Domestic Violence and Intersectionality
Domestic violence, as defined by The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence is, “The willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and emotional abuse. The frequency and severity of domestic violence can vary dramatically, however, the one constant component of domestic violence is one partner’s consistent efforts to maintain power and control over the other” (2015). As we have learned thus far in Race, Gender, and Class, intersectionality as stated by Lisa Anderson, is, “How systems of inequality mutually constitute and reinforce each other” (2015). Therefore, domestic violence is a system of inequality, regardless if it comprises of a heterosexual or homosexual relationship, and reciprocally supplements each other across the boundaries of genders, races or ethnicities, class,both economic and socioeconomic, stereotypes, biases, sexualities,
To further expound on Lisa Anderson’s video about intersectionality and its connection with domestic violence, Kimberlee Crenshaw initially established a very exclusive however neglected social theory which suggested African American women were more inclined to intersectionality, thus abuse, because they were not of either of the White female nor of the
An intersectional approach is an approach which seeks to demonstrate how race, class, gender and sexuality make certain experiences different. Intersectionality is the overlapping of social categories such as race, class, gender and sexuality that leads to further discrimination against a certain individual or group. To take an intersectional approach to understand race, class, gender and sexuality, is to consider hardships not as a similar element for all individuals without regards to race, but instead consider where in a specific hardship different races, genders, classes and sexualities are affected different. According to Crenshaw, “many of the experiences Black women face are not subsumed within the traditional boundaries of race or gender discrimination as these boundaries are currently understood, and that the intersection of racism and sexism factors into Black women’s lives in ways that cannot be captured wholly by looking at the woman race or gender dimensions of those experiences separately” (Crenshaw, 357). Crenshaw explains that the personal experiences of women of color cannot be fully understood by looking at race or gender discrimination as two separate factors, but in fact can be understood if both aspects are looked at together. When race and gender are examined separately, this causes for women of color to be “erased”. Crenshaw says, “ And so, when the practices expound identity as “woman” or “person of color” as an either/or proposition, they relegate
“In Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color” by Kimberle Crenshaw talks about the issues women go through, not because of their actions but because of the color of their skin. She mentions that many women of color are racially discriminated and have limited help because of gender, class and race. “Many women of color are burdened by poverty, job skills, beaten and lack of child care responsibilities”. The objective of this article is society overlooks the issue of violence against these women.
“Domestic violence is a type of abuse by one or both partners in marriage, friends, family, dating or cohabitation” (Aziz & Mahmoud, 2010). There are many forms of abuse from verbal and emotional to physical that often escalates over time in intensity for the victim. Data from the criminal justice system, hospital patient medical records and mental health records, police reports, surveys and social services reports of thousands of women revealed that many are injured and killed as a result of violence from someone close to them. “The US Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) defines domestic violence as a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender” (Robertson & Murachver, 2009). Researchers and the criminal justice system have not been able to agree on a clear definition to domestic violence which can range from physical injury, stalking, verbal abuse and humiliation, denial of shelter and access to money, and intimidation through aggressive behaviors. The definition of domestic violence may vary but the results from physical injury, mental and emotional trauma, and sometimes even death can last a life time.
In 1989 Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality”. It can be defined as the way multiple oppressions of race and gender are experienced in a person’s life. Kimberle’ explains that the experience of being a black woman cannot be defined by just race or gender alone but by the joined forces of both. She argues that Black women are discriminated against in ways that often do not fit into the systematic categories of oppression of either “racism” or “sexism” but as a combination of both.
