Introduction
Family violence is a serious problem that has negatively impacted the lives of individuals around the world. About one-third of women globally have been victims of this highly prevalent variety of sexual and gender-based violence (Rose et al. 1). The occurrence and impact of the aforementioned form of discrimination are complex and multifaceted. A solid grasp of theoretical perspectives is essential to fully understand the metrics that underlie its occurrence in contemporary society. The high prevalence of patriarchal practices, coercion, social marginalization, and gaslighting drives the power imbalances that define family violence in contemporary societies.
Family Violence
Like all types of gender-based violence, family violence is a product of global structural forces that are shaped by patriarchal gender norms, including capitalism, colonialism, and neoliberalism. Power disparities are created historically and internationally, are institutionalized over time, and are replicated in people’s daily lives. There has been an unparalleled surge in the variety and severity of personal and familial abuse in every society since the COVID-19 pandemic began (Rose et al. 1). Violence against women and girls has been referred to as a “shadow pandemic” of the COVID-19 era by the Executive Director of United Nations Women, which is testament to the severity of the problem (Rose et al. 1). The examination of the role of patriarchy in the promotion of violence is critical.
The prevalence of patriarchy is responsible for the high incidence of family violence in society. Despite the egalitarian movement, which promotes equal rights for men and women, traditionally patriarchal societies promote ideals that emphasize the view that women are subordinate to men and should be subservient to them (Mondal and Pintu 4). A man may resort to domestic violence as a way of coping with feelings of helplessness if he perceives that he may lose control over a spouse who is “disobedient” or “independent” (Mondal and Pintu 4). It should be noted that all forms of violence against women are regarded as extreme forms of discrimination associated with a belief system that grants men the authority to exercise control over women.
Patriarchal conventions define power relations that increase the incidence of family violence. When family violence is reduced to its most basic components, it is a relationship in which one party abuses the other by engaging in a pattern or cycle of abusive conduct to obtain or hold onto power and control (Farr 2). It is important to note that the radical feminist theory illustrates how the dynamic battle between males and females precipitates the subjugation of women within abusive relationships (Farr 2). Perpetrators often take advantage of various forms of social power, such as wealth or physical attractiveness, to exert dominance. Domestic abusers use social authority to invert the power dynamics within their relationships as a means of dominating their partners.
Coercion is a strategy that abusers use to force women to accept unequal power relations based on gender. Society has forced women into thinking that men have the right to exercise violence in instances where specific gender-defined roles are not completed (Mondal and Pintu 4). In families that experience violence, the husband uses coercion to keep women and, in some instances, children under his control, trapping them in a confusing, contradictory, and terrifying reality of his own making (Mondal and Pintu 4).
By denying them autonomy, violating their freedoms, controlling their daily conduct, and separating them from support networks, men make women dependent. It is worth noting that because of the rigidity of gender standards in patriarchal societies, women often defend their husbands’ actions to make sense of the mistreatment they endure (Mondal and Pintu 4). Such reactions further exemplify the multifaceted and complex nature of family violence in contemporary societies.
Feminist theories of interpersonal violence provide insight into the power dynamics involved in family violence. They posit that a major contributing factor to interpersonal violence is power disparities between men and women and other disenfranchised genders in patriarchal cultures such as the United States and Canada (Exner-Cortens et al. 1763). Men believe that using violence to subdue women and other disenfranchised genders is a legitimate way to exert control and express power. This is especially common when men and non-male genders, such as women, transgender, non-binary, and genderqueer individuals, are unequal at the societal level (Exner-Cortens et al. 1764). This stems from the fact that unjust gender norms perpetuate the idea that men are superior to non-men in interpersonal relationships.
Men often use gaslighting to cultivate self-doubt in the hope of persuading women that they live in an alternate world created by the perpetrator of violence. This is achieved by exploiting persistent stereotypes and ideas about women as emotional and irrational (Ismail et al. 2182). Several conditions must be in place for gaslighting to be effective. Firstly, men must have leverage over women in close relationships because of culturally propagated gender inequity and stereotypes that give men greater control (Ismail et al. 2182).
