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Introduction sample of domestic violence
Introduction sample of domestic violence
Feminist movement and violence against women
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My case study will be on domestic violence focusing on the abuse and murder of Kelly Anne Bates who was murdered by her partner in 1996. A wide range of issues will be discussed based on domestic violence and what Kelly Bates and may others have experienced. These include perceptions, changes in responses, criminal justice system police and courts changing attitudes and legislation, primary secondary victimisation, statistics, underreporting, health professionals, male victims and Northern Ireland statistics. Ill also bring in examples relating to the story of Kelly Anne Bates.
Kelly Anne Bates died at the age of 17, on 16th April 1996 in Manchester. She was murdered by James Smith, a 49-year-old with a history of violence towards women. Kelly Anne was just 14 when Smith first targeted her – and 16 when she moved in with him. Kelly Anne had been tortured over a period of 4 weeks suffering ‘150 separate injuries on her body she had lost around 20 kg in weight and had not received water for several days before her death’ (Wikipedia: the free encyclopaedia, 2015). Peter Openshaw QC, the prosecutor said: “It was as if he deliberately disfigured her, causing her
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the utmost pain and degradation … The cause of death was drowning” (Peter Openshaw, cited in for our daughters, 2015). Mr Bates was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Victims suffer physical, psychological, emotional abuse. Domestic violence leads to potential physical Injuries and/or difficulties death and suicide, sexual and reproductive health problems, foetal mortality and abnormalities, mental health issues, drug and alcohol abuse, higher levels of morbidity: strokes/disabilities. Domestic violence is an intimate crime which is aimed at one person but the consequences of this crime affect family, social and economic costs too. This type of victimisation is intimate violence within the household. Domestic violence is academically defined as “violence between intimates living together or are/have cohabited together” (Buzawa, 2003). Perceptions of domestic violence have changed over time and is recognised as a serious crime now, going back it was just seen as a ‘domestic’. Domestic violence legislation didn’t come about until 90’s. To become a wife meant that she took on special legal status and placed her in the same status and children therefore rendering herself obedient to the husband as she relied on him for support. Blackstone talks about chastisements and said they were popular for keeping the wife in line and said ‘the wife had no legal action against him’ (Blackstone cited in dobash and dobash 1980). In the 1980s police didn’t do much for victims of domestic violence when they called for help. One study in Great Britain showed that officers would be dispatched but if they heard nothing outside the residence they would exit the premises and report ‘all quiet on arrival’ and no call for police action’ (Buzawa, 2003). This raises the issue of underreporting and Sheptycki says ‘60% of all domestic calls were never processed’ (Sheptyck, cited in Buzawa 2003). There’s been a change in responses, domestic violence is publicised globally through media, campaigns and internet.
Reasons for this change could be feminist campaigns. One famous movement grew internationally. 500 women and children marched in support of a feminist movement and in November 1971 Chiswick women’s aid was open. They could talk about ideas, escape from isolation or seek help. One woman was ‘beaten so severely by her husband she jumped out one storey window to escape’ (Dobash and Dobash 1980). Within that year women’s aid groups were growing and gaining media attention. The House of Commons appointed a select committee on ‘violence against women 1974’ (Dobash and dobash, 1980). Earlier examples would be the ‘Bicentennial exhibition on women in America’ from 1750 – 1815 (Dobash and dobash,
1980). Women’s aid now has many refuges for women giving them a shelter if they suffer abuse. The media has raised awareness e.g. would be the white ribbon to symbolise saying ‘no’ to domestic violence, various adverts and celebrity intervention e.g. Daniel Craig. Criminal justice system has had developments in relation to domestic violence notably rape in marriage became a crime in 1991 giving the victim the right to prosecute perpetrator. It wasn’t seen as a crime before, Joan Zorza comments ‘injuries that wives receive from marital rape are more severe than those received from rape at the hands of a stranger, yet if a wife was raped by her husband before 1970, the strongest charges she could bring were assault charges or a divorce on cruelty grounds’ (Zorza, 1992). Cynthia was a victim of martial rape and domestic violence in 1996. She said "When I told him no, he held me down to the floor, and forcefully had sex with me, even though I was crying telling him to get off and stop”(Cynthia, 1996). Kelly Anne Bates was also raped by her older husband on numerous occasions. Also the domestic violence crime and victims act 2004. Its main aims are "To make provision about homicide; to make assault an offence; to make provision for the payment of surcharges by offenders and about alternative verdicts, also to provide for a procedure where a jury tries only sample counts on an indictment; to make provision about findings of unfitness to plead and about persons found unfit to plead or not guilty by reason of insanity” (Domestic violence crime and victims act, 2004). This has gave victims the right to prosecute perpetrators and get the treatment they deserve after. Courts have also developed in the way they treat domestic violence ‘Domestic violence courts differ from traditional courts in their attempt to get to the root of social problems and to catalyse fundamental social change’ (Bermann and Feinblatt, 2001 cited in Mirchandani 2006 ).
