A heterosexual relationship Free Essay Example

Domestic Violence In this essay i am going to discuss why policy makers see the family as central to the solutions of social problems such as domestic violence. ‘The term ‘domestic violence’ is used most frequently to refer to men’s physical, sexual or psychological violence to women in the context of a heterosexual relationship’ (May 2002:70). Although Domestic Violence can be defined in different ways and be subjected to by different ideologies, the above definition is one which I have found is most commonly used.

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Domestic Violence can also refer to child abuse and can occur in many different types of families such as gay and lesbian couples, it could also refer to a man being assaulted by his wife. In this essay I am going to concentrate on domestic violence as defined above. As with other social problems the ideological perspectives on violence and abuse vary as the definitions do. Widely different remedies are supported, from therapeutic interventions and treatment to re-education projects and public awareness campaigns (May 2002:73)

It is important to note that domestic violence was accepted in the 17th century.

Although attitudes towards it have changed. ‘The husband also might give his wife moderate correction. For as he is to answer for her misbehaviour the law thought it reasonable to entrust him with the power of restraining her, by domestic chastisement in the same moderation that a man is allowed to correct his servant or children. ‘ (Blackstone 1765 cited in Foreman 1993:7)

The established form of the nuclear family has come into question, not only due to the domestic division of labour and the challenge of established gender roles but due to the awareness of the ‘dark side of family’, the home is no longer seen as a place of comfort and affection but also a place of violence and sexual abuse occur (Fulcher 2003).

‘The discovery of domestic violence as a social problem in the 1970s was linked to a growing activity in the feminist movement (May 2002:74).

In the 1970s feminism created the conditions in which women could share their experiences by introducing self-help and experience sharing in women’s groups and women’s centres, the issues raised in these discussions such as Poor Pay and working conditions, childcare, opportunity’s for education, healthcare and violence, these became the key concerns of 1970s Feminism. (May 2002) This re-discovery of domestic violence by the second wave of feminism moved domestic violence from a private problem to a public issue.

Although this movement brought domestic violence to media and therefore the to the political and public eye, there was resistance to act as it still thought of as a very private issue and to interfere would be to challenge the ideology of private sphere of the home. ‘the discourse on the family as ‘private’ is likely to contain two linked assumptions: first, family members have the ‘right’ to say or do what they like within there own home without undue interference from outsiders.

secondly, privacy can imply that families should be able to resolve their own problems regardless of how desperate their experiences may be, they ‘should’ not want to seek any outside interference. (Foreman 1983:8) The idea of the home as a private place leads to assumptions that members of the family have a right to do as they wish within the family and that family’s should sort out there problems internally and not appeal to outside public agency’s for help. (Blakemore 2003).

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