DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

By
Athar.ali
vertex college of nursing
abbottabad.
subject: culture health and society
semester:6th
 OBJECTIVES

At the end of the unit learners will be able to:

 Explore the societal understanding and perception of
domestic violence.
 Discuss the role of Government, NGO and media in
awareness and its prevention.
 Explain the role of health care professional in identifying
and counseling.
Violence
Behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage,
or kill someone or something.

Domestic Violence
Violent or aggressive behavior within the
home, typically involving the violent abuse
of a spouse or partner.
 TYPES OF VIOLENCE

 Physical:
Pushing, grabbing, slapping, kicking, hitting with an
object, use of knife or gun, acid throwing.
 Verbal:
Shouting, making threats, calling names,
humiliating remarks (gestures).
 Sexual:
sexual assault, rape, and sexual abuse .
 Exercising control:
Isolating her from her family/ friends,
checking on her, using the children, economic
control.
 Psychological Or Emotional Violence:
isolation, verbal assault, humiliation,
intimidation, infantilisation,
 Economic Violence.
Cycle of Abuse and Violence
 Cultural Considerations

 The battered woman may come from a culture that accepts

domestic violence.
 She may believe she has less access to legal and social
services than U.S. citizens.
 If she is not a citizen, she may be forced to leave the United
States if she seeks legal right against her husband or
attempts to leave him.
 She is isolated by cultural dynamics that do not permit her
to leave her husband; economically, she may be unable to
gather the resources to leave, work, or go to school.
 Language barriers may interfere with her ability to
call emergency center, learn about her rights or legal
options, and obtain shelter, financial assistance, or
food.

 It may be necessary for the nurse to obtain the

assistance of an interpreter whom the woman trusts,
make referrals to legal services, and assist the
woman to contact the Department of Immigration to
deal with these additional concerns.
Violent behaviour is strongly influenced by cultural and
social norms; so make efforts to prevent violence must
consider how social pressures and expectations
influence individual behaviour.
 SOME FACTS
 It is estimated that about one third of children
who are abused or exposed to violence as children
become violent themselves in later life.
 Boys are at increased risk to abuse an intimate
partner in adult relationships if they were abused
or witnessed abuse between parental figures.
 The sons of the most violent parents had a rate of
wife abuse 100 times higher than the sons of the
nonviolent parents.
 Girls are at increased risk to be abused by an intimate
male in adulthood, if they witnessed abuse between
parental figures in childhood.
 Early physical abuse is a strong predictive factor of
criminal behavior in adulthood.
 Alcohol use is frequently associated with violence
between intimate partners.  It is estimated that in 45% of
men had been drinking, and in about 20% of cases,
women had been drinking
 Due to violence common disorders are:
 PTSD
 Dissociative disorder
 In a 1999 study from Johns Hopkins, it
was reported that abused women are at
higher risk of miscarriages, stillbirths,
and infant deaths, and are more likely
to give birth to low birth weight
children, a risk factor for neonatal and
infant deaths.  In addition, children of
abused women were more likely to be
malnourished and less immunized
against childhood diseases.
IT’ S HARD TO STOP BECAUSE IT’S
HARD TO REPORT!!
 Screening
RADAR: A Domestic Violence Intervention

R = Routinely Screen Female Patients

A = Ask Direct Questions
• If the patient answers "yes."
• If the patient answers "no."
D = Document Your Findings
A = Assess Patient Safety
R = Review Options & Referrals
SAFE
 EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

 Quiet and passive

 Crying and poor eye contact

 Anxiety
 Chronic depression

 Chronic pain
 Dehydration
 Drug and alcohol dependence

 Eating disorders
 General emotional numbing
 Panic attacks
 Poor adherence to medical recommendations
 Repeated self-injury
 Self neglect
 Sexual dysfunction
 Sleep disorders
 Somatization disorders
 Strained family relationships
 Suicidal attempts
 Health problems
 Malnutrition
 Primary Prevention And Community Attitude Campaigns

