Introduction: Myths and Realities Regarding Battered Women (From Helping Battered Women: New Perspectives and Remedies, P 3- 12, 1996, Albert R Roberts, ed. -- See NCJ-163226)

• NCJ Number: 163227
• Author(s): A R Roberts
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 10 pages
• Sale Source: Oxford University Press, Inc
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Although significant progress has been made during the past few years in policy reforms and program developments related to battered women, several myths and stereotypes hinder accurate knowledge of the nature, extent, and intensity of woman battering and effective interventions.

Abstract

Recent legislation, more sensitive police and court responses, and case management approaches offer the potential to reduce woman battering, but attention still needs to be directed toward the realities of domestic violence against women rather than toward myths. Although considerable progress has been made in funding domestic violence programs over the past 10 years, there is disproportionately less funding for victim assistance programs compared to programs for convicted felons. For example, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 authorizes nearly $9.9 billion for prisons and an additional $1.7 billion for alternative detention programs, whereas the Violence Against Women Act authorizes only $1.2 billion over 5 years for criminal justice programs and social services to aid battered women and sexual assault victims. Nine myths regarding battered women are explained and negated: (1) woman battering is a problem only in lower socioeconomic classes; (2) woman battering is not a significant problem because most incidents involve a slap or a punch that do not cause serious injury; (3) elder abuse is not much of a problem; (4) the police do not want to arrest batterers because they view domestic violence as a private matter; (5) all batterers are psychotic and no treatment can change their violent habits; (6) although many battered women suffer severe beatings for years, only a few experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder; (7) battered women who remain in violent relationships do so because they are masochistic; (8) children who witness repeated acts of violence by fathers against mothers do not need to participate in specialized counseling programs; and (9) alcohol abuse causes men to batter their partners. 19 references