender refers not simply to women and/or men but to the relationships between & among them.

Gender identities conditionthe way human beings are perceived

and how they are expectedto think and act.

Features of domestic abuse:

• Deliberate• Often planned• One sided• Repetitive• Often escalating

Result:

• Causes fear• Controls behaviour

Who does what to whom??

• Situational couple violence

• Intimate terrorism

• Violent resistance

Michael Johnson

Situational couple violencemuch violence between couples is bilateral

(though not always symmetrical)

• Happens to men and women• Harms/behaviours are shared• Situation specific• Risk disappears with separation• Fear levels are non existent• No one loses their autonomy• Technically no one is a victim

Partner Assault• Motive: hurt, punish, control

• Harms are repetitive

• Harms escalates over time

• Harms can include sexual abuse

• Risk often increases with

separation

• Fear or injury levels are often

high

Intimate terrorism

Intimate terrorism

also targets women’s default roles :

•homemaker

•sexual partner

• mother

•“wife”

• Violent resistance

.

Reframing Domestic Abuse

• Not primarily a crime of violence • Is primarily a liberty crime• Results in lack of space for action• Violence is a tool used (the least perfect?) • As are threats, degradation, micro-management• Functional violence – ask what he gains by

using it!• ‘Coercive control’ or ‘intimate terrorism’ • Crosses social space.

Why does he do that?

• He isn’t abusive because he is angry• He behaves this way because he’s

abusive• He doesn’t lose control of himself• He takes control of his partner• An abuser is not born he’s made• To bring about change in an abuser;

reshape his attitude toward power & exploitation

Evan Stark argues that ….‘Domestic abuse is primarily a liberty crime against a woman’s autonomy rather than a crime of assault…’If we agree, then that same liberty crime must apply to her children, potentially impacting on their

•education

•relationships

•social opportunities

•mental well being

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The immediate picture; easier to identify, measure & hold accountable incidents of physical assault.

The bigger picture; lets us take into account the context in which individual acts were committed

Surely the same will apply to her children, whether or not they are directly targeted?

Evan Stark

>

focus on the intent not just the impact of conduct perpetrated by abusers…

in order to recognise the nature and range of tactics & behaviours which function to

exercise coercive control over women & their children

Evan Stark

>

Considering what we see… >

The strategies that exist within an intimate relationship where domestic abuse reigns

include physical aggression & threats

In order to; intimidatehumiliate

isolateexhaustdisablecontrol

with the sole purpose of demonstrating power >

Considering women & children’s experiences…

Living with Fear

Fear

Fear

Fear

Fear

Fear

Fear

confused

anxious

silenced

hopeful

helpless

trapped

>

barriers that silence CYP• Fear of the abuser finding out • Fear of harm to others• Fear for mother/family security• Fear of not being believed• Fear of being stigmatised• Difficulty in talking to adults• Not having anyone to tell• Services not being available• Not owning the language

>

Need versus Want

Want versus Need

Fear... that results in secret keeping...

>

WE HAVE TO DO WHAT HE SAYS

Secret keeping... that requires lies...

>

Lie telling ... that creates invisibility...

>

Invisibility... that can destroy hope...

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Escaping.... but not always from risk...

>

Emotional harm.... counting the cost....

Our emotions impact upon our:

•productivity

•relationships

•creativity

•achievements

Emotions are vital to our social & personal

existence.

>

Connecting to our feelings is neither a soft,nor an easy option. Disconnecting from our feelings is not clever. The Antidote Manifesto, 2001.

>

Experiences cause us to feel..........that’s how we know we’re experiencing something!

Learning to Cope

Feelings cause us to think…………… our thoughts are unspoken mind words

Mind words – frame the moment............ and enable us to learn from an experience

Resulting changes – arises from lessons learned............ and behavior changes or adapts

Why doesn’t she just leave?