A public health approach to preventing domestic violence

classifies preventative strategies into:
Primary Prevention Strategies
Primary prevention strategies aim to prevent domestic
violence before it begins.
Secondary Prevention Strategies
Secondary prevention is focused on at-risk populations
Tertiary Prevention Strategies
Tertiary prevention aims to prevent reoccurrence of
violence after it has occurred.
 Strategies Used To Tackle Domestic Violence

 primary prevention programs

 integrated intervention programs
 screening programs
 programs for violence perpetrators
 programs for women who have been subject to
domestic violence and
 legislative approaches.
 Intervention
 Every state in the United States allows police to make
arrests in cases of domestic violence.
 .Sometimes after police have been called to the scene, the
abuser is allowed to remain at home after talking with
police and calming down. If an arrest is made, sometimes
the abuser is held only for a few hours or overnight. Often
the abuser get even release; hence, women have a
legitimate fear of calling the police.
 Studies have shown that arresting the batterer may reduce
short term violence but may increase long-term violence.
 A woman can obtain a restraining order (protection
order) from her county of residence that legally
prohibits the abuser from approaching or contacting
her.

 Civil orders of protection are more effective in

preventing future violence when linked with other
interventions such as advocacy counseling, shelter, or
talking
Role Of Government, NGO And Media In Awareness
And Its Prevention

 Laws and policies Legislation can be a key tool in changing

behaviour and perceptions of cultural and social norms.
 Laws and policies that make violent behaviour an offence
send a message to society that it is not acceptable.
 Countries differ in the laws applied to violent behaviour.
While nearly all countries have laws that criminalize most
forms of homicide, only some countries have laws in place
to protect women from intimate partner violence, or
children from caregiver maltreatment
 The Punjab Assembly  passed the Protection of Women
against violence Bill 2015 which contains remedies for
victims of violence, criminalize all forms of violence against
women and also provides them special centers which
remove the usual red tape hurdles that complicate a
woman’s search for justice.
 ‘Violence’ itself has been redefined to mean any offence
committed against the human body of the aggrieved
person including domestic violence, sexual violence,
psychological and emotional abuse, economic abuse and
cyber crime.
 A toll-free universal access number (UAN) will be started to
receive complaints while district protection committee will
be established to investigate complaints filed by women.
 Centers will also be set up for reconciliation and resolution
of disagreement.
 Protection Officers will be liable to inform the defendant
whenever a complaint is received. Offering resistance to
Protection Officers will be punishable by up to six months
imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs500,000. 
 Once a complaint is received its will be updated into a
database which will soon be set up.
 Filing a false complaint can be punishable by up to three
months in jail and or a fine of between Rs50,000 to
Rs100,000.
 Darul Amman and protections centers will be setup
according to the passed law.
 Shelter homes will be built for the protection of aggrieved
women, which will provide boarding and lodging facilities
to the victim and children (if any).
 The defendant will be liable to bear all the expenses of the
complainant women in case the court orders for it.
 If the defendant refuses to pay cash then the court can
order for the payment to be deducted from the their salary
if applicable.
 Defendants can be cuffed with GPS tracking bracelets if
ordered by the Court. Those attempting to remove or
tamper with the tracking bracelets will be jailed for up to
one year and fined between Rs50,000 to Rs200,000.
 Recommendations
 To improve the status of woman within
society
 Changing perceptions
 Education
 Easy access to law and order
 Stigma related to violence
 Moral support of the victim
 Emergency management
GENDER SENSITISATION AND ROLE OF WOMEN
 Objectives

At the end of the unit learners will be able to:

 Describe gender as a sociological construct
 Analyze personal and cultural perceptions towards the sexes
 Discuss societal perceptions and status regarding men and
women
 Discuss the role and status of women in Pakistani society
 Evaluate societal attitudes towards factors enhancing
women’s status
GENDER
 Title
Layout

• Gender Sensitization
 GENDER SENSITISATION

Definition
Gender sensitization refers to the modification of behavior by raising
awareness of gender equality concerns. It is interlinked with gender
empowerment.
 Difference B/w Gender & Sex
Gender

The social and cultural significance we attach to those presumed

biological differences Refers to what we become as men and
women, which occurs through socialization
Sex
Biological differences between males and females

