There are several reasons why women experience higher rates of abuse. First, many societies worldwide still have a patriarchal structure, and even in those that seem to have changed, the history of patriarchal norms still influences the communities (Zara & Gino, 2018). This fact results in a variety of other factors that cause higher rates of female violence victims. Thus, the remnants of those strong patriarchal foundations include women’s status in society. Historically, women in many countries were unable to receive an education, and their functions in their families were reduced to giving birth, raising children, and working for their husbands (Zara & Gino, 2018). Therefore, in the collective unconscious of many communities, women are still seen as inferior to men.
To move beyond this situation, more women have to engage in fighting for equal rights and ending intimate partner violence. There is no reason why this may not work since gender rights activism has already achieved significant results in helping women. Although the line between self-defense and domestic violence is often blurry, it has to be stated that using violence solely to protect oneself should be considered self-defense (Zara & Gino, 2018, p. 3). This is mainly due to the fact that the victims are trying to save their own lives.
Women who identify themselves as part of the LGBT population may experience both violence and healthcare disparities due to the stigmatization that exists in many modern communities (Mccrone, 2018, p. 93). To address this issue, researchers, policy-makers, and civil rights activists have to unite in raising physicians’ awareness about the poor quality of medical care provided to these minority groups. Only a comprehensive approach that involves various social and political aspects of life can help to eliminate the stigma and increase the quality of care for the members of the LGBT community.
References
Mccrone, S. (2018). LGBT healthcare disparities, discrimination, and societal stigma: The mental and physical health risks related to sexual and/Or gender minority status. American Journal of Medical Research, 5(1), 91-102.
Zara, G., & Gino, S. (2018). Intimate partner violence and its escalation into femicide. Frailty thy name is “Violence against women”. Frontiers in Psychology, 9(2), 1-11.