Domestic Violence

Aim

The aim of my coursework is to look at if physical domestic violence is witnessed in the home. In the UK incidents of domestic violence occur every 26 seconds and costs the public services £278m a year, according to a report by Lucy Ward on Monday 18th February.

Domestic violence can be carried out by physically, mentally or emotionally abusing the victim. I will concentrate on physical violence because this is what most people associate with domestic violence.

Domestic violence has appeared in the media more than ever; this has caught my attention and started my interest with the subject.

(100 Words)

Context And Concepts

In November 1991 Julie Donovan, a Marxist, published the booklet 'Stop Domestic Violence' this booklet has peoples experiences of domestic violence and says that domestic violence occurs in the homes of the rich and the middle classes just as much as in the homes of the working class.

Donovan says that the violence used against women stems from the belief based on the traditional ideas, and until very recently backed up by the law, that a man has the right to exert authority over a woman within the home and to use physical violence where necessary. Women on the other hand are supposed to be submissive and unquestioning of this authority.

Also in the booklet Donovan says that many women will have attempted to make a go of a violent marriage for the sake of their children. The threat of loosing their children (particularly if they cannot find a place to live) is another reason why women stay.
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Closer to the present, however, in late November 2001, Patrick Wintour and John Carvel wrote an article in the 'society' section of the Guardian newspaper. It says that Cherie Booth QC spearheaded a government drive to make domestic violence one of the most serious criminal offences in British law. She also helped to launch guidelines designed to increase the number of successful prosecutions.

At the launch of the guidelines she recalled she had "cut her teeth as a young barrister in her 20's representing abused women in court".

Domestic violence accounted for a quarter of all ...

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