Blog discussing why gender cannot be ignored when dealing with domestic violence

blog dv and gender

A blog has been posted by Bristol University staff Dr Gene Feder and Dr Lucy Potter discussing why gender cannot be ignored when discussing domestic violence. They point out that more women than men suffer repeated and systematic violence, assaults and hospital admission based on population surveys rather than crime statistics or people accessing services.

They additionally discuss the results from their GP study of 1,368 men attending GP surgeries in south-west England, where 23% of men had experienced domestic abuse. They found that fewer men understood and acknowledge that they were experiencing domestic violence compared to women.  This finding is seen as crucial in training health care and other professionals to enquire and respond appropriately to the domestic violence experienced by men.

The blog goes onto discuss designing programmes for male and female survivors differently. They said ‘this is to support men (and their children), with the understanding that some of their experiences and needs may be similar to women survivors, but others may be different.’

They conclude by pointing out ‘to ignore the impact of gender on domestic violence does a disservice to people of any gender. Instead, the aim must be to strive for gender-informed prevention and responses to domestic violence.’

To access and read the blog please click here

 

Attorney general urged to review release of man who beat wife with cricket bat

 

The attorney general has been urged to examine the sentencing remarks of judge Richard Mansell QC who freed a man guilty of domestic abuse because he did not believe the victim was vulnerable.

Mustafa Bashir, 34 (pictured below) was spared a prison sentence despite forcing his wife to drink bleach, throttling her in public, and striking her with his cricket bat. Mr Bashir admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was ordered to pay £1000 costs, attend a relationship course and no longer contact his wife.

release of perp

The judge commented that he did not believe his wife was vulnerable because she was “an intelligent woman with a network of friends” and a college degree. Mr Bashir’s defence lawyer also argued that Mr Bashir was about to sign a contract with Leicestershire Country Cricket club if he was spared jail. Subsequently the club denied he had been offered a contract and this information had been false. The judge said he was not convinced of Mr Bashir’s remorse but he did take into account his career prospects in his sentencing.

Criticism of the judges stance is twofold firstly that many different types of women are in fact vulnerable to domestic violence and secondly that Mr Bashir’s career prospects should have been irrelevant to the sentencing.

Polly Neate chief executive of Women’s Aid said ‘It is a complete fallacy that only a certain type of woman can become a victim of domestic abuse. In fact, perpetrators target women of all ages from all sections of society’.

Sandra Horley chief executive of Refuge also commented ‘What a woman does for a job, her level of education or the number of friends she has makes no difference; for any woman, domestic violence is a devastating crime that has severe and long-lasting impacts.’ She added ‘men who abuse women do not make positive role models; it is concerning when men’s professional or celebrity status is used in court to defend them.’

A Guardian article covering this story is available here.