Personal Analysis on Domestic Violence - Essay Example

Personal Journal I recalled the painful events as if it was just yesterday. I winced as if in pain as the memory of what had happened became stronger and more defined in my mind. Why did life have to be so unfair? Why pick on me? These were questions that went over and over in mind, and there never seemed be an answer. I fidgeted in the seat as I prepared to narrate the events of that frightful night to the lady officer sitting directly opposite me. I fumbled with my fingers, turning them round and round as I wondered where exactly to begin. My husband of fifteen years had assaulted me. He had come home late as he usually did from a drinking spree with his friends, but for some reason, this time, he seemed unusually angry. Could it be that it was not the usual set of company he had been with? It was very likely because he was not himself. He would usually enter the house quietly and warm food that I had placed in the oven for him. But not this day. He walked into our bedroom and furiously uncovered the beddings demanding for food. Startled and barely awake, I explained to him that the food was in the oven, but my statement seemed to act like dry firewood in an already blazing flame. He shouted on top of his voice demanding an answer to the question “who was the man in the house”. In a bid not to awake our children, I got out of bed and headed to the kitchen to warm the food. He followed me blazing with a fury of words, and once in the kitchen, I told him to tone his voice as the children were asleep. That’s when the kicks and blows started pouring in on my face and legs. I screamed but my wails were falling on deaf ears. I must have blacked out on the kitchen floor because I found myself lying there with pains all over my body. My face felt heavy and swollen and my jaw ached. I wondered what time it was and a quick glance at the clock read 5.30 am. I slowly got up and went to the room. I found my husband sprawled up in bed, fast asleep. I hurriedly picked some warm clothing, some money and my identification and headed to the nearest Adelaide police station to report the assault. I thought I would find solace, comfort and support but alas! The police men jeered at me and made fun of me. They said I had been disrespectful hence the beating. I felt like they were ripping open my wounds from my skin with their jeers and laughter. Whom could I call? Where could I get help? I decided to walk to the health clinic in our neighbourhood for treatment since it was now dawn. “Yes my dear lady, how can I help you?” The middle-aged police women asked with an Aboriginal ‘Nunga’ accent, causing me to come out of my painful reverie. Domestic Violence Introduction Lovell, (1996), defines domestic violence as a routine of abusive behaviour that one partner uses to maintain power and control over the other. Over ninety per cent of domestic violence is by men against their women partners. This is usually termed as gender based violence and statistics show that this kind of violence does not usually stop once the relationship ends. Gender based violence has adverse effects over children especially if they are involved as witnesses or are personally subjected to it thus in such a case, it may be termed as child abuse. Domestic violence has many forms some of which include those that try to wield control and power over the other partner such as name calling, isolating one from their relatives and friends, humiliating one publicly, pushing, punching, kicking, breaking household items, and causing harm to the children. Then there is the sexual abuse form of domestic violence which includes rape and being compelled to engage in degrading and un-desired sexual acts. Lovell, (1996) states that the other form of domestic violence may also be called economic domestic violence which involves envisaging her to take care of household expenses on meagre earnings as well as denying her access to finances as well as controlling her finances and property. Other forms include treating the partner like a servant, not sharing in decision making for major issues that involve the family as well as treating her like his own property Origin of Domestic Violence among the Aborigines The high rate of domestic violence among the aboriginal women is to a large per cent blamed on colonisation. For over two hundred years the Australian colonial government tried to control and eliminate the culture and society of the indigenous Aboriginal people by imparting brutal colonial rule. This history of brutal oppression is said to have had a major influence in the way the indigenous community has lived over the years thus entrenching strong survival tactics in their culture, Domestic Violence and the Aboriginal, p52. 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 Historically, the government used high handedness in administering the indigenous people and the police would force dispossession of land belonging to the Aborigines and would re-locate them from their lands. This resulted in the children being displaced from their original homes and from their loved ones by welfare and for many years this caused deep in-grown justified mistrust and suspicions of not only the government but also of the police, the law and the welfare services. During this colonial period and many years after, discrimination and racism was the order of the day thus denying the indigenous people equal access to rights as citizens of their own country, Kelly, (2008). The Aboriginal women however, are quick to state that violence against women is not part of the tradition and culture. They strongly believe that the violence came about due to the over two hundred years of colonisation and the violence that was seen as being used by the white man to control and manage the indigenous Australians. As is with domestic violence, the colonisation violence takes many forms of abuse including control of people, forced relocations, forced isolation from friends, family and culture, removal of children rape of women and children being disadvantaged. It also brings along poverty and other types of physical violence, Domestic Violence and the Aboriginal, p48. The culture of the Aboriginal communities The Aboriginal community have a strong culture based on kingship and extended family ties. Their communities are usually small but closely knit hence one may find a lady who is interconnected to members of her community through her own relatives or relatives to her husband or partner. Hence hiding domestic violence may be a most unlikely option or for the more vocal woman everybody in the community will know about it. A woman’s decision in the community is greatly influenced by the community she lives in because it encompasses her with a complicated network of kindred. According to Domestic Violence and the Aboriginal, women constantly receive pressure from the community not to report on violent acts done against them by their partners. This pressure comes from not only her own relatives but also from her partner’s relatives, her children and the community at large. The women then feel obligated to remain loyal to their families and community and feels she would not like to betray them to the police. Coming from a background of hearing stories of how the colonial masters and the police mistreated their forefathers, she will be hesitant and may even experience confusion and dilemma as to what decision to take. She may receive silence from her peers as they too would fear to support her thus leaving her in a state of uncertainty and despair. This may lead her to have the notion that the violence may be preferred to the loneliness and alienation she goes through in trying to report the violence, Lovell, (1996). Strategies to creating change among the Aboriginal communities In order to understand