Another effect was the creation of the Men and Women's Club who met to discuss sex, it was composed of: liberals, socialists, and feminists intellectuals. Mrs. Weldon, a wife and medium is used as an example of the changing rhetoric of gender
It is no secret that no matter how much women continue to strive in the workplace, politics, etc., inequality will always persist. Throughout American history, the oppression of women has caused an adverse effect on humanity. Some men believed that embracing women as worthy of equal opportunities was a threat to them, as all the rules would be changing. However, the 1900s witnessed a change in that trend, as women started to fight and stand up for their rights. Women have stood on the frontline of this conflict, but at the end of the day they are only requesting “The power or privilege to which one is justly entitled” So, how did women’s role in society evolve from 1919 to 1941?
Actually the blasts of the 1950s highly affected various ladies; books and magazine articles ("Don't Be Afraid to Marry Young," "Cooking To Me Is Poetry," " Femininity Begins At Home ") encouraged ladies to leave the workforce and spotlight on their parts as spouses and moms. The possibility that a ladies' most imperative role was to hold up under and back kids wasn't new yet it began to create a considerable measure of disillusionment among ladies who yearned for a better life. (In her 1963 book "The Feminine Mystique," ladies' rights promoter Betty Friedan contended that suburbia were "covering ladies alive."). This discontent, in this way, added to the restart of the feminist movement in the
Rosen, Ruth. The World Split Open: How the Modern Women's Movement Changed America. New York: Viking Penguin, 2000. 196.
Even though women were discriminated throughout society in the 1920’s, they still fought for their rights as women that deserved an important role within our society. This change in women’s attitude influenced women across the world to value themselves and their importance. Women in the 1920’s changed the 20th century, and they are still changing society as we know it in our generation and will keep doing so for generations to
Most traditional societies and until recent times, women generally were at a disadvantage. Their education sometimes was limited to domestic skills (“Women’s rights” n.p.). After, there was revolutions, and working women in the former soviet union intended to hold low paying jobs. They were also represented in party and government councils (“Women’s rights” n.p.). The late 1960s and early 70s active feminists organized numerous women’s rights group (“Women’s rights”n.p.). Women encountered discrimination in many forms. In 1960 equal opportunities were given to women (“Women’s rights” n.p.). During the women’s movement certain social institutions and traditional values, were questioned (“Women’s rights” n.p.). Else where in the world the women’s rights movement has also made progress in achieving its goals. In nearly every nation, women have the right to vote and hold public office (“Women’s rights” n.p.). Women’s rights movement made progress in achieving goals in nearly every nation after that (“Women’s rights” n.p.). Major unsponsored conferences on women were held in 1975, 1980, 1985, and 1995 (“Women’s rights” n.p.).
In the late 1700s after the American revolution there was an industrial revolution and men started the earn money while the women stayed home. All the way through the early 1800s there was a huge deterioration in women's rights. In 1824 the courts voted in favor of " The Rule Of Thumb" which stated that a man could beat his wife if the stick was less thick than the width of his thumb. They also lost their right to vote. The women's dresses had to get more and more elaborate with hoop skirts by the mid 1800s. They became icons of beauty and nothing more.
