Violence in the Family: Local Actions, An International Problem

Abstract

The issue of domestic violence against women is hardly a secret for anyone in toady’s world. International Women’s Movements have brought the issue into mass consciousness; from the 1970’s in Western Europe and since 1989 in Eastern Europe, a multitude of new organisations and institutions have arisen to help battle this problem. The study of violence to women concerns separating cultural and wider communal factors from the specific factors that drive each individual who commits domestic violence. The main achievement in recent decades has been to bring these issues out of the ‘private’ domain of the household and into the general field of human rights protection. This has revealed the structures of male domination at the head of household, a power system that tends toward abuse. This article provides an overview of academic work in domestic violence, relevant statistics in this area and an assessment of theoretical approaches to understanding why domestic violence occurs in certain families. The results reveal not only individual aggression but also individual tolerance of violence, which allows these destructive ways of living to go on for many years. The author suggests methods for reducing domestic violence by overviewing what can be done on the political level and in the media, as well as addressing the institutional forms that can combat this issue. What emerges is the need for a multidimensional strategy in dealing with violence. The author highlights three aspects. Firstly, this refers to the prevention of violence can be achieved by widespread social condemnation of the act. Secondly, the protection of the victim and punishment of the perpetrator must be assured by effective police work and legislative procedures. Finally, the provision of support networks in state and NGO agencies are needed by victims and perpetrators and must be a priority, so these people can start a new phase in their lives and reintegrate into society.