Intersectionality give us a glimpse as to why there were violence in an intimate relationship whether it is not paying the bills or losing your job. Stressors like those can create verbal and physical abuse in a couple’s relationship. However race is one of
The article constructs domestic violence as an issue of gender, race and socioeconomic status. Women are identified as the “majority” of victims (Taylor 2014). Consequently, the article conceptually represents domestic violence as events of intimate terrorism where one partner violently terrorizes the other partner to gain complete control over the relationship, which is entirely perpetrated by men (Johnson 2012). With that said, Johnson (2012) points out that majority of domestic violence is situational couple violence, where both the man and the
It is mandatory to understand the history behind Intersectionality and it’s upbringing to understand how it ties into cultural identity. Kimberlé Crenshaw’s classic article “Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color” helps to understand the struggle that women of color face with entwined differences that are not confronted and dealt with accordingly. Crenshaw mentions that, “The problem with identity politics is not that it fails to transcend difference, as some critics charge, but rather the opposite -- that is frequently conflates or ignores infra group differences. In the context of violence against women, this elision of difference is problematic, fundamentally because the violence that many women experience is
Domestic violence, also more known as Intimate Partner Violence, affects individuals in all social classes and racial/ethnic groups is a statement that has been said and taught over again for many years. Yes that statement above holds logic and truth, but there is also an inverse relationship to it. One of the most consistent findings from research is a strong inverse relationship between social class and intimate partner violence (Renzetti, 2009). In other words, as social class status goes up, cases of domestic violence goes down, and vice versa for lower social classes. Analyses of large, national surveys, for example, show that women living in households with the lowest annual incomes were five times more likely to have experienced
It a problem from which all women, regardless of color, suffer. However, Crenshaw believes that this feminist argument is “less concerned with exploring domestic abuse within ‘stereotyped’ communities than with removing the stereotype as an obstacle to exposing battering within white middle- and upper-class communities” (1259). Discussing domestic violence in “other” homes is therefore only relevant in highlighting domestic violence in white homes; otherwise, “the experience of violence by minority women is ignored” (1260). Crenshaw continues to explain the “othering” of women of color, but this much should be enough for the purpose of this essay. Essentially, when feminism brings minority issues into the discussion and make them universal issues, it is only to allow “white women victims to come into focus”
According to statistics found by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Every nine seconds a woman is abused by her husband or intimate partner. At least 1 in every 4 women and 1 in every 9 men have been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in their lifetime. Most often the abuser is one of their own family. Domestic violence is a problem that somehow affects every one of us in this room at some time and is actually the leading cause of injury to women -- more than car accidents, muggings and rapes combined.
In order to recognize the outcomes of domestic violence, it is key to know precisely what domestic violence is. Domestic violence is anything that involves physical damage, sexual assault, or distress of physical damage. In order to aid individuals who are going through domestic violence, it is fundamental to have a healthier understanding of what triggers domestic violence and how it affects the mistreated, abuser, and children of the mistreated.
Domestic Violence is a human tragedy, and has been a part of life for many individuals. It is not subjective to a particular group, race, or culture. Historically, the feminist movement preserved the theory that domestic violence is a growing matter because of the continuous power differential between the male gender and the female gender. Remarkably, this approach on domestic disputes unveiled the inner workings of barriers men, women, and children would face when in a domestic violence situation. The feminist theory emphasizes on studying “the gendered nature of all relationships…which aims at understanding how gender is related to social inequalities and oppression” (Marsigila & Kulis, 2015, p. 148). Disastrously, an ignorant notion that once dominated our culture was the belief that emotional agony was less painful than physical brutality. However,
I chose to do the domestic survivors subculture I feel as if it was a great topic to focus on its going to reveal a lot of emotion. Domestic violence can happen to anyone. Domestic violence sometimes called battering is against the law. At first glance, it is hard to imagine why a victim of domestic violence would voluntarily remain in the relationship with the abuser. As you may know domestic violence doesn’t always start off as violence it starts off as in the form of love. The abuser feels as if they love the person so much that it hurts. That the abuse they inflict on the person they love is because they love and care about them. Many victims feel as if no one will believe them. There has been so many cases that have gone unanswered because no one really knows what goes on. The person being abused hides what the abuser does because they think it is something they did wrong or they think the person loves them. Domestic abuse comes in different forms it can be verbal, physical, or sexual. Domestic abuse leaves psychological scars from anxiety due to living in ongoing danger. In my essay you will get to know a lot of women that have survived domestic abuse and their stories.
Domestic violence against women is prevalent in almost all the societies in the world. It is an issue which was not even recognised as a crime 40 years ago and is still not recognized as a crime by many societies. Women suffer from violence, including physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological violence by strangers and their partners all over the world (Kaya, 2010). Even though it is a worldwide occurrence, there are some women who face more intense and frequent violence depending on their culture, country, religion,
Domestic violence is a global issue which impacts many individuals in numerous ways. To gain a detailed understanding of both the aggressor and victims of domestic violence I chose to exam the psychological and environmental aspects that may influence this continuous behavior that coincides with the continual cycle of violence.