Mary Bell was a murderer, sadistic torturer of her victims, and a victim, more importantly she was a child. At the age of 10 Bell had killed two boys before the age of eleven. Growing up in the financially depressed town of Newcastle in England, in which Bell lived an impoverished life. Bell was born to her Betty Bell, a prostitute who suffered with mental illness and her father, presumed to be Billy Bell, a lifelong criminal who had a history of violence and was frequently unemployed. At the time of Mary’s birth, her parents were not married, and only married a few years after her birth.
With all the new acts being passed women were able to go to school and work, and women pursued these new opportunities. There was a rising rate of women enrolling in colleges. Females surpassed the number of men applying (The Role of Women in the 70 's - Exploring the Seventies). Thousands of women were going to college and participating highly in clubs and sometimes sports. Not only were women participating in schooling, women started to hold positions in Congress. Three percent of our congressional representatives were women by the 1970s. There were many newspaper job ads created that were calling for the help of women, thus promoting more women to enter the workforce. Along with these changes there was more personal strengths created in the home. Husbands were getting regularly involved with family meals and housework, thus creating more financial and emotional strength in families (Eisenberg). In the late 70’s females were not only participating in college for their education but they were also obtain financial ground stating the employer 's can not discrimination against pregnant women (The 1960s-70s American Feminist Movement: Breaking Down Barriers for
The Family Law Legislation Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Act 2011 (Cth) will significantly improve protection for children and families at risk of violence and abuse. The amendments were made to the previous Act of 2006 to help people within the family law system to better understand violence and abuse and ensure it is reported and responded to more effectively. Relevant research will be assessed to provide background information on reforms of the Family Law Act, and how these changes have helped lead to the Amendment Act of 2011. This essay will evaluate the changes that were made in 2011 and whether these changes have led to improving the protection for children and families at risk of violence and abuse.
Wolhuter, Lorraine, Neil Olley, and David Denham. Victimology: victimisation and victims’ rights. London: Routledge-Cavendish, 2009.
In this article, Dr Olivia Smith aimed to examine how courts deal with rape trials and treatment and care of survivors. She believed there was a “need for the research to be carried out because of an inadequate response to rape by the police and courts, plus the poor implementation of Special Measures for vulnerable survivors.” She believed one important reason was ‘the pervasive use of stereotypes used to justify rape and undermine survivors.” This research was carried out in 2012
BIBLIOGRAPHY Barron et. al. 1992 WAFE Evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee Enquiry into Domestic Violence Bristol: WAFE Woman’s Aid Federation (England) Report 1992 Hague & Malos 1995 Against Domestic Violence: Inter Agency Initiatives Bristol SAUS Punching Judy BBC Television Programme 1989 Domestic Violence – Report of an Inter Agency Working Party 1992 Mooney J 1994 The Hidden Figures: Domestic Violence in North London London Islington Police & Crime Unit Inter-Agency Circular; Inter Agency Co-Ordination to Tackle Domestic Violence Home Office, 1995 Grace S 1995 Policing Domestic Violence in the 1990’s Home Office Research Study British Crime Survey 1996 The Home Office Dobash/Dobash/Cavanagh/Lewis 1996 Research Evaluation of Programmes for violent Men Scottish Office Central Research Unit Dobash/Dobash/Cavangh/Lewis 1996 Re-Education Programmes for Violent men – an Evaluation Home Office Research Findings No 46 Domestic Violence & Repeat Victimisation Home Office Police Research Briefing Note No 1/98 The Family Law Act Part IV 1996
Throughout the 19th century, feminism played a huge role in society and women’s everyday lifestyle. Women had been living in a very restrictive society, and soon became tired of being told how they could and couldn’t live their lives. Soon, they all realized that they didn’t have to take it anymore, and as a whole, they had enough power to make a change. That is when feminism started to change women’s roles in society. Before, women had little to no rights, while men, on the other hand, had all the rights.
Then there was the woman’s movement and women felt they deserved equal rights and should be considered man’s equal and not inferior. The man going out to work, and the wife staying home to care for the home and the children would soon become less the norm. This movement would go on to shape the changes within the nuclear family. Women deci...