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Bridging the River of Silence

NCJ Number
153516
Date Published
Unknown
Length
0 pages
Annotation
Directed to groups attempting to build support mechanisms for battered women, this video explores the part that society should have in intervening and protecting victims in cases of spouse abuse and domestic assault.
Abstract
Through overview discussions as well as interviews with three women who were victims of spouse abuse, the film makes clear the dilemma in which many abused women find themselves, as they confront the conflicting influences of love, marital duty, and fear. The discussion notes the attitudes that lead to domestic assault and depicts some of the complex procedures and delays that victims face when they seek help from the legal system. The discussion emphasizes to abused women and the professionals who must act with and for them that their safety and that of their children must be first priority. It also focuses on societal responses, including the establishment of laws requiring police to act, police training, support facilities and shelters for battered women and their children, legal aid, and advocacy programs.