NCJ Number
74616
Journal
Revue de la police nationale Issue: 114 Dated: (October 1980) Pages: 13-27
Date Published
1980
Length
15 pages
Annotation
The nature and causes of intrafamilial violence, especially wife battering, are investigated and solutions are proposed.
Abstract
Despite numerous theories, it remains unclear whether violence is the result of an inborn human characteristic or is learned behavior passed on from generation to generation. In either case, statistics indicate that domestic violence usually occurs for a protracted period, between 6:00 and 10:00 p.m. The fatigue of work and alcohol consumption are factors aggravating male aggressiveness. Wives are typically between 20 and 30 years old, have experienced violence in their own families or in previous marriages, and have sexual problems with their husbands. Husbands are usually between 25 and 35 years old, have had a difficult childhood, and drink heavily. The couple's principal problem is in communicating. Women's unequal position with regard to education, information, and independence also contributes to their willingness to accept brutal treatment without resistance. Women who decide to leave their homes to avoid further beatings need immediate social and financial assistance. Women may only take legal action after obtaining a medical certificate, finding witnesses, and lodging a formal complaint against their husbands. Professional social workers tend to ignore the problem or attempt to keep the family together no matter what women have suffered. The most pressing problems of battered wives, such as finding lodgings for themselves and their children, and obtaining Legal assistance, are not resolved through official channels. As a result, feminists have taken the initiative in founding centers for battered wives which supply psychological, medical, professional, and legal aid as well as assistance in finding housing and babysitting. Unfortunately the number and capacity of such centers are limited in France. Furthermore, complementary structures such as a centralized information office with a special hotline are needed. Long-term solution of the problem requires improvement of the woman's position in society and social prevention of violence, as well as comprehension of the mechanisms of that violence. A bibliography, tables, and illustrations are provided.