Documentary Analysis: The Worst Husband In The World

The documentary I watched is called The Worst Husband in the World. Produced by BBC the film focuses on the deaths in relation to domestic violence and that had occurred in Britain during 2013, in the span of the year 164 women were murdered in Britain and of that 164, 86 were murdered by their current or former partner/spouse. The filmmakers interview the family and friends of a handful of the victims talking about the victim’s before the abuse, during, ultimately their murder, and the after mass and continued impact of their murder. Throughout the film the family members who were interviewed read off the names age and headline details of the 86 victims.
A notable amount of thee victims come from working class and lower economic background and money and the lack there of was a major preceding factor in many cases. Domestic violence is not exclusive to the working class or low income and transcends economic status it I worth note that domestic violence disproportionately affects people of lower economic status. Lacking financial resources is a leading reason why women stay in abusive relationships. A number of cases in the document had heavy relation to finances and abusers controlling the finances in the relationship, even when the perpetrators of abuse were not the

breadwinners themselves.

In all cases covered in the film there was the underlying presence of inferiority. Be it the abuser combating their own feelings of inferiority through abuse or the abuser feeling the victim was inferior and therefore deserving of that abuse or the abuse not being of significant importance due to the victim’s “inferior status”. The status of women around the world is second to men. Even in modernized western countries such as the United States in which women are and afforded numerous privileges complete equality has yet to be achieved and women to at least some degree serve as a second class to men. For many of these women the abuse did not stop when they left even in cases where the court granted them restraining orders violence continued and very seldom was there any time served in a penitentiary by the abuser. In one case particular the abuser continued to stalk and harass his former spouse and his daughter for years after they had left. The two would call the police as they were instructed to by the court every time and he would be removed and face punishments for his breach of a court order but wasn’t sentenced to serve time in a correctional facility. This cycle of harassment and intimidation followed by the involvement of law enforcement continued until it all finally cumulated into him finally murdering his former spouse. During the investigation of the murder he openly admitted that the restraining orders were never going to stop him and that as long as he continued to be free the murder was inevitable.

Mental health and illness is a contributing factor to mot any abusive relationship.

There is a heavy correlation of mental illness in abusive individuals and individual treatment appropriate to the case is necessary but additionally there needs to be major cultural and social changes especially in regards to the status of women in society. For many perpetrators of abuse I think the most immediately effective treatment would be inpatient treatment of some sort where they would not only be separated from the victim but also receive help. Victims especially of long standing abuse would probably benefit from counseling a many suffer from mental health issue later down the line as a result of the

abuse.

The outreach I found is the National Domestic Violence Hotline, they run a website with a blog that provides advice and reports on studies and surveys regarding domestic violence. Their it also offers links to other resources and ways to get involved, as well a phone number and live chat feature where victims can reach out for help one on one.
The website can be found at TheHotline.org and their phone number is 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)