Page 1359 - Week 05 - Thursday, 26 April 1990
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Domestic violence is something which nobody used to talk about. In recent years, the more people have been willing to talk and as more research has been conducted, the more we have realised the widespread nature of the problem. Several simple facts should concern everybody in the community and galvanise us to take action.
Research shows that one in three female partners is likely to be subjected to domestic violence at some time during their relationship. New South Wales police statistics indicate that almost half of all female murder victims were killed by their spouse and that there was previous evidence of domestic violence in about half of the killings. A national opinion survey showed that nearly half of the Australian community know somebody actively affected by domestic violence, yet one in five people think that there may be circumstances in which use of physical force against a partner is acceptable. It is not.
Domestic violence can take many forms. Apart from suffering from obvious physical acts like hitting, pushing, shoving, kicking or choking, many women live with the constant threat of violence. We can also identify other forms of abuse which might be classed as domestic violence because they involve intimidation or denigration of the partner. For example, psychological and emotional abuse can involve threats, harassment or denigration of the person.
Social abuse involving isolation is often caused by geography and the denial of transport to a spouse. Economic abuse often stems from male control of household financial resources. Finally, sexual abuse within a relationship should also be considered domestic violence.
Domestic violence occurs amongst all groups in the community, whether middle-class or working-class, old or young, black or white, English or non-English speaking in background. The perpetrators are often outwardly respectable and responsible members of the community.
I mentioned that one in five Australians thinks domestic violence is acceptable in some circumstances. The same survey found that one-third of respondents felt domestic violence was a private matter that should be handled within the family. More than a quarter felt that they would ignore the situation if they found out that a neighbour was beating his wife. Two-thirds of the community held the view that a woman who is beaten can always leave if she wants to.
It is clear that we need a change in community attitudes. In particular, we need a change in attitude by men, who have to recognise that violence in the home is unacceptable, and not only unacceptable but also a criminal offence. I believe that we should call domestic violence what it really is - criminal assault. Violence in the home
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