I received an email earlier today excusing me from jury service “on this occasion”. PHEEEEEW. I’m disappointed, but relieved. It would have been a logistical nightmare. Why I thought I could simply step out of life for anything between two weeks to 25 years I don’t know.
I wonder what case I will be missing….
Did you know that domestic violence claims the lives of 104 women and 30 men per year and is the largest cause of death worldwide in women aged 19 – 44, greater than war, cancer or road accidents?
It accounts for 16% of all violent crime (source: crime in England and Wales 2004/05 report) and is chronically under reported. I cannot believe that on average there will have been 35 (35!!!) assaults before a victim calls the police.
Angela
October 15, 2008Am I too late to comment? I just found this statistics, and it makes me shudder! What is it that makes women (mostly) endure such a nightmare? What lack of self-confidence keeps them from saying the FIRST time it happens, “You will NEVER do this again! Never. Or I`ll be gone the same minute. And I will not be quiet as a mouse about it…” Must you scare them back? Appeal to their sense of decency? I don`T know. One cannot change the other one`s behaviour, it is said, but you certainly have control over your own. And self-respect is the main thing. Oh, I wish I could hold a flaming speech to all these women (mostly) who are in doubt about what they should do when confronted with violence.
Shudder again!
family affairs
October 15, 2008It’s never too late to comment…..I KNOW!! I can’t believe these figures. It’s appalling. Lx
Anonymous
October 15, 2008and to throw my threepence in; while i appreciate the ‘what hte hell are you doing?!’ sentiment for those who stay…: in most places in the world the women (remember this a global statistic) have no other option for economic survival than staying with someone who is violent… marriage is survival. in Britain there is a small but at least existant network of organisations and legislation and social protection that can help…
A Mother's Place is in the Wrong
October 16, 2008I know Lulu, it’s just terrible. I do know about these figures because I worked on some handbooks for people in Local Authorities who were dealing with Domestic Violence. Women have a pretty bad time, on the whole. And it is mostly women – though some men are also subject to this. M 🙁
Lynn
October 18, 2008Dear Angela, while I share your enthusiasm somewhat, isn’t your comment missing the point? I do ask that you re-read what you’ve written and perhaps you may come to the realisation that you have acutally *blamed* the women for the violence that is perpetrated against them.
While you have been quick to blame and shame any woman for ‘putting up with it’, you have not made a single disparaging comment about the men who perpetrate it.
For our society to really tackle the scourge of domestic violence, or any violence against women for that matter, we need to concentrate on who is doing the violence, no? Or should we constantly be telling women to run, run, run, leave your life, your future, your finances and go into hiding at all costs? I should think not.
Look, women and children are NOT responsible for the violence that the men dish out to them. And if you think that reporting assaults to the police is the right thing to do, then think again. With figures like this, you’d think twice: In 2003 there were 786 rapes reported, if only 25% are reported then in the state of South Australia in 2003 there were 3,144 rapes. 100 went to trial, and 12 were convicted guilty as charged. That is a disgusting and appalling rate of conviction.
The truth of the matter is, that while our society places too much emphasis on “Why does she stay?” as opposed to “Why doesn’t he leave?” then we, as a society, will miss the crucial dynamic in our society that underpins violence with our violence-supportive attitudes.