Greetings, I tend to agree with Ms Pringle's statement about the effectiveness of counselling on wife abusers. I know of several cases here where such people, once caught out, will willingly attend counselling just to show the world that they are trying their best to change their behavior. It sometimes becomes only a window dressing because once they are in their homefront they begin to enforce their so called "power" and unquestionable rights on their family members.
Many a time, the abused spouses tolerate it because of society's tolerance for such male dominated behavior, family's lack of support for the abused wife, the guilt feeling of being disloyal and betrayal if they were to complain about their husbands to outsiders, the ostracisation that the wives and their families may have to face if they were to take their husbands to task. I think we will have to take culture and gender roles into account when dealing with home violence because in certain cultures, the males are the superior beings and as such call all the shots, whether right or wrong. In fact, this is further reenforced by the way they are nurtured from young. So, if they are unable to impose their will and exercise their power in other settings, be it the office or elsewhere, they take it out on the poor wife and the helpless kids. Therefore, I think there is a need to change the mind sets and to empower women and provide them with educational opportunities so that they are able to decide for their own well being. Education for women has to be emphasised because it is only through this means that women can become a force in their own right and be appreciated for their valuable contribution to family, community and society. Saraswathy Rajagopal, Senior Program Coordinator, Advanced Leadership & Executive Development Centre, INTAN, Bukit Kiara Campus Kuala Lumpur Tel: 603-2506838/2506843 Fax: " 2534135/3810354 E mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ***End-violence is sponsored by UNIFEM and receives generous support from ICAP*** To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe end-violence OR type: unsubscribe end-violence Archives of previous End-violence messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/end-violence/hypermail/
