BATTERED WOMEN AND SOCIAL WORK (FROM VIOLENCE AND THE FAMILY, 1978, BY J P MARTIN - SEE NCJ-54634)

• NCJ Number: 54646
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: John Wiley and Sons
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE ATTITUDES AND IDEOLOGY GENERALLY HELD BY ENGLISH SOCIAL SERVICES PERSONNEL ARE SHOWN TO UNDERMINE PRACTICAL HELP FOR BATTERED WIVES, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR CHANGE ARE OFFERED.

Abstract

IT IS NOTED THAT THE PRINCIPAL THRUST OF HELP FOR BATTERED WIVES, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF REFUGES TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE HOUSING FOR WIVES WHO LEAVE ABUSING HUSBANDS, WAS STARTED AND CONTINUES TO OPERATE THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF PRIVATE CITIZENS RATHER THAN LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENTS. WHILE A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF BATTERED WIVES DO CONTACT SOCIAL SERVICE PERSONNEL, IT IS BELIEVED THE HELP GENERALLY OFFERED IS USELESS AND SOMETIMES DESTRUCTIVE. HELP TO BATTERED WIVES IS GIVEN A LOW PRIORITY BY ENGLISH SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENTS AND IS INEFFECTIVE BECAUSE OF THE CULTURALLY AND EDUCATIONALLY CONDITIONED ATTITUDES AND CONCEPTS HELP BY SOCIAL WORKERS. SINCE PRESERVING THE FAMILY STRUCTURE IS GIVEN HIGH PRIORITY, SOCIAL SERVICE COUNSELORS TEND TO ENCOURAGE WIVES TO ADJUST TO THE ABUSIVE SITUATION IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP THE MARRIAGE INTACT. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A PREVALENT PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION WHICH VIEWS BATTERED WIVES AS MASOCHISTIC TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY UNDULY AGGRAVATE THEIR HUSBANDS WITH THE AIM OF BEING BEATEN AND ABUSED. INFLUENCED BY THIS VIEW, SOCIAL WORKERS TEND TO COUNSEL BATTERED WOMEN TO BE MORE SUBMISSIVE AND LESS ANTAGONISTIC IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR WIFELY DUTIES. IT IS OBSERVED THAT WHEN SOCIAL WORKERS DO REFER CLIENTS TO REFUGES, THEY FREQUENTLY FAIL TO FOLLOWUP TO HELP THEM IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE PLANS. SOCIAL WORKERS ARE SAID TO REACT NEGATIVELY TO THE ABSENCE OF PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL IN THE RUNNING OF THE REFUGES, WHERE THE RESIDENTS THEMSELVES ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROGRAM. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT SOCIAL WORKERS SHOULD RESPECT THE JUDGMENT OF THE WIVES WHO WISH TO LEAVE THEIR HUSBANDS AND REFER THEM TO REFUGES, WITH FOLLOWUP OFFERED TO HELP THEM IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE PLANS. CONTACTING THE HUSBAND SHOULD BE LEFT TO THE DISCRETION OF THE WIFE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)