Domestic Violence

Would you use violence on a woman or child?

MYTH 1
Domestic violence does not affect many people.

FACT
A woman is beaten every 15 seconds. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, Report to the nation on Crime and Justice. The Data. Washington DC Office of Justice Program, US Dept. of Justice. Oct 1983)

Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between ages 15 and 44 in the united States - more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined. (Uniform Crime Reports, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1991)

Battered women are more likely to suffer miscarriages and to give birth to babies with low birth weights. (Surgeon General, United States, 1992)

Sixty-three percent of the young men between the ages of 11 and 20 who are serving time for homicide have killed their mother’s abuser. (March of Dimes, 1992)

MYTH 2
Battering is only a momentary loss of temper.

FACT
Battering is the establishment of control and fear in a relationship through violence and other forms of abuse. The batterer uses acts of violence and a series of behaviors, including intimidation, threats, psychological abuse, isolation, etc. to coerce and to control the other person. The violence may not happen often, but it remains as a hidden (and constant) terrorizing factor. (Uniform Crime Reports, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1990)

“One in five women victimized by their spouses or ex-spouses report they had been victimized over and over again by the same person.” (The Basics of Batterer Treatment, Common Purpose, Inc., Jamaica Plain, MA)

MYTH 3
Domestic violence only occurs in poor, urban areas.

FACT
Women of all cultures, races, occupations, income levels, and ages are battered - by husbands, boyfriends, lovers and partners. (Surgeon General Antonia Novello, as quoted in Domestic Violence: Battered Women, publication of the Reference Department of the Cambridge Public Library, Cambridge, MA)

"Approximately one-third of the men counseled (for battering) at Emerge are professional men who are well respected in their jobs and their communities. these have included doctors, psychologists, lawyers, ministers, and business executives. (For Shelter and Beyond, Massachusetts Coalition of Battered Women Service Groups, Boston, MA 1990)

MYTH 4
Domestic violence is just a push, slap or punch - it does not produce serious injuries.

FACT
Battered women are often severely injured - 22 to 35 percent of women who visit medical emergency rooms are there for injuries related to ongoing partner abuse. (David Adams, “Identifying the Assaultive Husband in Court: You be the Judge.” Boston Bar Journal, 33-4, July/August 1989)

One in four pregnant women have a history of partner violence. (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1992)

MYTH 5
It is easy for battered women to leave their abuser.

FACT
Women who leave their batterers are at a 75% greater risk of being killed by the batterer than those who stay. (Barbara Hart, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1988)

Nationally, 50 percent of all homeless women and children are on the streets because of violence in the home. (Senator Joseph Biden, U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Violence Against Women: Victims of the System, 1991)

There are nearly three times as many animal shelters in the United States as there are shelters for battered women and their children. (Senate Judiciary Hearings, Violence Against Women Act, 1990)
cybergrrl.com/views/dv//book/myth.html

When I read these facts, I ask myself whether men are just expressing their deep frustration in an unjust world, or whether these men are just simply cowards that are on an ego-trip.

What makes men batter women?

What about the Members of the Forum?

Shalom
Bob

i’ve seen it(for real), and i’m as disgusted by it as you are… probably more even…

those men are usually lacking social skills…

thing is…

many men are…

you’d be surprised how many men seem nice when you meet em, but are actually beating up their family… wives and children

i’m not sure where it comes from, but men sometimes have the urge to feel powerfull and don’t…
compensation maybe…

My moral dilemma has always been whether to report neighbors who i know are guilty of this kind of behavior. Any thoughts?

What’s the dilemma? Why would you ever not report it?

Peace with your neighbors vs. keeping a woman from getting beaten up. Like a lot of moral di-lemmas, it is truly complex. Should i take on a hostile neighbor when the battered woman could leave at any time? The consequences could be gruesome if i reported it, she could get beaten up even more, for example.

Still, i understand that some battered women have low self esteem, a product of their sub-standard mate, and this may prevent them from leaving. Also women still earn less than men and thus are more economically dependent on men.

1. Assuming a woman miscarries after being beaten up, some good will come of it: her unborn baby (the conception of which was selfish anyway for a number of reasons) won’t get born, and hence won’t have to live in a broken home, or this shithole world for that matter.

2. That’s what you get for marrying the first man that stuck his cock into you. In fact, that’s what you get for marrying at all.

3. Mandatory abortions would solve this problem (no people = no domestic violence).

4. 

I would just like to add that my poll response was, “Not if i could help it.”. After all i think i could conceive of situations where i would die rather than maim or kill innocent Women and children. I’ve never hit a girl, not even in childhood.

You obviously never had sisters of the same age then.

Honestly though, a few childhood scuffles with my sisters aside, I’ve never raised my hands to anyone, either male or female. I’m a strong believer in pacifism.

The momment you raise need to raise your hands to make a point is the momment you’ve run out of intellegent arguements.

I’d also only raise my hands in self-defense if fleeing was absolutely not an option, and, once again, this would still hold true no matter the gender of my attacker.

Marshall you say though your response would be not if you could help it for hitting a woman. So if a crazed woman cornered you with a knife and started stabbing you then you still wouldn’t raze your hand to her? I’m just curious as to what other situations you could think of where beating up a woman would save your life if she wasn’t the one threatening you.

weird relationship you guys have…

Bob, You are in Germany. What are the laws concerning Domestic Violence? In English, as I cannot read legal german. I have this problem with my German Husband. Your information would be greatly appreciated.