Refers to who we are as males and females

 SEX AND GENDER
• “Sex” refers to the biological and physiological
characteristics that define men and women.
• Hence sex is permanent and universal. Sex refers to a
person’s biological make-up as male or female.
• Typically, a person’s genotype (genetic makeup) and
phenotype (observable traits) are used to determine a
person’s sex.
• While sex is the determination of whether a person is
male or female which is viewed and accepted as ‘natural

• “Gender” refers to the socially constructed roles,

behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society
considers appropriate for men and women. Gender
construction varies from one society to another.
 SEX AND GENDER
• To put it in another way, “Male”
and “Female” are sex categories,
while “masculine” and “feminine”
are gender categories.
 Difference between sex & gender
Sex (Biological difference) Gender (Social difference)

Difficult to change (we are Can be changed since

born male or female) gender identity is
determined by society.

Throughout history and across At different times in history and

cultures, sex differences exist. in different societies, gender
roles are different.

Policies respond to sex Policies can respond to gender

differences in areas to do with stereotype and traditional
the physical body. gender roles.
 continue
• "Why do men and women act and think in different ways?"
• Two possible explanations have been put forward, one relative to biology and the other to culture.

• The scientists adopting the biological explanation usually consider the behavioural differences
between men and women as being linked to hormones and brain differences. Experiments performed
on rats have shown that there is a link between hormones and certain types of behaviour, such as
between androgens and aggressive behaviour. Therefore, following this line of thinking, it is believed
that differences in behaviours are fixed in biology. It is considered natural for men to be more
assertive and aggressive than women due to their higher level of testosterone.
• However, these explanations have been widely criticized and it is difficult to make any conclusive
observation from animal experiments that can be applied to human beings. Moreover, researches
carried out with people have also been opened to doubt.

• The most popular explanation among sociologists remains the cultural one. Gender roles are viewed as
being learnt through socialisation. Culture is thus put forward as the key to understanding why men
and women hold different attitudes and behaviours and why society actually expects them to behave
in different ways and accept these differences as ‘natural'. This is why the term ‘gender' has been
coined. It is asserted that men and women are not born with behavioural differences,a despite their
anatomical differences. They rather learn, as from an early age, that because they belong to a
particular sex, they must behave in a specific way. Their gender identities and gender roles are
assigned to them, not by biology, but by society's norms and values regarding the different sexes.

• The debate, however, is still open. Researches are still being made to settle the question. Even though
the cultural explanation seems to bear more weight, no research has as yet been able to prove that the
biological aspect holds no influence on behavioural differences between men and women; on the
contrary, links have been established between biology and behaviour. The controversy is thus still
 Transgender
 Transgender is an umbrella term for persons whose gender identity,
gender expression or behavior does not conform to that typically
associated with the sex to which they were assigned at birth.
 Gender Related Differences
 Differences does not mean deficiencies

 Three main areas of gender differences

 Cognitive

 Personality

 Physical
Cognitive sex difference:
 Girls superior at verbal abilities during early to middle childhood.
 Boys have greater visual spatial ability beginning around age 10.
Social sex differences
 Boys more aggressive especially physical aggression and direct verbal
assault .
 Boys more into risk taking and sensation seeking as well as curiosity
and exploratory behavior , boys attracted to physically dangerous
occupation.
 Girls more compliant with demands of parents and teachers.
 Girls more fearful of possible personal threats and dangers.
Difference In Personality
Females are more extroverted,anxious,trusting,and nurturing.
Males are more assertive,tough-minded,and have higher self-esteem.

Physical Differences
 Males have longer heavier bones.
 Females have a wider and flatter pelvis.
 Men have higher testosterone levels and so bigger, stronger muscles.

 Women tend to be more flexible due to a lower muscles mass.

 Women carry more body fats than men.
 Gender Stereotypes

Males: Dominant , Independent , Controlling , assertive ,

competitive and manipulating the environment.