the complexities of the Aboriginal communities and their cultures, one can begin to comprehend that for help to be administered to the women going through domestic violence, an in-depth effort to convey accurate information to the community is needed. Deliberate effort in developing their trust and support through provision of consistent and adequate government support, judicial and social welfare services is a requirement for effective change to be realised. Building their trust means talking to them and getting to understand where they have come from economically, physically, socially and psychologically. The need for change is vital as domestic violence hinders the progress of many lives in the Aboriginal community. Many lives are lost thus depriving future generations the basic access to a healthy prosperous and happy lives, Mammott et al, (2006). Philosophies of Women Health Movements Feminism The reality of abuse against female partners by their men dawned in the 1960s when child abuse and neglect within the family set up was exposed. This led to various attempts to explain the violence and its courses. Majority of the explanations sought to find out the characteristics of the victims to justify her abuse as well as the pathology of the abuser from a medical context. As this went on, a second wave of feminism was arising in countries like Australia, North America and the United Kingdom. Thus the inadequacies of these models led to the realisation that the profile of spouse abuse needs to be addressed, Domestic Violence and the Aboriginal, . The feminism theory states that women suffer due to inequalities in gender thus a need to change world or community view of women in order to meet their requirements, Nancarrwo, (2003). Early feminists established refuges in an effort to provide assistance to women escaping domestic violence from their male partners. These refuges operated under radical feminist lines and were managed by women and only accommodate abused women together with their children. The male children had a certain age limit under which they were not supposed to surpass. These refuges were established between the 1970s and 1980s portrayed a public perception that made them unpopular amongst the male population. Men saw the refuge centres as an attempt to reject them and separate them from their spouses and their male children. The 1980s however saw the emergence of liberal feminism which embraced public policy development, programs and services to address men’s violence against their female partners as well as civil legislation, Nancarrow, (2003). Women empowerment The emergence of liberal feminism in the 1980s encouraged legal reform responses to domestic violence. Investigations into the cause, nature and extent of domestic violence in Australian females were done resulting to Domestic Violence legislature being put in place. Beyond These Walls, a report done by The Queensland Domestic Violence Taskforce in 1988 saw the establishment of Queensland Domestic Violence Court as well as initiation of a raft of programs and policies on domestic violence, Nancarrow, (2003). State government agencies were created in order to improve womens’ status in Queensland. Other initiatives that were born out of the radical feminism theory include Stop Violence Against Women Policy of 1992 which stated that women violence occurred due to inequality in this distribution of economic and social powers between men and women, Nancarrow (2003). Social Models Through the radical feminism, theoretical models for addressing domestic violence have emerged. Analysis of liberal feminists gave rise to changes in strategies to include change surrounding educating the members of the community, eradication of poverty or economic dependence and reforms in legislature as well as enabling women to access women only services and to know their rights, Nancarrow, (2003). Accepting Change In an effort to save lives and bring some sanity to families experiencing domestic violence, some strategies for change needed to be put in place. First and foremost, the attitudes of the community towards domestic violence need to be addressed. The community may be sensitized in this area but only after having approached the community elders and leaders as they have a powerful role to play in the community. The fact that the community listens and believes in them is one and the other fact is that they are usually men, Thomson, (2006). Getting the elders support ensures community participation thus a positive receptive spirit of suggestions to future projects and programs. The education programs need to include traditional and cultural elements in their content and if possible, the use of Aboriginal staff in the teaching and counselling programs. This will minimize hostility and will ensure the programs run smoothly due to general acceptance. Reliable Health Care Facilities According to Mammott et al, (2006), women and children should be encouraged to seek support from abusive relationships. This could be done through forming support groups where women can learn from each-others’ experiences and find refuge from supportive environments without the fear of community stigmatization and blame games and counter accusations of having reported to the police, Rawsthorne, (2010). This ensures that the community receives information in a culturally appropriate way. As cited in Kelly, (2006), Post-colonial feminism has opened up methods where by gender, employment status, class issues, social economic status, cultural aspects as well as professional positioning and power differences meet and cogitate on colonisation thus creating unique experiences once shared for post-colonial communities. Justice System Reforms It is imperative to change current criminal justice system such that it meets the needs of women who have been abused, Nancarrow, (2003). Historically the courts have not been seen to support the Aboriginal people especially so, the women and has often been regarded as a foreign court system, Thomas, . It is noted with concern that the Aboriginal women lack confidence in the police and the courts system as they feel they do not get adequate protection and the police do not respond well to their complaints. Aboriginal women have also voiced their request to have Aboriginal women in the Police force and also in the court system when they report domestic violence cases. This is because they believe their fellow women will understand their plight as they communicate, Nancarrow, (2003). Conclusion Aboriginal people have for many years been denied not only basic utilities such as electricity, water and sewerage, but also access to education, employment opportunities, adequate health care and appropriate housing options. This has resulted in a series of complicated social problems amongst the communities, Nancarrow, (2003). That the violence experienced during the colonial period did not contribute one way or the other on the violent nature of the Aborigines is food for thought. The historical injustices on the Aborigines by the colonial government, non-the-less, is not justification for the violent nature among the Aborigines. Not all Aborigines are violent just as not all people who are violent are violent at all times and to everyone, Nancarrow, (2003). There exists numerous ways that could be used as survival tactics other than exert immense power and control over family members. References Domestic Violence and Aboriginal Women, Speaking out, its not love-Its violence, pg 43-72 Kelly J, 2008, Many forward together in Aboriginal Women’ Health, Lovell W, 1996, Collaboration in urban Primay Warm and Domestic violence Mammoth P, Catherine, Chambers C, Co-Sam, G, Thomson, L, 2006, Good Practice in Indigenous Family Violence, prevention. Rawsthrone, (2010), Aboriginal Women against Violence Read More

