I support what both Elaine Walters and Cheryl Soehl have written in
response to this post.
We live in a society where violence against women is a substantial problem.
It can be viewed as a systemic problem in that it seems to be grounded in
the construction of masculinity. The persistence of the problem in spite of
the many programs focused on changing male behaviour tends to confirm this.
We must ask what is the nature of the social change required for a
reduction in violence against women to occur? It cannot be solely a
psychological reconfiguration of gender relations between individuals -
although it must include this. It needs firstly to bring change in overall
'normal', everyday individual male-female relations and, secondly, group
relations among the majority of members of our society. Gender relations of
power have to provide, for:
* toleration of change of feelings of love without arousing in the
partner overwhelming feelings of possessiveness or resort to violence,
* social non-acceptance of domination, through violence and victimisation,
to be maintained by one person towards another.
* general awareness of the occurrence of violence in relations between
'normal' people, and measures and research to prevent and/or reduce it.
The proposed changes lie in relations of power - ie. change in patterns of
relationships among the majority of people. It needs to be generally
acknowledged that at present violent relations exist not only in
exceptional ('abnormal') situations but more widely in many regularly
occurring ('normal') situations.
Change in violent relationships is central to the feminist project. It
cannot be just the concern of specialists appointed to deal with violence
in society. It is vitally important for women's organisations, whatever
their particular missions, give recognition to this and to define carefully
their role and contribution in reconfiguring gender relations which may
involve violence. Organisations need to bring acknowledgment and awareness
among their members, without denials, without protection of perpetrators,
but with resulting support and empowerment of women to change and control
their violent situations.
Sorry to have gone on at such length.
Margaret Sargent
Older Women Speak Up
Sydney, Australia
Margaret Sargent
>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 01/10/02 06:42AM >>>
>I have a question...Statistics show that women will get themselves into
>similar relationships unless counselling helps them break the pattern,
but do
>men tend to batter successive partners or does their behavior focus on one
>particular partner? (Will they repeat this behavior, in other words, with
>other partners?)
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