This book examines the roles and interconnections between structural factors and individual agency in marital violence, focusing on women in heterosexual marital relationships. With the overall aim of improving recognition and strengthening responses to marital violence, it underlines what occurs as marital violence and why it is possibly occurring in the manner it does, while simultaneously demonstrating how it is dealt with and resisted. Based upon in-depth qualitative data focussing upon the experiences of women facing marital violence and key informants from Assam in Northeast India, this book sheds light upon four key areas. To begin with, what is named or recognised (and not recognised) as marital violence is assessed and a typology (and associated denials) informed by the capabilities approach is developed. Further, the re-victimisation that happens through and within both civil and criminal justice is explored. In addition to this, the existing structural context highlighting changes that occur at a broader economic, political, and social level, contextualising a society that is in transition, has been emphasised. To conclude, conditioned by distinct material-cultural constraints-enablers and acknowledging the role played by emotions, a temporal agential trajectory in response to marital violence is mapped, specifically through the concepts of Habitus and Reflexivity. In short, this book attempts to decolonise certain aspects of academic knowledge around marital violence by asserting the need to consider distinct natures and forms of violence and violations that occur within marriages and the acknowledgement of a spectrum of actions in the agential trajectory so that victims-survivors are not solely assessed by their decisions to stay or to leave an abusive marriage. It will be of interest to scholars, students, professionals, and policymakers working within social work, social policy, gender studies, and violence prevention.

Examining the prevalent issue of domestic violence, this book breaks down the reasons behind the ineffectiveness of existing human rights instruments and the gaps in current legal systems failing those in need. Through a variety of key case studies, it reveals significant gaps in the legal conceptualisation of domestic violence between human rights standards on the one hand and the national legal systems examined—those of Ireland and Lithuania—on the other. The book reveals that, contrary to gender-based universal human rights approaches and despite recent legislative reforms, the legal concept of domestic violence is gender-blind. It fails to capture gender-based empirical realities on the ground, rendering national legal systems devoid of an empirically informed theoretical basis for addressing the problem. Despite the differences in the contextual backgrounds of the two case study countries, the legislation on domestic violence is underpinned by patriarchal beliefs in both. This book employs a gender-based examination of the issue that will be of key interest to scholars, legal practitioners, civil society actors, and students of feminist legal theory, gender equality, gender in international law, gender and human rights and conceptual democracy.

Reprints of the most influential recent work in the field as well as more than a dozen newly commissioned essays explore theoretical issues, current research, service provision, and activism among Latinos, African Americans, Asian Americans, Jewish Americans, and lesbians. The volume rejects simplistic analyses of the role of culture in domestic violence by elucidating the support systems available to battered women within different cultures, while at the same time addressing the distinct problems generated by that culture. Together, the essays pose a compelling challenge to stereotypical images of battered women that are racist, homophobic, and xenophobic.

This volume examines social influences on violent events and violent behavior, particularly concentrating on how the risks of violent criminal offending and victimization are influenced by communities, social situations, and individuals; the role of spouses and intimates; the differences in violence levels between males and females; and the roles of psychoactive substances in violent events.

Aims to provide information on a variety of traditional and breakthrough issues in the complex phenomenon of domestic violence.

In this exciting new book John Hamel, author of the ground-breaking Gender-Inclusive Treatment of Intimate Partner Abuse, and Tonia Nicholls go beyond the traditional intervention theories of domestic violence practiced today. Offering alternative, unbiased and sometimes controversial views, theories, and current research, they, along with renowned contributors in the field, provide new treatment options that encompass a wide range of gender dynamics. Here are just some of the key principles covered: Interventions Should Be Based on a Thorough Unbiased Assessment Victim/Perpetrator Distinctions are Overstated, and Much Partner Abuse is Mutual Regardless of Perpetrator Gender, Child Witnesses to Partner Abuse are Adversely Affected, and are at Risk for Perpetrating Partner Abuse as Adults This new gender-inclusive approach to assessment and intervention provides a significant departure from traditional paradigms of domestic violence, and offers a much-needed awareness to effectively prevent violence in our communities today and for future generations.

This book aims to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive introduction to the subject of domestic violence and its interaction with the criminal justice system- including agencies such as the police, the Crown Prosecution Service, the probation service and Children's Services, the courts and the prison service, as well as voluntary agencies such as Women's Aid. The book also looks at how these various agencies work together at a local level and the coordinating role of the Home Office and the direction provided at a central level. Domestic Violence and Criminal Justice examines the phenomenon of domestic violence, the various forms it takes and the theories that have been put forward to explain it. It takes an historical approach to examine policy and legislative developments over the last forty years and how those developments make themselves manifest today. The authors provide an authoritative and critical account of the different agencies and the work they carry out both independently and jointly; they also consider the limits of a crime centred response to domestic violence. The book provides a conceptual framework in which domestic violence and criminal justice might be better understood. It covers all the current issues in this field and it will be a 'source book' in directing readers to further reading. It will be essential reading for both students and practitioners in the field.

Mainstream counselling in domestic violence often fails to address critical issues, such as gender socialisation processes and the abuse of power that allows violence against women, and focuses primarily on the intra-psychic nature of individual women. In contrast, feminist counselling is an effective alternative model, owing to its ability to address the fundamental correlation of abuse with power. In going beyond the individual, it helps women locate the source of their distress in the larger social context of power and control, manifesting in intimate, interpersonal relationships, and enables them to resist systemic oppression. This volume offers one of the first systematic documentations of feminist psychosocial interventions in India. It situates the issue of domestic violence in the historical context of the women’s movement, and examines institutional factors such as family and marriage that perpetuate abuse. Using extensive case studies, it discusses the methods, principles, techniques, skills and procedures followed by feminist organisations across the country, and their role in women’s empowerment. The book will serve as a practical reference guide to practitioners such as social workers, counsellors and para-counsellors, health activists, grassroots workers, protection officers and service providers. It will also be useful to scholars and students of psychology, sociology, women’s studies, law and public policy.

It is clear that physical abuse is an integral component of some intimate relationships. This book addresses not the violence but our responses or lack of responses to that violation of personal integrity and the accompanying trauma. How partner violence is responded to, individually and collectively, may well determine whether the violence can be prevented or will cease once begun. This text is intended to serve as a basic resource for the student, clinician and researcher. It provides a summary of how we have responded to such violence in the past and presents potential future directions for research and prevention efforts.

In addressing men-on-women violence, Domestic Violence: Identification and Restoration provides a look into the lives of the men who are perpetrators, as well as the women and children who experience domestic violence. The resulting physical and mental health issues related to women and children are addressed, as well as the personality characteristics of an abuser and the common behaviors oppressors use in the home and in public. The behaviors they commonly exhibit after separation are exposed, including the tactics generally used to sway the court, their lawyer, and their own family and friends in their favor. Domestic Violence explores what happens to brain neurology in women and children when both witnessing abuse and also when directly experiencing abuse. Included are steps to help women and children as well as scriptural encouragement for the victims and survivors at the end of each chapter. Also viewed are the difficulties experienced by the connected parents of the victim-partner, subject matter hardly ever, if ever, addressed. This book includes fundamental and indispensable information in one volume and is meant to not only help women and children in domestic violence situations, but also to educate the professional and ignite further research.