NCJ Number
217524
Date Published
2007
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This paper argues that violence is broadly linked to all types of inequality and should therefore be a focus of Great Britain's new Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR).
Abstract
Under the Equality Act 2006, the CEHR has a duty to promote good relations among individuals and groups across all the equality "strands," with race and religion as priorities. This paper argues that violence should be a CEHR focus, because it is linked to conditions of inequality. Under the dynamics of inequality, groups and individuals seek control and dominance over other groups in the course of attempting to meet and express their egocentric needs. Violence becomes both a mechanism of control and expression of hate toward targeted groups and individuals. The groups and individuals targeted for violence are typically in a status of weakness, powerlessness, or vulnerability. Children, women, gays and lesbians, racial/ethnic minorities, the elderly, the handicapped, and religious minorities are often targets of violence because of their minority status, departure from the norm, or their vulnerability. In all these vulnerable groups, women are overrepresented as victims of harassment and violence. The majority of perpetrators of violence, especially its most lethal forms, are male. Gender is therefore a primary issue in the dynamics of inequality and associated violence. Because violence is an issue for all groups and individuals disadvantaged by inequality and human rights violations, the CEHR must give it high priority. In the preparation of this paper, experts and stakeholders who work within or across the equality "strands" were either asked to complete a questionnaire or to be interviewed. A literature review was also conducted. 2 tables, 56 notes, and appended questionnaire