Secondly, because of the wider system of social inequality, men are more likely to hold power in relationships when gender inequality intersects with other identities that are shaped by racial, ethnic, and immigration status (Ismail et al. 2182). This authority stems from men’s capacity to exploit the reduced probability that women with marginalized identities will turn to official channels for assistance because they fear the unfavorable responses they might receive. Furthermore, men have the advantage of being in a position to effectively persuade others that their female partner is emotional, exceedingly sentimental, or illogical, which eliminates opportunities for her to seek the help she needs.
The social marginalization of individuals increases the frequency of violence within families. Social marginalization is defined as the social, political, and economic isolation that many groups endure as a result of unequal power relations at the societal level (Exner-Cortens et al. 1766). The highlighted concept offers an alternative perspective regarding the association between power relations and patterns of family violence. This view, which places family violence within the broader social context of interlocking oppressions such as racism, misogyny, and colonialism, is based on anti-oppression practice and prevention (Exner-Cortens et al. 1766).
According to the anti-oppressive perspective, social institutions that marginalize people based on their identities are the main source of power (Exner-Cortens et al. 1766). Marginalized individuals are constantly battling the inequality and injustice perpetuated by such institutions. Considering the influence these macro-level power disparities have on a person’s well-being is critical. Families are among the avenues that affected individuals may choose to vent their frustrations. The impact of societal pressures in highly competitive environments may perpetuate violence in families by amplifying imbalances in power relations.
Addressing the Problem
The adoption of a comprehensive, multidimensional, and structurally sound conceptualization of family violence is crucial for the development of effective solutions. The exposition of feminist dialectical conceptions and contemporary theories on family violence facilitates the conceptualization of the intricacies that underlie the association between power relations and family violence. In essence, family violence encompasses a variety of ubiquitous and less obvious types of abuse that occur within the context of women’s structural subordination (Rose et al. 9).
It is not limited to a single physical assault or violent incident. The cultivation of a variety of relationships is crucial, especially in areas that directly impact victims’ lives. These include health and justice, outreach and court-based collaborations, finance and justice, and community partnerships (Rose et al. 9). Such associations focus on the numerous needs of individual victims and the effects of interrelated violent systems, such as racism and sexism, to promote broad societal change.
Conclusion
Modern theories and feminist dialectical concepts shed light on the nuanced dynamics that underpin the connection between family violence and power relations. Family violence is a relationship in which one individual harms the other by participating in a pattern of abusive behavior in an attempt to gain or maintain control. The majority of the time, victims of gender-based violence have been forced to tolerate unequal power relations. Feminist theories emphasize that one of the main causes of interpersonal violence is power disparities between males and females in patriarchal societies.
Other factors that contribute to the frequency of power imbalances that sustain violence within families include social marginalization and gaslighting. For effective remedies to be developed, a broad, multifaceted, and structurally sound view of family violence ought to be adopted. Given the serious effects of family violence, the rights and well-being of vulnerable individuals must be protected in family settings.
Works Cited
Exner-Cortens, Deinera, et al. “Canadian Adolescents’ Experiences of Dating Violence: Associations with Social Power Imbalances.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence, vol. 38, no. 1–2, 2023, pp. 1762–86.
Farr, Paddy. “Crashing Bodies: Towards an Intersectional Assemblage Theory of Domestic Violence.” Feminist Theory, vol. 24, no. 3, 2023, pp. 1–19.
Ismail, Sukriah, et al. “The Protection of a Wife’s Rights against the Elements of Narcissism and Gaslighting in Domestic Violence.” Linguistics and Culture Review, vol. 5, no. S4, 2021, pp. 2175–94.
Mondal, Dinabandhu, and Pintu Paul. “Associations of Power Relations, Wife-Beating Attitudes, and Controlling Behavior of Husband With Domestic Violence Against Women in India: Insights From the National Family Health Survey–4.” Violence Against Women, vol. 27, no. 14, 2021, pp. 1–23.
Rose, Evelyn, et al. “Structural Problems Demand Structural Solutions: Addressing Domestic and Family Violence.” Violence Against Women, vol. 0, no. 0, 2023, pp. 1–23.