I thought I would find solace, comfort and support but alas! The police men jeered at me and made fun of me. They said I had been disrespectful hence the beating. I felt like they were ripping open my wounds from my skin with their jeers and laughter. Whom could I call? Where could I get help? I decided to walk to the health clinic in our neighbourhood for treatment since it was now dawn. “Yes my dear lady, how can I help you?” The middle-aged police women asked with an Aboriginal ‘Nunga’ accent, causing me to come out of my painful reverie.

Domestic Violence Introduction Lovell, (1996), defines domestic violence as a routine of abusive behaviour that one partner uses to maintain power and control over the other. Over ninety per cent of domestic violence is by men against their women partners. This is usually termed as gender based violence and statistics show that this kind of violence does not usually stop once the relationship ends. Gender based violence has adverse effects over children especially if they are involved as witnesses or are personally subjected to it thus in such a case, it may be termed as child abuse.

Domestic violence has many forms some of which include those that try to wield control and power over the other partner such as name calling, isolating one from their relatives and friends, humiliating one publicly, pushing, punching, kicking, breaking household items, and causing harm to the children. Then there is the sexual abuse form of domestic violence which includes rape and being compelled to engage in degrading and un-desired sexual acts. Lovell, (1996) states that the other form of domestic violence may also be called economic domestic violence which involves envisaging her to take care of household expenses on meagre earnings as well as denying her access to finances as well as controlling her finances and property.

Other forms include treating the partner like a servant, not sharing in decision making for major issues that involve the family as well as treating her like his own property Origin of Domestic Violence among the Aborigines The high rate of domestic violence among the aboriginal women is to a large per cent blamed on colonisation. For over two hundred years the Australian colonial government tried to control and eliminate the culture and society of the indigenous Aboriginal people by imparting brutal colonial rule.

This history of brutal oppression is said to have had a major influence in the way the indigenous community has lived over the years thus entrenching strong survival tactics in their culture, Domestic Violence and the Aboriginal, p52. 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 Historically, the government used high handedness in administering the indigenous people and the police would force dispossession of land belonging to the Aborigines and would re-locate them from their lands.

This resulted in the children being displaced from their original homes and from their loved ones by welfare and for many years this caused deep in-grown justified mistrust and suspicions of not only the government but also of the police, the law and the welfare services. During this colonial period and many years after, discrimination and racism was the order of the day thus denying the indigenous people equal access to rights as citizens of their own country, Kelly, (2008). The Aboriginal women however, are quick to state that violence against women is not part of the tradition and culture.

They strongly believe that the violence came about due to the over two hundred years of colonisation and the violence that was seen as being used by the white man to control and manage the indigenous Australians. As is with domestic violence, the colonisation violence takes many forms of abuse including control of people, forced relocations, forced isolation from friends, family and culture, removal of children rape of women and children being disadvantaged.

Read More