Womens Studies My Perspective on Domestic Violence

Womens Studies My perspective on domestic violence has certainly been influenced by some of the information I have learned while taking this course. I was fortunate enough to grow up in surroundings in which I was never exposed to this phenomenon. As such, I was relatively ignorant about the many realities regarding what has been and continues to be one of the most prevalent social issues affecting women in this country.

After having taken this course, I now understand that domestic violence is a reality for many women much more than most people are aware of, and that there are a number of systematic aspects of this phenomenon which greatly influences its propagation. One of the most eminent factors related to domestic violence that I am now cognizant of is its rate of incidence.

Because I had never experienced it nor personally knew anyone who had personally experienced domestic violence, I was largely unaware of how disturbingly common it is and that "On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States" (CDC). Unfortunately, domestic violence is something that women are practically more likely to experience in their lives -- either directly or vicariously -- than they are to have no experience with it.

Additionally, I used to simply think of domestic violence as taking the form of a middle-aged husband occasionally getting physical with his wife. I now understand that there are myriads forms of this phenomenon which include rape, murder, homosexual relationships (Haun) and numerous other means of intimidation and stalking, all of which contribute to the burgeoning incidence of the rate of domestic violence in the United States and throughout the world.

Nonetheless, I believe the most surprising thing I learned about domestic violence is the general lack of coping skills that most victims have. There are a number of reasons why most victims choose to remain silent, endure abuse, or to repeatedly return to men who have a habit of physically abusing them.

Issues of self-esteem and general ignorance of alternative options can contribute to such behavior on the part of women (Bradshaw), in addition to the erroneous assumption that they themselves spurred such behavior and are the ones who are really to blame for another's violent actions. Additionally, the fact that Westernized culture is largely paternalistic plays a principle part in the acceptance of domestic violence on the part of many women.

However, what I learned the most about domestic violence related to this class is the fact that it is merely just one instance of continuance of the fact that in a paternalistic society, women are readily expected to give up most anything they have. Domestic violence was not even considered a social issue until the emergence of the 20th century because it was so commonplace. Women were generally regarded as property -- initially as that of their fathers, and then of their husbands.

Therefore, the domestic violence against women was simply regarded as a part of their lot in life or their sphere, which is an antiquated notion that no longer applies today. The prudent scholar can examine workplace inequalities on both the macro and the micro levels. At the macro level, of course, workplace inequalities stem from the ills of capitalism that Pharr alluded to in which the concentration of the world's wealth is in the hands of a few with virtually everyone else working to support and sustain their wealth.

The solution for such a problem is ultimately rooted more in human nature than it is in an alternative economic system, since it is largely human nature to exploit, amass, and to consider one's own need's (and luxuries) more than those of others. At the micro level -- which largely exists within the capitalist society at play in today's world -- the numerous social inequalities can be addressed by a variety of means.

Women, for example, routinely earn less money than their male counterparts and are promoted less than men are in situations in which they have equal or better qualifications than males and are working in similar positions. There is a very easy solution to this dilemma: such sexist practices can be allowed and there can be national legislation to hold organizations accountable for discrimination based on sex.

Another workplace inequality that occurs at the micro level and is inexorably linked to capitalism pertains to the violence that women endure in foreign countries while attempting to simply labor in relatively menial positions to make a living. Outsourcing is a routine practice in corporate America and even in some small and mid-sized businesses these days; things such as labor and supplies are almost always cheaper when they are procured outside of the continental United States.