Females: Relatively passive , loving , and supportive in social

relationships
 Male and Female Abilities

Emotions:
Women typically have a larger deep limbic system than men, which allows
them to be more in touch with their feelings and better able to express
them, which promotes bonding with others. Because of this ability to
connect, women serve more as caregivers for children.
Pain:
Men and women perceive pain differently. In studies, women require more
morphine than men to reach the same level of pain reduction. Women are
also more likely to vocalize their pain and to seek treatment for their pain
than are men.
Reaction to stress:

Men tend to have a "fight or flight" response to stress situations

while women seem to approach these situations with a "tend
and befriend "strategy.
Brain size:
Typically, men’s brains are 11-12% bigger than women’s brains.
This size difference has absolutely nothing to do with
intelligence, but is explained by the difference in physical size
between men and women. Men need more neurons to control
their greater muscle mass and larger body size.
 Gender Role

• A gender role is the place you hold in a family,

relationship or society as a whole because you are
male or female.
• The role or behavior learned by a person as
appropriate to their gender, determined by the
established cultural norms.
 Traditional Gender Roles

 Traditional roles for women are care giving , cooking ,

cleaning etc.
 Male traditional roles are earning for the family.
 The traditional gender roles may vary from culture to
another. There are expectations and roles , which are
expected to be met by the proper gender in certain cultures
, for example , men in a traditional culture are expected to
be able to find work and be the main sources of income for
the household.
 Changing Gender Roles

 Historically, a man's gender role was the breadwinner, earning money

to support the family through outside work. A woman's gender role
was to care for the family and household, providing support for the
man.

 In the last few decades, the question, "What is a gender role?" has
become harder to answer, as gender roles have grown increasingly
closer together. More breadwinner wives are providing the majority
or all of the household income. And Dads stay-at-home is an example
of a male being able to nurture and raise children.
 Role And Status Of Women In Pakistan Society

 The Ideology of Pakistan is based on Islam. During 1400 year, Islam is

the only religions which granted different rights to women.
 As a mother, she has the key of heaven
 As a daughter blessing of happiness.
 Islam has granted social political and economical rights to women.
 Women allowed choosing her life partner and her consent is
mandatory for marriage.
 Women can work out of the home under Islamic terms and condition.
 Many other rights have also been granted such as equality between
men and women, education and domestic rights. 
 The male and female ratio is not in balance in
Pakistan. Male is dominant in all sphere of life.
During the early years of Pakistan, Women were
allowed to work on equality basis. But the social
backwardness of the people restrained them to
liberate women in the environment. Mohtrama
Fatima Jinnah and other female freedom fighters are
clear example. In the government of Ayoub and
Bhutto, Women education was obliged. The 1973
establishment accepted the equality of women and
their rights. 
 Role of women in Pakistan

Pakistan is dominated by the tribal tradition in Northern

areas, Fata, Baluchistan and Sindh. They don’t honor the
women as given by the Islam and ill-represent the Islamic
values. Furthermore, these tribal mindset people oblige the
torture on women. Even in Urban areas, the status of women
is poor Where, the women restricted to get education. Mostly
people support more to male child in education than female
child. Due to lack of education, women fail to get their right
and they suffer in domestic violence and sexual harassment
cases. 
 Watta-Satta is the given-take rule
 It has been compulsory to give bulk dowry to newly bride at
the time of marriage.
 An illegal practice by marrying with Quran
 Social crime practiced in Sindh is honor killing of woman.
 The act of acid throwing in Pakistan
 Women kidnapped and sold in other parts of the country.
 The practices of vani is strongly adopted as punish to
convicted family.
The Government of Pakistan initiated many developments programs
for the women in terms of education, training, and financial support.

Other bodies of social life such as NGOs and Human Rights

organization should arrange program for counseling the people about
the status of women and in social life. They should also highlight the
equality of gender and consent over marriage decision with girl.

At present, women are enjoying a good status in upper class. The First
Female speaker of national assembly is explicit example.

 In art and entertainment, Sharmin Obed Chinoy has received Oscar

award for her documentary film “Saving Face”.
 Factors Enhancing Women’s Status

We can empower the women through:

 Education
 Skills developing, and training
 Access to quality, respectable paid work
 Deal with unpaid care and work burdens
 Access to property, assets, and financial services
 Awareness regarding their rights
 By social protection.
 Freedom of movement
 Giving decision making power
 Women’s Empowerment is Necessary for Human Progress
 Exposure to media. The Electronic Media can perform an excellent
part