NCJ Number
86858
Date Published
1981
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This television documentary reveals the desperate conditions of battered wives and their children, and one community's (Austin, Tex.) successful effort to provide the victims of domestic violence with an adequate shelter facility.
Abstract
Women are shown in a group session describing the abuses they have suffered and sharing empathy with each other. Background commentary points out that about 2 million women are beaten by their mates every year and that one-half of all wives are probably abused at least once in their married lives. Society's callousness toward their distress is evidenced by the ambiguity of the law, official reluctance to interfere in private matters, and disinterest in assisting women who decide to leave their abusing husbands. That wife beating occurs at all levels of society is illustrated by conversation with a doctor whose violence against his wife was exacerbated by alcoholism and drugs, and who has since undergone treatment and restructured his marital relationship. The coverage highlights the Austin Center for Battered Women, the first in the country to be built specifically for the purpose of sheltering abused women and their children. The center was made possible by a citizens' volunteer movement spurred by one dedicated man who mobilized philanthropic commitment among many sectors of the community, most notably the local builders' association, which donated materials, time, and expertise to the effort. The need for shelter facilities adequate in both quality and capacity remains pressing throughout the country.