1887
Volume 2023, Issue 1
  • EISSN: 2309-3927

Abstract

Myths and misconceptions about the causes of domestic violence against women constitute major obstacles to combating it. Understanding what causes a social problem is the first step toward introducing policy measures and developing a prevention and response mechanism to address and mitigate its occurrence and impact. This article is based on a study conducted by the Doha International Family Institute (DIFI) on “Domestic Violence against Women in Qatar”, which adopted the methodology of an analytical desk review of secondary sources on domestic violence in Qatar, from 2020 to 2021. The article investigates the causes of “domestic violence”, as explained by the current theories that constitute the knowledge base for this subject. Due to the importance of this matter for policy-making, the main objective of such exploration has been to uncover myths and refute the common misconceptions and information that tried to explain the root causes of domestic violence. The study showed that all of these theories are tainted by defects and flaws; to address their shortcomings, the “Power and Control Wheel Theory” was presented, which clarified that the act of violence and harm is an “intended act”. Within this context, this article argues that root causes of violence are not attributed to mental illness, drug or alcohol abuse, or poverty; neither are they ascribed to "loss of control" or “anger management” issues. Violence is seen as an integral part of a systematic pattern of deliberate behavior aimed at initiating and maintaining “power and control” over the victim. Further to that, the article shows how myths and misconceptions impact policy-making, suggesting that prevention and intervention efforts on this subject should be guided by notions that emphasize the “intentionality” of domestic violence in order to increase women’s safety and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.5339/difi.2023.3
2023-02-15
2024-03-29
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/difi/2023/1/DIFI.2023.issue1.3.html?itemId=/content/journals/10.5339/difi.2023.3&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Al-Abdily, R. M. (2012). Domestic violence and the penal code. Arab Electronic Newspaper, Online. https://alarab.qa/article/07/06/2012/192637-العنف-الأسري-وقانون-العقوبات
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Al-Ghanim, K. A. 2009. Violence against women in Qatar society. Journal of Middle East Women Studies, 5:(1), 80−93.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Al-Kaabi, I. M. 2013. Societal factors of domestic violence In the Qatari society. Damascus University Journal, 29:(3). In Arabic: aleawamil almujtamaeiat lileunf al'asrii fi almujtamae alqatarii. majalat jamieat dmshq, 29(3).
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Australian Government. (2019). Fourth action plan of the national plan to reduce violence against women and children 2019–2022. Commonwealth of Australia. https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/08_2019/fourth_action-plan.pdf
  5. Baldry, A. C., Duban, E. (2016). Improving the effectiveness of law enforcement and justice officers in combating violence against women and domestic violence (p. 6). Council of Europe.
  6. Bancroft, L. (2003). Why does he do that?: inside the minds of angry and controlling men. Berkley books.
  7. Bintliff, S. 1996. Domestic violence...myths and barriers. Hawaii Medical Journal, 55, 160−161.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Conner, D. H. 2014. Financial freedom: Women, money, and domestic abuse. William & Mary Journal of Women & the Law, 20:(2), 1−60. https://scholarship.law.wm.edu/wmjowl/vol20/iss2/4
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Doha International Family Institutre. (2019). Critical literature review on families in Qatar. Doha: HBKU Press.
  10. Dobash, R. E., Dobash, R. P. 1992. Women, violence and social change. London: Routledge.
  11. Dutton, D. G. Painter, S. 1993. The battered woman syndrome: effects of severity and intermittency of abuse. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 63:(4), 614–622. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4758/e8e1554873da4abd277cde4c0fe88387dc7c.pdf
  12. Ghazaleh, A. H. (2011). Arab strategy for combating violence against women. Cairo: Arab Women Organization.
  13. Grovert, A. J. (2008). Domestic violence against women: A literature review [Master’s thesis]. Pacific University. http://commons.pacificu. edu/spp/92
  14. Hyde-Nolan, M. E., Juliano, T. 2012. Theoretical basis for family violence. In R. Fife and S. Schrager (Eds.), Family violence: What health care providers need to know (s. 5–21). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. //samples.jbpub.com/9780763780340/80340_CH02_FINAL.pdf
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Iwi, K., Todd, J. (2000). Working towards safety – a guide to domestic violence intervention work. Domestic Violence Intervention Project (DVIP).
  16. Khan, M. (2013). Attitudes of Qatari men and women towards violence against wife: An analysis of survey data. Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI), Qatar University. https://www.difi.org.qa/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Mohammad_Khan.pdf
  17. Matthews, D. D. 2004. Domestic violence sourcebook (2nd edn.). Omnigraphics, Inc.
  18. Paymar, M. 2000. Violent no more: helping men end domestic violence. MN: Hunter house. https://books.google.com.qa/ books?id=RKhpQvooFzsC&printsec=frontcover&hl=ar#v=onepage&q&f=false
  19. Pence, E., Paymar, M. 1993. Domestic violence intervention manual. The Duluth Domestic Abuse Intervention Project. Springer Publishing Company. http://www.duluth-model.org/; http://www.europrofem.org/White-Ribbon/05.education/education_en/12. edu_en.htm
  20. Rimmer, S. H. 2022. Ending violence against women and girls: Bridging the gap between multilateral aspiration and state practice. Washington, DC: The Stimson Center.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Saba, R. A. 2020. Combating gender-based violence in the Arab world. Al-Raida Journal: Gender-Based Violence in the Arab World-Fall/Winter 2010-2011,2-4(131-132). http://165.22.29.48/index.php/ALRJ/article/view/35/1805
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Salber, P. R., Taliaferro, E. 1995. The physician's guide to domestic violence: How to ask the right questions and recognize abuse − another way to save a life. Volcano Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Schechter, S., Ganley, A. L. 1995. Domestic violence: A national curriculum for family preservation practitioners. San Francisco, CA: Family Violence Prevention Fund.
  24. The Duluth Domestic Abuse Intervention Project. 1993. Domestic Violence Information Manual. Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs. http://www.duluth-model.org/
    [Google Scholar]
  25. The Missouri Collison Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (MCADSV). (2012). Understanding the nature and dynamics of domestic violence.
  26. UN Women. (n.d.). Facts and figures: Ending violence against women and girls. http://arabstates.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/facts-and-figures
  27. UN Women. (2012). Handbook for national action plans on violence against women.
  28. United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/vaw/handbook-for-nap-on-vaw.pdf
  29. UNICEF. (2000). Domestic violence against women and girls. https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/digest6e.pdf
  30. UNODC. (2011). Preventing and responding to domestic violence: training manual for law enforcement and justice sectors in Vietnam. Hanoi: United Nations Office on Drug and Crime.
  31. Walker, L. E. A. (2017). The battered woman syndrome (4th edn.). ew, NY: Springer Publishing Company. http://lghttp.48653.nexcesscdn.net/80223CF/springer-static/media/samplechapters/9780826170989/9780826170989_chapter.pdfew
  32. Watson, W. 2012. Family systems. In V. S. Ramachandran (Ed.), Encyclopedia of human behavior. San Diego: Elsevier.
    [Google Scholar]
  33. Weiss, E. (2004). Surviving domestic violence: Voices of women who broke free. Volcano Press.
  34. Weitzman, S. (2001). Not to people like us: Hidden abuse in upscale marriages. Basic Books.
  35. WHO. (2012). Understanding and addressing violence against women. The World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/77432/WHO_RHR_12.36_eng.pdf;jsessionid=9C1859AC27C7E162825912A0AEC39918?sequence=1
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.5339/difi.2023.3
Loading
/content/journals/10.5339/difi.2023.3
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error