Policing and Male Violence in Australia (From Women, Policing, and Male Violence: International Perceptives, P 70-89, 1989, Jalna Hanmer, Jill Radford, et al., eds. -- See NCJ-127406)

• NCJ Number: 127410
• Author(s): S E Hatty
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 20 pages
• Sale Source: Routledge
• Publication Type: Best Practice/State-of-the-Art Review
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

The issue of male violence against women is analyzed, along with the failure of current law reform initiatives in one Australian State.

Abstract

A juxtaposition of police attitudes and women's experiences reveals an enormous disparity between male belief and female reality and signals the futility of promoting the law as a primary solution to violence against women. The comparison highlights the failure of the law at a very fundamental level: the conflict between ideology and practice. Clearly, strategies other than those based on State intervention in women's lives must be developed. As a first step to the development of viable alternatives, there is a need for ruthless appraisal of current State-based maneuvers, rather than an uncritical acceptance. Viable alternatives might include collective efforts among women to label violent men and deprive them of social power while providing increased support and protection for women.