Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons^™

Ireland’S Response To Domestic, Sexual And Gender-Based Violence: An Interview With Orla O’Connor, Deirdre Kelly

Articles

Orla O’Connor is the Director of the “National Women’s Council of Ireland” (NWCI), the leading national women’s membership organisation with over
190 member groups. She has held senior management roles in several non-governmental organisations for over 25 years. Time magazine recognised her as one of the 100 Most Influential People in 2019 for her role as Co-director of “Together for Yes”, the successful national civil society campaign that was influential in Ireland voting overwhelmingly in favour of removing the Eighth Amendment from the Constitution, a landmark referendum, which led to the legalisation of abortion in 2018. In addition to campaigning …

Do Women’S Education And Economic Empowerment Reduce Gender-Based Violence In Nigeria?, Adaobiagu Nnemdi Obiagu

Journal of International Women's Studies

Women’s education and economic empowerment are key measures to promoting gender equality and reducing gender-based violence (GBV) against women, which is one of the indicators of gender equality. Whereas women’s education has been shown to positively impact child’s health, women’s fertility, and women’s participation in civic life and paid jobs, evidence on the relationship between women’s education, economic empowerment, and women’s exposure to GBV is not sufficiently established. Mapping this relationship is important for informing effective gender policies and practices. Hence, this study used the Nigeria demographic and health survey data of 2008, 2013, and 2018 to investigate the direction …

Spousal Violence In Karnataka, India: An Analysis Of Nhfs-5 Data, Nabeela Siddiqui, Anwesha Ghosh, Najeed Naved Siddiqui

Journal of International Women's Studies

Spousal violence is a severe public health concern. Despite the expanding scholarship, many concerns remain unresolved about the prevalence of this violence, the risk factors, the repercussions, and how to address the problem. This paper sets out a simple study recognizing the sharp increase of spousal violence in the state of Karnataka, with an overall decrease in the rest of South India. Using India’s National Family Health Survey data, we isolate the effect of spousal violence on female autonomy. The findings have substantial policy implications suggesting that it will take more than an improvement in women’s empowerment options to address …

The Heart Is Not Hopeless: Pakistani Television Drama, Patriarchy, And Activism, Neelam Jabeen

Journal of International Women's Studies

A Muslim society that interprets feminism as anti-Islamic may not accept overtly feminist maneuvers to challenge patriarchy. However, there are subtle ways of steering out of the Islam vs. feminism dichotomy. What triggers anti-feminists are phrases like women’s rights, female emancipation, and women’s freedom since all these are interpreted as the agenda of the West and hence are considered anti-Islamic. In this paper, I argue that since feminists are fighting against all forms of oppression and have joined forces with other forms of activism such as child protection, human rights, animal rights, rights of the underclass and minority groups, and …

“I’Ll Tell You No Lies”: An Exploration Of Trauma, Memory, And Violence Against Women In North Carolina Murder Ballads, Madison Ava Helman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This dissertation explores trauma, memory and violence against women in Western North Carolina murder ballads “Tom Dooley,” “Poor Omie Wise,” “Poor Ellen Smith,” “The Ballad of the Lawson Family,” and “Frankie Silver.” I posit that these ballads were influenced by prescriptive societal conceptions of femininity, which in turn influenced societal ideations of violence against women. Using folklore performance theory, I analyze the text and context of these ballads and their subsequent histories, eventually arriving at a template for polyvocality that incorporates multiple ballad variants and encourages diverse performances.

