Research Project on Domestic Violence
What single crisis affects at least 2 million women of all surroundings each year and is the most common reason for women entering hospital emergency rooms, superseding to childbirth, automobile accidents, muggings and all other medical emergencies (Mills, 1996)? The correct answer is domestic violence.
Domestic violence, which is a form of battering, encompasses slapping, punching, pushing someone down, strangling, kicking, using objects to strike, intimidating with weapons, stabbing, and shooting (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2002). Although these verbs seem disturbing enough, the most alarming fact is that only an estimated 14 percent of American women who experience battery ever make contact with the police (Mills, 1996).
There are many reasons as to why battered women fail to seek legal support as well as help from other professionals. The reasons may include having an economic dependence on the spouse, a lack of self-efficacy, a fear of retaliation the abuser, traditional beliefs opposing divorce, cultural barriers, thoughts that they are to blame for the abuse, fear of being without social supports, fear her children’s safety and legal custody, and surprisingly love for her abuser (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2002 and Carlson, 1997). Women put in this situation live in a social climate that encourages them to abide by a man’s desires or to restrict their behavior in order to avoid assault (Richardson, Taylor, & Whittier, 2001).
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For many, it is hard to imagine being in a relationship in which one fears being beaten for being in the wrong place when one’s partner wants to take out his or her aggression, for being three minutes too late, or for saying the wrong thing. Myths perpetuated by people who fail to empathize with women in these circumstances can influence and hinder interventions. Some of these myths include believing that abuse is an isolated incident, battered women exaggerate their stories, and that battered women are all poor and uneducated (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2002).
In spite of the small percentage of women reporting their abuse, the first professional means of intervention usually comes from police officers. However, according to Linda Mills (1996), who wrote “Empowering Battered Women Transnationally: The Case for Postmodern Interventions,” police officers are responsible to enforce their “criminal-oriented system that is inflexible in catering to their needs [financial, emotional, and cultural] -- needs that may or may not involve arresting, prosecuting, or incarcerating their abusers.” Additionally, previous to police departments taking more of an interest in addressing family violence through training programs, many police officers held mythical expectations and biases about domestic violence (mentioned above), that hindered their ability to bring about change.
Because legal interventions have the potential to be unresponsive to a battered women’s needs social work methods that view the person in her environment should also be used. Social work professionals are expected to enhance problem solving and coping abilities, connect clients with systems that provide resources, promote the efficient functioning of these systems, and develop and improve social policy (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2002). Like the police officers, social workers must be aware of their own expectations and biases. For example, many people feel that permanently leaving the spouse is the only option for survivors. However, a social worker should be aware and discuss all of the alternatives for the woman such as going back to marriage, getting counseling for both, have the social worker act as a mediator to help solve conflict, temporarily separating, establishing other means of financial support, and filing for divorce. A worker’s biases hinder self-paced and self-initiated change (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2002).
For many battered women who are insecure, and physically and emotionally weak, meeting with a social worker may initially cause anxiety and stress. However, through the social worker’s preparation for the interview, active listening, empathy, and positive non-verbals, such as good posture and eye contact, a good working relationship can be established so that the professional can help to bring about desired change.
Specific activities that social workers undertake to help achieve desired change in battered women can include becoming an educator by providing information about abuse to the client. For example, worker can also educate her on what to expect if she calls the police (Carlson, 1997).
Social workers can also become a broker by linking clients to legal, medical, and social service resources. For instance, a worker could refer the client to an inexpensive lawyer, free clinic, women’s shelters, etc. (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2002). Because many survivors of domestic violence have been isolated from others, social workers can help reestablish old or develop new social support systems such as family, friends, neighbors, and church organizations. Enhancing the quality of relations with others will benefit women in terms of increasing self-esteem and active problem solving (Rose, 2000 and Carlson, 1997).
Social workers working with abused women can work as an enabler providing support, encouragement, and suggestions to a client to that she may be able to successfully cope with her situation. For example the worker may help the client to change her negative “self-talk” so that she is able to express beliefs such as, “I don’t deserve this” or “I deserve better” (Rose, 2000). Empowerment also increases self-esteem by focusing on the positives in their lives.
Oftentimes, the act of wife battering is called domestic violence which seems to sensitize the issue and make act sound less violent and less serious then the original term. Along with the example I just described there are many other instances in which language, research, and media surrounding women’s issues drift to a male point of view. This is known as a Phallic Drift. In a patriarchal society there seems to be a tendency “to erase women’s perspective and, when that is not possible, to metamorphose things to men’s advantage”(Ruth, 2001). A Phallic Drift can be as simple as re-phrasing words or could be more complex. For example, date rape is sometimes rationalized by saying that men get confused in expressing their sexuality in the era of women’s autonomy. It is important for professionals working with women to help them sort through Phallic Drifts and realize that the crime that was committed onto them was wrong and should be accounted for…and not because of a male’s simple confusion (Ruth, 2001). Helping women through this can be hard in a society that tends to blame women for acts they had no control over. One way that a professional can help to empower women in this situation is to emphasizing their strength and call them survivors instead of labeling them as victims which focuses on their weaknesses.
Other ways to empower are by finding and focusing (when applicable) on her intelligence, her positive mothering skills, good coping skills, work ethics, as well as good communication skills. One can also focus on environmental strengths such as having finances, transportation, housing , family friends, religious support, or available social services (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2002).
Clients themselves, take part in specific activities that help achieve their goals such as venting their feelings, evaluating the interventions, working on their goals, and anticipatory planning. Anticipatory planning involves creating a safety plan so that if she should return to her abuser or come into contact with him she would be able to escape, go to a battered woman’s shelter, get a hold of relatives or friends and have things on hand such as extra clothes, car keys, cell phones, etc (Carlson, 1997). In this safety planning social workers may help their clients find services such as programs that donate old wireless phones that are then used for battered women so that they can call for help if needed.
When looking at domestic violence from a macro level the social worker may also work as an advocate for their clients by trying to get changes in police and court practices, such as more aggressive sentencing (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2002). Using feminist theories as well research gathered from women’s studies can become important tools for making sense and problem solving in different situations. For example taking ideas from liberal feminism can be helpful to integrate men and women to work together to help remove the social barriers placed on women (Richardson, Taylor, & Whittier, 2001). For example, social workers could organize seminars to educate the police about dynamics of domestic violence and promote more effective early police intervention efforts. Police officers can be crucial in identifying at risk people to social workers, shelters, and other professionals who can target them for education, outreach, and evaluations. To work close with the police the social worker could set up direct communication between police and agencies that serve battered women by hot lines, regular meetings, quarterly forums, and police serving on social service boards.
Social workers must provide an environment in which to explore all of the battered woman’s options. Using a non-judgmental approach to the problem of domestic violence by suspending expectations of the battered women can empower her to confront the violence in her life as she explores the emotional, financial, and cultural loyalties. It is important to realize that societal expectations, Phallic Drift, stereotypes, as well as retaliation are some of the reasons as to why many women choose not report abuse. When women do report it is critical that social workers assume the roles of being brokers, enablers, advocates, mediators, educators, and evaluators. Evaluation of the intervention can be documented by their change in perceptions of abuse, improved functioning and well-being, increased use of services, increased social support, and better coping.
However, one shouldn’t limit his or her intervention to just the survivor. A successful intervention would hopefully look at society as a whole and the patriarchal environment in which we live. Social workers can work to advocate for societal change and work as feminists and alongside other feminists to raise awareness and break the silence surrounding issues such as this.
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