Global Women Issues (Domestic Violence)

In summary, the conversation focused on a story about a victim of domestic violence, which led to discussions about the prevalence of domestic violence globally and in western societies. The conversation also delved into the idea of modernization and its connection to violence against women, as well as the role of economics and inequality in perpetuating such violence. The conversation also touched on the need for direct action to address the root causes of domestic violence.
  • #1
rootX
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4
This emerged from random thoughts on a story about a victim of domestic violence:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16201961
Human rights groups in Bangladesh have demanded a severe punishment for the husband of a young wife who allegedly cut off most of her right hand.

I believe we never had a dedicated thread on global domestic violence. So, I am creating this thread.
Evo said:
I certainly hope that she receives the financial, medical, and emotional help she deserves and that they throw the book at her husband. Why do men there feel that their wives are lower than cattle? Where does this thinking come from? What is being done to correct and stop it?

I think the questions evo asked are very interesting. It can lead to a worthwhile discussion.

P.S. Please keep your posts short if you only want to provide opinions without any evidences or substance.
 
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  • #2
From random thoughts in reply to people were making modernization arguments:

Domestic violence is present in western societies also. Just few weeks ago I posted a story about a UK guy who tried to bury alive his girlfriend. Here are some stories I found about domestic violence in western societies:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-16074826
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-16038931 (this doesn't fall directly under domestic violence)
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-224-x/85-224-x2000010-eng.pdf (Canada's domestic violence statistics):
Chapter 4 – Spousal Violence
• There was a decline between 1993 and 1999 in rates of spousal violence against women in most provinces. At
the same time, there was an upward trend in the use of criminal justice and social services by victims.
• Aboriginal women were more likely than were other Canadians to report violence by a spouse. In addition, rates
of spousal homicide among Aboriginal women were more than eight times higher than for non-Aboriginal
women (47 per million couples compared to 6 per million). Aboriginal men had rates of spousal homicide
18 times higher than non-Aboriginal men (28 per million couples compared to 2 per million).
• Marital separation does not necessarily mark the end of a violent relationship. According to the 1999 GSS,
37% of women and men with a former violent marriage or common-law relationship reported that the violence
continued after the couple separated.
• Marital separation is a factor that elevates the rate of spousal homicide for women but not for men. Between
1991 and 1999, women were killed by estranged husbands at a rate of 39 per million couples compared to a
rate of 5 per million killed by current husbands. Risk of spousal homicide was lower on average for men: 2 men
per million couples were killed by an ex-partner, and 1 per million couples was killed by a current marital
partner.

I used to believe in modernization arguments that some societies are backwards and they will catch on with liberal practices as time passes. However, the anthro course I took called modernization an ethnocentric term. This is just a quick paper I grabbed from google:
http://www.arts.uAlberta.ca/cms/krishnan.pdf [Broken]
However, equating modernization with westernization is ethnocentric
and is not supported by prevailing evidence. Modernization is not confined only to
the west; on the contrary, the process is global and in some ways, East Asia is now
leading the process of modernization (Inglehart, Modernization 11).
My anthro course went further in claiming that globalization is doing greater harm than good. It was certainly a biased course but some of the arguments it tried to forward were really worth exploring.I still haven't responded to the evo's questions because I couldn't think of any answers.
 
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  • #3
Good thread idea. I have quite a few articles of violence against women that are widespread in the non-western world that seem to be widely accepted there. I don't have time to dig them up tonight, but will tomorrow.

Just to throw some of the topics out that I will posting, women being lashed and jailed for wearing pants in the Sudan, young girls murdered by their family for being raped in the Middle East, women stoned to death for adultery, the male set free in Afghanistan, sexual mutilation, Saudi Arabian women not allowed to drive because it will make them "promiscuous". Forty million girls missing in India, young girls in India burned alive in a pit by villagers. Woman beheaded in Riyahd, Saudi Arabia Dec 12th for withcraft. These things have all been in the news this past year.
 
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  • #4
I view it as a human rights issue essentially no different from any other human rights issue. Take away a woman's right to earn a living and you might as well shoot her in the head or lock her up in chains. Its exploitation and whether you kill someone by beating them to death or starving them they end up dead either way.

In the US women in urban areas tend to look for potential mates with money. Their environment demands money for raising a family and the US is the wealthiest country in the world, but a little over a century ago women weren't even allowed to own property and today they make about 86% of what men do for the same work. At that its a huge improvement over just fifty years ago when they made about 60% and there wasn't a single shelter for battered women in the entire country. Address the economic inequalities and a lot of the violence decreases but, if anything, economic equality is taking a nose dive in the US and worldwide.

People can get all high and mighty and jump on that stump ranting and raving about morality, but the Bible Belt in the US has the highest rates of abortion, STDs, divorce, homicide, etc. Its pretty obvious that there comes a point when words alone do not suffice and direct action must be taken. Sweeping action that doesn't just address the symptoms, but deals with the real problems comprehensively and in fundamental ways.
 