Prevalence Of Domestic Violence And Mental Health Symptoms Among South Asian Women In The United States, Shreya Bhandari, Uma Chandrika Millner

Journal of International Women's Studies

This study examines the prevalence of domestic violence, mental health outcomes and help-seeking behaviors among a cross section of 155 South Asians that participated in an anonymous survey. The findings indicate that 31% of the participants experienced some form of domestic violence; physical, emotional, financial or sexual abuse and about 88% of those abused experienced emotional abuse. Results indicate that the abused participants experienced mental health symptoms of sleeplessness, frequent crying spells, panic, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, high stress, bouts of uncontrollable anger and loneliness. The results emphasize culturally sensitive services that address domestic violence as well as mental …

Domestic Violence In Immigrant Communities: Case Studies (Hindi), Ferzana Chaze, Bethany Osborne, Archana Medhekar, Purnima George

Books

This document contains excerpts from the book Domestic Violence in Immigrant Communities: Case Studies by Dr. Ferzana Chaze, Dr. Bethany Osborne, Ms. Archana Medhekar and Dr. Purnima George that have been translated into Hindi so that a wider audience can access them. The book is a freely accessible educational resource to be used in training with social work and legal practitioners.

The translated case studies in this document are real life stories of immigrant women who have experienced domestic violence in Canada. The cases emerged from closed legal case files handled by Archana Medhekar Law Office and reflect the stories …

The Women Organizations And Activism In Combating Domestic Violence In The North Caucasus, Saida Sirazhudinova

Journal of International Women's Studies

There are a wide range of forms of domestic violence in the North Caucasus. Recent years have shown the scale of its spread and the complexity of the fight against domestic violence in the region. The spread of domestic violence in the region is facilitated by the residents themselves, traditional institutions, and religious structures that increase their influence. In addition, the authorities are not interested in solving the problems of domestic violence, and they hinder the work of human rights organizations and activists in every possible way. This article describes the features of the fight against domestic violence in the …

Do Russian Women Have The Right To Self-Defense Against Domestic Violence?, Davtyan Mari Davitovna

Journal of International Women's Studies

This article concerns the analysis of court practices for criminal cases relating to female victims of domestic violence who have been charged with murder or intentional infliction of grievous bodily injuries of their partners. The author directly connects the observance of women's rights in domestic violence self-defense cases with the problem of the lack of legal mechanisms of protection against violence in Russia. Russia remains the last country in the Council of Europe which has yet to create legal mechanisms to protect women against domestic violence. The lack of a law against domestic violence, a mechanism for protection orders, standards …

Domestic Violence In Immigrant Communities: Case Studies (Brazilian Portuguese), Ferzana Chaze, Bethany Osborne, Archana Medhekar, Purnima George

Books

This document contains excerpts from the book Domestic Violence in Immigrant Communities: Case Studies by Dr. Ferzana Chaze, Dr. Bethany Osborne, Ms. Archana Medhekar and Dr. Purnima George that have been translated into Brazilian Portuguese so that a wider audience can access them. The book is a freely accessible educational resource to be used in training with social work and legal practitioners.

The translated case studies in this document are real life stories of immigrant women who have experienced domestic violence in Canada. The cases emerged from closed legal case files handled by Archana Medhekar Law Office and reflect the …

Domestic Violence In Immigrant Communities: Case Studies (Punjabi), Ferzana Chaze, Bethany Osborne, Archana Medhekar, Purnima George

Books

This document contains excerpts from the book Domestic Violence in Immigrant Communities: Case Studies by Dr. Ferzana Chaze, Dr. Bethany Osborne, Ms. Archana Medhekar and Dr. Purnima George that have been translated into Punjabi so that a wider audience can access them. The book is a freely accessible educational resource to be used in training with social work and legal practitioners.

The translated case studies in this document are real life stories of immigrant women who have experienced domestic violence in Canada. The cases emerged from closed legal case files handled by Archana Medhekar Law Office and reflect the stories …

Domestic Violence In Immigrant Communities: Case Studies (Arabic), Ferzana Chaze, Bethany Osborne, Archana Medhekar, Purnima George

Book

This document contains excerpts from the book Domestic Violence in Immigrant Communities: Case Studies by Dr. Ferzana Chaze, Dr. Bethany Osborne, Ms. Archana Medhekar and Dr. Purnima George that have been translated into Arabic so that a wider audience can access them. The book is a freely accessible educational resource to be used in training with social work and legal practitioners.

