Upload
hunter-carey
View
223
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Domestic Violence – theories and implications
Wendy Morgan
London Metropolitan University
Glasgow Caledonian University
Overview
Reflections of the past in the present Motives, agendas politics
Current theories of IPV/DV
Mandatory arrest
An alternative lens?
DV and History
“Domestic violence has deep historical roots and [is] grounded in the inequality between men and women in society at large” (Hague and Malous 1998 pg 69)
DV and History
The 1970’s were not, however the first time that wife beating had been discovered by the public and taken up as an issue of general concern rather than remaining hidden as a personal tragedy….This has happened at least twice before in the latter part of the 19th century and in the early part of the [20th] century. (Dobash and Dobash 1979, pg 3)
DV and History
History is relevant (and also relatively current, e.g. societal (including police) response in 70’s and 80’s)
Key themes DV is a gender based concern Patriarchal social norms support the use of
violence It requires a coordinated community response
(Ehrenshaft 2008)
The response – intervention policy and strategy “Duluth Model”
Men need to be re-socialised to ensure they accept responsibility
Psycho-educational batter programmes are part of a wider response
Show that society will not tolerate this behaviour Coordinated community response needed
Need to raise awareness – Zero tolerance interventions
– Mandatory arrest policies
The controversies
“Duluth” model is ideology and not science Does not consider all forms of violence
Intersection of IPV with other forms of violence overlooked
Does not consider individual factors Developmental, attachment, personality, Does not address issue of heterogeneity
Gender neutral data is discounted Dutton and Corvo, 2006, Ehrenshaft 2008
The Gender Issue
Much disputed
Affected by Ideology Sampling Definitions Social constructions
The Gender Issue
“including mutual aggression and female perpetrators under the umbrella of IPV implies that (a) this is a non-gendered phenomenon that affects the health and well-being of men/boys and women/girls similarly at the population level and (b) the etiology and nature of the behaviour are similar regardless of the perpetrator gender. Neither research nor practical external evidence supports such assumptions” Reed et al 2010, pg 349
The Gender Issue
“Studies continue to be sponsored and produced in the United States that involve analysis and interpretations of IPV data that defy international consensus and substantial empirical data” (emphasis added) Reed et al 2010, pg 349
The Gender Issue
“…Female violence to the extent to which it is acknowledged at all is deemed to be always self-defensive. These views persist despite survey data showing approximately equal levels of severe violence and injury by gender” (Dutton and Corvo 2006, pg 459)
The Gender Issue
“[Psycho-educational models] eschew psychological treatment even of empirically established factors supporting habits of intimate abusiveness…..A one size fits all approach based on a contraindicated political model of male domination prevails” Dutton and Corvo 2006 pp 257, 259
Johnson Typology
Coercive control Duluth model type abuse (not nesc violent) Underlying core schema
Situational Violence Toxic relationships Poor conflict resolution skills
Violent resistance As as result of coercive control
Mutual Control
Intimate partner offender typologies
Severity-frequency
of violence
Family only (FO)
Generally Violent Antisocial (GVA)
Dysphoric/Borderline (DB)
Low level Antisocial (LLA)
Psychopathology
Mandatory arrest and DV
“Stemming from the ideological assumption that domestic violence is entirely a political act, mandatory arrest has be perused as a necessary exercise of countervailing power, particularly necessary to overcome the putative patriarchal inclination that may influence police discretion” (Dutton and Corvo
Mandatory Arrest
The issues Notion of driver of social change Reaction to civil claims for failure to protect Re-balances power for victim Conflicts with victims desires
Wants abuse to stop/attacker removed NOT Jail Financial hardship Shame of court proceedings
Does it “work”
Mandatory Arrest
Works through “deterrence theory” Specific and general
Conflicting evidence (Williams 2005)
Those who are more “marginal” can show evidence of escalation of behaviour
“Deterrence may be achieved only when potential perpetrators see arrest as having damaging consequences for their relationships with others” (Williams 2005)
Individuals tend to respond differently Blanket policy may not help (Burton 2000)
An alternative lens?
Focus not on prevention of offence but on prevention of harm Helping individual victims stay safe
Policy of mandatory arrest conflicts with “help” seeking behaviour
May result in increased risk of lethality (dependant upon measurement variable)
Concluding Remarks
History and DV are intrinsically linked in the current theory literature Notion of Gender based nature of violence Willingness to incorporate other
explanations Viewing DV as distinct from other forms of
violence Application of mandatory arrest
Further information
[email protected] [email protected]
Violence against Women Prevention Scotland http://www.vawpreventionscotland.org.uk/
Zero Tolerance trust http://www.zerotolerance.org.uk/index.php