Source Summary Prewriting
- Theme: Family
- Topic: Domestic Violence
- Title: Addressing domestic violence against women: An unfinished agenda. Kaur and Gang have a feeling that the topic of domestic violence, though it is a common subject, is yet to be addressed comprehensively.
- Intended Audience: The target audience in this article is husbands and men in relationships. However, the authors bring out the role of individuals, communities, and the government in the fight against the perpetration of domestic violence against women in various aspects of life.
- Writer Background: Kaur and Gang are lecturers within the Department of Community Medicine at Maulana Azad Medical College in India.
- Writer’s Angle: The authors present arguable aspects regarding ways of addressing the problem of domestic violence against women. Different individuals have divergent views regarding this subject. Thus, the topic of domestic violence has a number of arguable claims.
The one-sentence summary
Kaur and Gang (2008), lecturers within the Department of Community Medicine at Maulana Azad Medical College in India, address the subject of domestic violence against women pointing out that a lot is left undone and citing ignorance and the lack of understanding as far as the effects that such violence has on the affected women, as well as the society.
The one-paragraph summary
Kaur and Gang (2008) point out that domestic violence against women has a lot of negative effects on different aspects of the social system and thus, adversely affects a country’s development since such violence has cost implications for labor loss, healthcare, law enforcement and the ultimate progress in a country. In spite of such adverse effects of domestic violence, Kaur and Gang argue that the subject has been ignored widely, with many people lacking the necessary understanding of the causal factors of domestic violence, as well as how to deal with it. According to the authors, violence against women has been perpetrated by political and economic conditions, religious practices, as well as cultural values. As such, they call for a multi-sectoral response to this problem.
The multiple-paragraph summary
Kaur and Gang (2008) highlight the need to address the issue of domestic violence against women arguing that it is a subject that has been ignored and consequently, such ignorance has led to the lack of understanding of the causal factors and effects of staying in abusive marriages and relationships. According to Kaur and Gang (2008), there are adverse consequences of this societal vice. For example, the authors point out that domestic violence has the effects of reproductive morbidity on the affected women.
Also, women in violent relationships are victims of unplanned pregnancies, consistent miscarriages, and contractions of sexually-related diseases such as HIV. In the views of Kaur and Gang (2008), domestic violence hinders the development of a nation as it affects the social system in terms of adverse cost implications in health care, enforcement of the necessary laws, and loss of labor.
On the other hand, Kaur and Gang (2008) argue that regardless of the adverse consequences associated with domestic violence most of the affected women tend to stay in violent relationships. The authors attribute such behavior to harsh economic conditions such that women are not in a stable financial position to take care of their bills. They note that traditional customs have contributed greatly to women staying in violent relationships. Moreover, most women are not aware of alternative ways of dealing with domestic violence and hence, have no option but to stay in abusive relationships.
In other cases, Kaur and Gang (2008) point out that there are women who stay in abusive relationships due to the fear that their violent partners will cause more harm if they speak to anyone about their condition.
Kaur and Gang (2008) emphasize that the human rights of women in abusive relationships are violated, and consider it to be the responsibility of the state and the society to ensure the availability of the effective measures of preventing such perpetuation. As such, Kaur and Gang (2008) call for the society, the government, and individuals to address this problem by taking the necessary measures including civil and legal action, as well as political will.
References
Kaur, R., & Gang, S. (2008). Addressing domestic violence against women: An unfinished agenda. Indian Journal of Community Medicine, 33(2), 73-76.