The translated case studies in this document are real life stories of immigrant women who have experienced domestic violence in Canada. The cases emerged from closed legal case files handled by Archana Medhekar Law Office and reflect the stories …

Domestic Violence Against Women In The Nigerian Rural Context, Chisaa O. Igbolekwu, Ogadimma Arusukwu, Joseph N. Nwogu, Bamidele Rasak, Festus Asamu, Ngozi O. Osueke

Journal of International Women's Studies

The problem of domestic violence is not new to African societies. This study focused on the remote causes and implications of domestic violence among rural women. The study adopted a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. The respondents were selected using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Findings revealed that 82.3% of the respondents agree that the economic dependence of women on men is among the major causes of domestic violence, while 52.3% of respondents believe that their communities encourage and tolerate some abusive behavior. A total of 61.5% of the respondents posit that religious and traditional …

Perceptions Of Domestic Violence Among Women In The Department Of Artibonite, Haiti, Kenaz Jean Baptiste

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the major problems that face women in Haiti, especially those in the department of Artibonite, is domestic violence also called domestic or relationship abuse, and intimate partner violence. In the department of Artibonite (Artibonite county), violation of women’s rights is stimulated and encouraged by cultural norms, religious practices, economic, social, and political conditions. This phenomenological study explored the experiences, views, and beliefs of abused women in the department of Artibonite, Haiti, and the factors that influence domestic violence. Data were acquired through in-depth interviews of 17 women and was coded, categorized, and summarized into interpretive themes. Elements such …

The Changing Landscape Of Women’S Rights Activism In China: The Continued Legacy Of The Beijing Conference, Rangita De Silva De Alwis, Katherine A. Schroeder

All Faculty Scholarship

The Beijing Conference was a watershed moment in the history of the global women’s movement and had an unprecedented impact in the Global North and South on lawmaking, institution building, and movement building. This Article details the development of women’s activism in China since the Beijing Conference and how a changing legal landscape impacts this activism. While its progress is emblematic of the inconsistencies in the progression of women’s rights activism since the Beijing Conference, China’s efforts have been significant and varied and represent a model for other countries seeking to reform women’s rights legislation. This Article identifies important lines …

Domestic Violence In Immigrant Communities: Breaking The Cycle, Ferzana Chaze, Bethany Osborne, Archana Medhekar, Purnima George

Dissemination Event

Dr. Ferzana Chaze and Dr. Bethany Osborne, and their fellow authors family lawyer Archana Medhekar, and Dr. Purnima George, Ryerson University discuss their recently published book Domestic Violence in Immigrant Communities: Case Studies. This book opens up an important conversation about the impact of domestic violence within immigrant communities and seeks solutions for how the social service and justice sectors can work more effectively to support vulnerable immigrant women and their families.

In this webinar they are joined by an exciting panel of experts, to discuss the importance and relevance of the topic, and possible next steps in breaking the …

Muslim Women’S Right To Divorce And Gender Equality Issues In Bangladesh: A Proposal For Review Of Current Laws, Shahnewaj Patwari, Abu N. M. A. Ali

Journal of International Women's Studies

In Bangladesh, sharia law goes hand in hand with the statutory laws of the land. These laws are both conjointly used to regulate and monitor the issues of divorce among Muslims of the country. Orthodox Islamic laws provide husbands with the authority of issuing divorce or talaq to their wives known as Talaq-e-Tawfiz (popularly known as tawfiz) in the kabinnama (the written document of the contract of marriage). Women’s power to exercise the tawfiz, however, depends solely on the will of their husbands. Although Muslim women are capable of repudiating their marriages by the process of khula or mubarat, these …

Domestic Violence In Pakistan From 1990 – 2020: A Mixed Method Approach, Hamida Khatri

Dissertations and Theses

This study assessed domestic violence from the perspective of the victims who experienced trauma due to sexual, emotional, and psychological abuse in Pakistan.

