Going back to domestic violence using a text from Dobash and Dobash (Changing Violent Men, Sage Publications, 2000) it is suggested that this particular type of violence is ‘asymmetrical. I.e. that it is directed from the male partner in the relationship towards the female. The text goes on to mention the fact that it is not only women that are on the receiving end of violent actions but in a minority of cases that men are abused as well. However it beyond question that ‘the overall pattern of intimate violence is dominated by men as abusers and by women as the abused.’
Apart from this fact the text also mentions that a majority of cases where the male partner in the relationship is abused there is a history of the male partner having abused the female of the relationship.
So aside from domestic violent acts towards women, in what other areas of life can we see similar acts of violence? Even though some forms of violence may not be specifically directed towards women it would be interesting to see a percentage of incidents of a particular type of violent act between males and females. For example in cases concerning muggings it would be interesting to note what percentage of muggings are acts directed towards members of the female sex and what percentage of them would be directed towards males. This again goes back to a point made earlier about women being a more viable victim, because they appear weaker.
It seems that acts of violence can appear in any stage of life, and at any particular place. However from the British Crime survey we can see where different types of violent acts, and whom the victims of these violent acts are. Form the ‘Home Office Research and Statistics Directorate’ we can see what the effects of living in different areas have on the rate of crime. For example, as would be expected, within the inner city areas crime rates are a lot higher than those within rural areas. The evidence from the British Crime Surveys also shows the different types of crime within the different areas, such as burglary, vehicle theft, vandalism etc. Although the evidence given in the survey is general for both male and female, we can see that rates for females would be greater in inner city areas as well as repeat victimisation compared to rural areas and suburban areas.
Of course all acts of crime which involve some type of violence that are directed towards women will have some kind of effect upon the victims, but also on the conceptions of other women who have not yet possibly been victims. The extent of the effect of violent acts is what we are looking for and although we have only lightly touched on the surface of where these acts of violence take place we are beginning to miss the point. It is now time to go onto the second key area for discussion noted at the beginning of the essay. This being, what is the extent to which these acts of violence are carried out?
This second section of the essay is perhaps the one that needs to be concentrated on most of all, because from learning what the extent of these acts of violent crimes are, we can begin to make some sense of the first and third part of the essay.
The extent of violent acts carried out towards women can encompass such a huge spectrum. From domestic violence to rape the effects on the victim differs from person to person. ‘Changing Violent Men’ (sage publications, 2000) sites the differing injuries sustained by women through acts of domestic violence. These range from, as the text states, “usually bruising, but such attacks may also result in internal injuries, broken bones, and bleeding where blows break the skin.’ The text also gives evidence of interviews with men who conduct such acts of violence towards their female partners. One of these brief excerpts from an interview gives us some indication of what happens as a result of the attack.
“I’ve never been to court before about it, but I should have been. How’s that? Because I broke her jaw and they wouldn’t charge me for it. Because she had no witnesses… They wouldn’t charge me then, but they charge me now for a couple of bruises.”
The fact that this male committed a more serious act of violence against his partner and was not charged, but later got charged with an attack of less severity gives us some insight into how difficult it is to record the extent and effect that domestic violent crime has on women. So we know that women do experience quite horrific forms of attacks within the domestic arena, we also know that these attacks are reported, but not in all cases, but what of the attackers themselves, the male partners. Another account from the same text gives us some insight to how the male will justify his action towards the partner.
“Do you think you were right to hit her? Before and during it, yes, but after it, no. Before it and during it – well, it was just to shut her up, but when I saw what the damage was, I never meant to do that deliberately.”
Another factor that accounts for some of the facts of violent acts in domestic surroundings is that for the most part the males do not want the females to show or tell that they have been abused. The male in the relationship threatening the female often enforces this. This again goes back to the concept of the female being the weaker of the sexes.
This last factor is probably one of the main reasons why evidence from criminological investigations rarely represents the whole truth. Without the whole truth we can never complete the story, and see what the overall effect of these criminal investigations has on violent actions towards women.
The other main area of violent acts that are conducted towards women is of course sexual abuse. Again with this type of violent crime, such as rape, we never get the full story, because so many women are ashamed about the incident in question, and many times the incidents don’t actually come to light. It has only really been within the last two decades that women have really felt comfortable bringing this to light in the public eye.
Obviously with more and more women now coming forward to give evidence of violent acts being committed against them, we are beginning to see the bigger picture. Domestic abuse is no longer something that can be ignored and now many things are being done about it, such as refuges for ‘battered women,’ and also the women’s freedom league, this however was originally formed in October 1907.
Unfortunately it took a few women who were brave enough to go to their respective authorities to kick-start a generation of women who are not afraid to stand up and admit that they have been victims of violent acts, whether it be in the streets or at home.
In addressing the second part of the essay we have already begun to touch most of the points that we need to look at in the third part of the essay, this being; who are the perpetrators of these acts of violence and also what is the response of the victims? In looking at domestic crime it is fairly obvious who the perpetrators are. In fact in most cases of violent acts towards women the perpetrators are generally males. This again is unsurprising, and also goes back to what was said before about women being the physically weaker sex.
Also the response of the victims has been covered, but a little more should be said about this. Firstly, if it were not for the response of the victims we would not have criminal investigations to look at, which in turn would make it impossible to learn more about such acts of violence, not only towards women but also all other types of crime which occur. As has been already said, domestic crime and rape are two key areas that have not been reported so readily as others, because of the victims’ opposition to bring to the public light the ordeals that they went through, which is totally understandable.
In most domestic cases when the female partner does report the incident to the police there is little that can be done about it if there are no other witnesses, as a previous quote has shown, Restraining orders can be taken out against the offending partner, but only minimal charges will be brought about, except in special circumstances, when the violent act conducted was seriously life threatening.
From looking at the above three areas that make up the essay, we can see that the main areas where we should be concerned about violence directed towards women is in either domestic cases or when looking at sexual abuse. Of course women do fall victims to other types of malicious attacks, such as muggings, burglary, car theft, etc. All of which happen to everybody, yet when these acts are put into the perspective of violent acts directed towards women it becomes hard to differentiate between acts against males and females. This is where criminal investigations can help. We can see from such investigations what percentages apply to each sex, and in the majority of cases will be male perpetrators directing attacks on females. It plainly boils down to the fact that women are seen as far easier targets than men. But what is to be done, is it just a fact of life that women will always fall victim to such violent attacks from men? This maybe the case, but without women coming forward and admitting that such acts have occurred and reporting them to whoever it concerns nothing will be done, and no one will learn from what has happened.
Crimes of violence directed towards women will always be a plague to human kind, but unfortunately it will never be completely eradicated, just as crime itself will never be completely eradicated. However, through research into criminal investigations we can learn how to spot patterns and in turn begin to prevent such violent crimes being committed. This being the same for other crimes as well. We will never be free of violent crimes, but it is important to acknowledge the fact that we can learn from past acts of violent crime so that in future we can start to bring it to an end, or at the very least, slow the growing rate of violent crimes.
Changing Violent Men, Sage Publications, 2000.
Changing Violent Men, Sage Publications, 2000,pp3.
Changing Violent Men, Sage Publications, 2000, pp18.
Changing Violent Men, Sage Publications, 2000, pp19.
Women, Policing, and Male Violence, Routledge Press, 1989.
