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BATTERED WIVES - A SOCIAL WORKER'S VIEWPOINT

NCJ Number
55747
Journal
ROYAL SOCIETY OF HEALTH JOURNAL Volume: 95 Issue: 6 Dated: (DECEMBER 1975) Pages: 294-297
Author(s)
E WILSON
Date Published
1975
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THE PERSPECTIVES OF SOCIAL WORKERS AND BRITISH SOCIETY VIS-A-VIS THE FAMILY AND WOMEN ARE EXAMINED AS THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO INATTENTION TO THE PROBLEMS OF BATTERED WIVES.
Abstract
THIS PAPER ARISES FROM A GENERAL THEORETICAL WORK ON THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE WELFARE STATE TO THE POSITION OF WOMEN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION IN ENGLAND. WHILE IT IS NOT BASED ON A PARTICULAR PIECE OF EMPIRICAL RESEARCH, IT IS INFORMED BY THE AUTHOR'S PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN SETTING UP A REFUGE FOR BATTERED WOMEN AND HIS WORK AS A MEMBER OF THE WORKING PARTY ON VIOLENCE IN THE HOME. THERE ARE TWO REASONS FOR THE FAILURE OF SOCIAL WORKERS EITHER TO PERCEIVE OR ACT PROMPTLY IN REGARD TO THE PROBLEM OF BATTERED WIVES: (1) SOCIAL WORKERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY AS THE INSTRUMENT OF THE SOCIALIZATION OF CHILDREN SO THAT THEY WORK TOWARD THE MAINTENANCE OF THE FAMILY AS A PRIORITY; AND (2) IN THEIR ROLE AS GUARDIANS OF THE STATE'S RESOURCES, SOCIAL WORKERS TEND TO AVOID CONFRONTING PROBLEMS THAT MAY INCREASE WELFARE SPENDING. BRITISH SOCIETY IN GENERAL HAS ALSO BEEN CONDITIONED TO VIEW THE PROBLEMS OF WOMEN AS OF LESS IMPORTANCE THAN THOSE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN GENERAL. WOMEN'S FEELINGS AS INDIVIDUALS EITHER TEND TO BE IGNORED OR WOMEN ARE EXPECTED TO HANDLE THEIR PROBLEMS QUIETLY AND IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE FAMILY UNIT AND THE CONTROLLING AUTHORITY OF THE MALE ARE NOT DISRUPTED. UNTIL SOCIETY'S ATTITUDE CHANGES TOWARD THE MALE-FEMALE RELATIONSHIP, PARTICULARLY IN THE MARITAL FORM, WOMEN WILL CONTINUE TO BE BATTERED AND THE ATTITUDES OF SOCIAL WORKERS TO THIS PROBLEM WILL ALSO BE SLOW TO CHANGE. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)

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