Domestic Violence In Immigrant Communities: Case Studies (Spanish), Ferzana Chaze, Bethany Osborne, Archana Medhekar, Purnima George

Book

This document contains excerpts from the book Domestic Violence in Immigrant Communities: Case Studies by Dr. Ferzana Chaze, Dr. Bethany Osborne, Ms. Archana Medhekar and Dr. Purnima George that have been translated into Spanish so that a wider audience can access them. The book is a freely accessible educational resource to be used in training with social work and legal practitioners.

The translated case studies in this document are real life stories of immigrant women who have experienced domestic violence in Canada. The cases emerged from closed legal case files handled by Archana Medhekar Law Office and reflect the stories …

Domestic Violence In Immigrant Communities: Case Studies, Ferzana Chaze, Bethany Osborne, Archana Medhekar, Purnima George

Books & Chapters

“Domestic Violence in Immigrant Communities: Case Studies” is a freely accessible eCampus Ontario Pressbook containing case studies of immigrant women experiencing domestic violence to be used as educational materials. The contents were created by analysing closed legal case files of 15 immigrant women living in Ontario who experienced domestic violence. The comprehensive case studies that emerged from this research present domestic violence experienced by immigrant women in all its complexity, highlighting their unique vulnerability at the intersections of race, gender and immigration status. The book also highlights the different legal processes that these women encounter in seeking justice and the …

Maxwell, Daralyn, Susam Cousins, Kelly Dyer

Querying the Past: LGBTQ Maine Oral History Project Collection

Daralyn Maxwell, Dal for short, is a 67 year old transgender woman. Dal lives in Freeport Maine but has moved around the northeast throughout her life. In this interview Dal covers experiences she has had throughout her life. Dal came out as a trans woman later in her life and she values her experiences that brought her to where she is today. Dal covers her experience working in bars and restaurants as a male presenting person where she helped women escape domestic violence. Dal also covers her coming out story, from being outed to her boss, to coming out to …

Not Accepting Abuse As The Norm: Local Forms Of Institutional Reform To Improve Reporting On Domestic Violence In Punjab, Maryam Tanwir, Shailaja Fennell, Hafsah Rehman Lak, Salman Sufi

Journal of International Women's Studies

Gendered social norms are difficult to overcome, due to a lack of consensus among legal, religious, and social institutions on the direction that will result in new social norms. In the case of Pakistan, which ranks sixth on the list of the most dangerous countries for women, it is not possible to change gendered social norms regarding domestic violence by only focusing on legal reform since, in its social context, the act of domestic violence is not in itself regarded as a serious offence. This article explores reform in Punjab, where deeply entrenched legal structural obstacles and discriminatory gender norms …

"Sometimes You Have To Be The Leader": A Minnesota Oral History On Fighting Sexual Exploitation, Trudee Able-Peterson

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Prostitution survivor Trudee Able-Peterson used oral histories to research and document the efforts of women and men to respond to the sexual exploitation of women and children in Minnesota. Her findings illustrate the leadership needed to overcome centuries of commercial sexual exploitation to obtain a beginning societal response. Respondents indicated the importance of their interaction with pioneer leaders in other locales. Their comments also illustrate the many issues and challenges still facing the community.

A Qualitative Case Study On The Domestic Violence Act, 2007 (732) And The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women, Victoria Hernandez

Master's Theses

On July 17, 1980, Ghana became a signatory to CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women) under the United Nations in order to combat all forms of violence, discrimination and human rights violations that harm the security, freedom, privacy, and dignity of every woman. The Domestic Violence Act (732) stemmed from CEDAW in order to add on more layers of legal protection for victims of domestic violence and to penalize all acts according the bill’s definition and the different forms of domestic violence. Although there are stricter laws to punish any acts of violence inflicted …

When Law Is Complicit In Gender Bias: Ending De Jure Discrimination Against Women As An Important Target Of Sustainable Development Goal 5, Rangita De Silva De Alwis

