Examine the Pattern of, and Reason for, Domestic Violence in Society

800 Words4 Pages
Title: - Examine the patterns of, and reasons for, domestic violence in society Domestic violence is described as ‘physical, psychological, sexual or financial violence that takes places with an intimate or a family relationship, those forms a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour. This involves partners, ex-partners and household members’ (women’s aid Federation). Although it is typically happening to a women, men also suffer from domestic violence. Some psychologists attribute it to psychological causes. However, many sociologists would argue that this is a result from social causes A shocking pattern of domestic violence is that women are more often only targeted by domestic violence. Coleman found that women were more likely than men to have been a victim of ‘intimate violence’, this is across the 4 types of abuse; parent abuse, family abuse, sexual assault and stalking. Similarly, in Mirrless-black studies he found that nearly one in for women were assaulted by a partner, there was also cases of this being repeated; contrastingly, one in seven men have been a victim of domestic violence and one in twenty repeatedly. Also, Dobash and Dobash found that violent incidents were provoked by a man feeling his self-authority had been challenged in different circumstances. Putting this into real life terms, being late for a meal for instance. They argue that marriage legitimates violence against women and how they are dependent on their husbands, gives them power and control. Radical feminists such as Kate Millett and Shulmith firestone, they argue that this evidence is patriarchy. They argue that widespread domestic violence is an inevitable characteristics of a patriarchal society, this shows that men have a greater power over women. They suggest that male dominate and explains why police and courts are reluctant to deal with cases of domestic violence,

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