Family's and Households : Domestic violence Flashcards
(13 cards)
What is meant by domestic violence in sociology?
➡️ Acts of physical, psychological, sexual, financial or emotional abuse within intimate or family relationships, often involving power and control.
What is the radical feminist explanation of domestic violence?
➡️ Dobash & Dobash (1979):
Men use violence to control women
Triggered by what men see as a challenge to their authority
Domestic violence is an inevitable feature of patriarchy
How does patriarchy explain domestic violence?
➡️ Society is structured in a way that privileges men
➡️ The family is a key patriarchal institution where men assert dominance and control over women
➡️ Wilkinson (1996):
➡️ Wilkinson (1996):
DV is the result of stress caused by social inequality, not patriarchy
E.g. Low income, overcrowded housing, job insecurity = more conflict and tension
What is a criticism of Wilkinson’s materialist view?
➡️ It doesn’t explain why women are the main victims
➡️ Ignores gendered power dynamics in relationships
What did Yearnshire (1997) find about reporting domestic violence?
➡️ The average woman suffers 35 assaults before reporting
➡️ Domestic violence is the least likely crime to be reported
What did Cheal (1991) argue about police reluctance?
➡️ Police and agencies may not get involved because:
Family is seen as private
Family is positive and protective
People are free agents and responsible for themselves
How do official statistics misrepresent the scale of domestic violence?
➡️ Many cases go unreported or unrecorded
➡️ State agencies often label it as “isolated incidents”
➡️ Dark figure of crime is high for domestic abuse
Who are the most at-risk groups for domestic violence?
➡️ According to official stats:
Women (especially young)
Low-income households
Ethnic minorities
Drug/alcohol users
People with mental health issues
What does the marxist feminist explanation say?
➡️ Ansley (1972):
“Women are takers of shit”
➡️ Male violence is a product of capitalist frustration and stress
➡️ The family absorbs capitalist oppression
What do postmodernists or personal life theorists say about DV?
➡️ They might emphasise individual experience and how different meanings are attached to violence in families
➡️ Importance of looking at qualitative experiences, not just broad theories
Evaluation: How can we understand male victims of domestic violence?
➡️ Crime Survey for England and Wales: Around 1 in 3 victims are men
➡️ Still less likely to report due to stigma and disbelief
Policy responses to domestic violence?
✅ Clare’s Law (right to know if partner has DV history)
✅ Domestic Abuse Act (2021) – new legal definition includes emotional & coercive control
✅ Creation of refuges, hotlines, safeguarding measures