All Faculty Scholarship

Ending all forms of discrimination against women and girls is not only a basic human right, but also crucial to accelerating sustainable development. The very first target of Goal 5. 1.1 calls to end all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere and the indicator for the goal is: “Whether or not legal frameworks are in place to promote, enforce and monitor equality and non-discrimination on the basis of sex”. In many countries around the world the legal frameworks themselves allow for both direct (de jure) and indirect (de facto) discrimination against women. This essay identifies some areas …

Navigating Culture: An Exploration Of Domestic Violence And Abuse Resource Provision To The Harrisonburg Iraqi Refugee Community, Kaitlin Michelle Holland

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

There are currently 22.5 million refugees worldwide who have been displaced from their home countries due to war, conflict, or persecution. Of this total, only 1% are recommended for resettlement each year. In recent years, many of these resettled refugees have come from Iraq, fleeing conflict stemming from the Iraq war and ISIS. Upon resettlement, refugees face significant acculturation difficulties that can negatively affect mental health. Additionally, experiencing domestic violence and abuse (DVA) can also negatively affect physical and mental health. I researched how the refugee migration experience and domestic violence and abuse affect mental health as well as what …

Domestic Violence Against Women In Ghana: The Attitudes Of Men Toward Wife-Beating, Ellen Mabel Osei-Tutu, Ernest Ampadu

Journal of International Women's Studies

This study examines the issue of domestic violence against women; specifically, men’s attitudes toward wife beating. The data used was obtained from the 2011 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS). The results presented in this study come from a total 3,052 males from across all the 10 regions in Ghana. It is interesting to note that, although majority of the participants do not endorse wife beating, there was a significant number of these men who thought wife beating was justified for various reasons. That is, the attitude of men toward wife beating is complex to explain as the participants had divergent …

Beware The Mammoni: My Search To Understand Domestic Violence In Italian-American Culture And Rhode Island's Family Court, Anne Grant

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Since I disapproved of stereotypes, I found myself trying to comprehend Italian-American culture after I became executive director of the largest shelter in Rhode Island for battered women and their children. Many of those I met were fleeing Italian-American men. On 60 Minutes, Lesley Stahl reported from Italy about the large number of single men who still live with their parents and are known as mammoni, or “mama’s boys.” Their mothers dutifully cook and clean for them. The Roman Catholic Church’s view of the Holy Family reinforces mammoni culture. I learned that Rome’s founding legend starts with men …

Changing The Message: Battered Women's Advocates And Their Fight Against Domestic Violence At The Local, State, And Federal Level, 1970s-1990s, Clara Amy Van Eck

History Theses & Dissertations

This thesis analyzes congressional hearings, reports to Congress, government statistics, acts of Congress, Supreme Court rulings, and newspaper articles to examine how, in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, battered women's advocates altered their rhetoric when dealing with local, state, and federal governments in order to change policies, laws, and to obtain funding for domestic abuse shelters. In the 1970s, battered women's advocates used anti-patriarchal language to help survivors of sexual assault and of domestic violence understand the pervasive and systemic nature of violence against women to liberate survivors from the belief that the violence was their fault. In the 1980s, …

Protecting Women From Domestic Violence In Assam, India? Evaluating Section 498-A, The Indian Penal Code (Ipc), 1983 Vs The Protection Of Women From Domestic Violence Act (Pwdva), 2005, Deepshikha Carpenter, Polly Vauquline

Journal of International Women's Studies

The institution of marriage is sacred and binding for generations in India; however, in contemporary times, domestic violence is a burning issue as it questions the sanctity of the Indian family system. This paper highlights how domestic violence between ‘husband and wife’, and their interpersonal complexity, is addressed within the legal framework of the Indian Penal Code and the special act of Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act. These Acts operate as custodians for women who are subjugated to spousal violence. The study is located in Kamrup Metro District of Assam as it is the most urbanised district. The …