  • #5
rootX said:
This emerged from random thoughts on a story about a victim of domestic violence:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16201961
That's pretty disgusting.

rootX said:
Human rights groups in Bangladesh have demanded a severe punishment for the husband of a young wife who allegedly cut off most of her right hand.
Well jolly good for them.

rootX said:
I think the questions evo asked are very interesting. It can lead to a worthwhile discussion.
Ok, I'll reproduce my reply to Evo from another other thread.

Evo said:
Why do men there feel that their wives are lower than cattle?
My guess would be that it's for essentially the same reason(s) that men here thought the same way, for the most part, until fairly recently. Now, it seems, only a minority of Western men think that way, and Western laws now generally reflect the evolution from medieval (even primeval) thinking and social mores to the current state of affairs in the West.

Evo said:
Where does this thinking come from?
This is a question for the social sciences forums, however, a quick guess might trace it to the fact that the males of our species are (and, afaik, have always been), generally, larger and more physically powerful than the females. And the assertion of male dominance connected with that accident of birth seems to be, to a certain extent, encoded in the primary organized religions of today -- two of which seem to have changed a bit to fit the times (Christianity and Judaism), and one which seems to be lagging somewhat behind (Islam).

Evo said:
What is being done to correct and stop it?
Increased appreciation for the ideal of equality of justice -- primarily via globalization and increased communication via the internet, imo. Also, the realization, by many males, that intellectual and emotional strength are at least as important as physical strength, and that males don't have the biological 'near monopoly' on ascendancy wrt those qualities that they do wrt physical size and strength.

rootX said:
Please keep your posts short if you only want to provide opinions without any evidences or substance.
Men are, and, afaik always been, generally bigger and stronger (physically) than women. Because of this fact men have, historically, bullied and subjugated women. Is there some big mystery about this? I don't think so.

I've been a bully, and I've been bullied. And through it all, I've come to despise bullies and will be forever ashamed of the times when I've been a bully.

The medieval practice of the religious and social sanctioning of the bullying and subjugation of women is one of the reasons why I find the major organized religions, and especially Islam, to be repugnant and contrary to the ideals of freedom, justice and equality.
 
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  • #7
This is exactly why I would not make a good policeman. If I received a call for a wife beater or a child molester I would shoot them. Sorry to be so blunt, I feel very strongly on this subject.
 
  • #8
navynuclear said:
This is exactly why I would not make a good policeman. If I received a call for a wife beater or a child molester I would shoot them. Sorry to be so blunt, I feel very strongly on this subject.

People who have to deal with this stuff have to be incredibly mentally strong. I think this is even truer of people who work with (physically/mentally/sexually) abused children.
 
  • #9
On another note, I recently saw a video get posted of a woman who was stoned to death - yes, the video showed her die. I didn't watch it. In the first two seconds you see her (covered in blue garbs) and men talking in the background. I got sick and had to shut it off before the first stone was thrown.
 
  • #10
The unfortunate thing is that human injustice in its many forms happens every single day around the world all the time.

It interesting because one poster above brought up the concept of globalization. In the process of so called free trade, many people end up buying products that are built on the blood and sweat of slave labor, yet in this case, they either a) don't care or b) just avoid the issue.

I think the best thing we can do is to set an example ourselves in our own lives. We can't save the world, but we can live a good life and encourage those around us to do the same. For change to happen it has to start with ourselves before it can spread elsewhere.

In terms of injustices in places where the geography, culture, and values are foreign to ours, it helps to try and understand these things and often doing so requires us to suspend our emotional reactions and disbelief that these people are just bad in nature.

I don't condone anything like this, but I think its important to be aware of the context surrounding what goes on.
 
  • #11
Another case:
http://news.yahoo.com/afghan-girl-locked-toilet-5-months-officials-165016469.html [Broken]

Afghan police have rescued a teenage girl who was beaten and locked up in a toilet for over five months after she defied her in-laws who tried to force her into prostitution, officials said Tuesday.
 
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1. What is domestic violence and why is it considered a global women issue?

Domestic violence, also known as intimate partner violence, is a pattern of abusive behavior used by one partner to gain power and control over another in an intimate or familial relationship. It is considered a global women issue because it disproportionately affects women, with an estimated 1 in 3 women experiencing physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

2. What are some common forms of domestic violence?

Domestic violence can take many forms, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, financial abuse, and digital abuse. These behaviors can include physical attacks, threats, insults, manipulation, controlling behaviors, and more.

3. How does domestic violence impact women's health?

Domestic violence can have serious physical and mental health consequences for women. It can lead to physical injuries, chronic pain, sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancies, and mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. It can also contribute to long-term health problems, including heart disease and substance abuse.

4. What are some barriers women face in seeking help for domestic violence?

Women may face a variety of barriers in seeking help for domestic violence, including fear of retaliation, financial dependence on their abuser, cultural or religious beliefs, lack of knowledge about available resources, and shame or guilt. Additionally, many women may not recognize their experience as domestic violence or may feel that they have no options for leaving the abusive relationship.

5. What can be done to address and prevent domestic violence against women?

To address and prevent domestic violence, it is important to promote gender equality, educate individuals about healthy relationships and consent, and provide support and resources for survivors. This can include implementing laws and policies to protect victims, providing access to safe housing and financial resources, and offering counseling and other support services. It is also crucial to challenge societal attitudes and beliefs that perpetuate violence against women and to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.

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