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Letter: Violence is not ‘domestic’
Wednesday 13th July 2011, 6:00AM BST.
Letter: On Saturday, July 2, you published an item “Police trial aid for victims of ‘home’ violence”.
Isn’t that encouraging? No it is not, and why not? Because, when we read further we find that yes, there it is again, the word “domestic”.
I am sure that, for many, it begs the question; why the determination to separate the criminal violence against someone known to the perpetrator from violence committed against a stranger?
The answer comes from a belief that if one has slept with the victim then it must be viewed differently.
Many pacifying noises have been used over recent times to justify this issue being treated differently, among them the “we cannot proceed if the victim does not give evidence”. Would that excuse be used if the victim was attacked by a complete stranger?
The information given on improvements to be made regarding the victim being able to remain in the home whilst the perpetrator is removed, is a definite step forward, and a very welcome one, as too often the innocent victims have been forced to seek refuge away from their home, adding injustice to injustice.
Admirable efforts are made by organisations in this respect, but sadly, this issue has been devalued for so long, meaning that it will continue to raise its ugly head until first we accept the absolute conviction that violence against another person is a crime regardless of the so-called status of the victim.
Mary Karas
Shrewsbury
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among them the “we cannot proceed if the victim does not give evidence”. Would that excuse be used if the victim was attacked by a complete stranger?
In one word Mary, yes it would. CPS cant prosecute for something with one witness who denies the event ever happened.
or would you prefer that whenever someone cried wolf the other party was hung drawn and quartered with no evidence?
People like you do not help in situations like this, you are akin to extremists – only seeing one side of a complex argument and completely devoid of fairness and rationality.
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What the blue blazes do you mean, ‘people like you’ ?? People who don’t think that living with someone gives you the right to knock seven bells out of them when you feel like it?
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I see no fairness in the idea that one form of violence can be treated different from another.The words “hung,drawn and quartered” begs the question “who is over reacting now?, and “who’s response is likely to be the more damaging?” not mine I think.
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Mary does not see any difference between the horror of domestic abuse and people being “bashed”. That to me is of great concern. I would sooner pull out all of the stops to protect women (mainly) and children who are victims of domestic abuse rather than arguing that they should be dealt with the same as other “bashings” as Mary calls them. Methinks Mary has an agenda!
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Um, why would anyone ‘cry wolf’? What is ‘extremist’ in the letter writer’s statement? Kat (former lawyer).
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Kat (former lawyer). Have you dealt with many perpetrators and victims of domestic abuse? Have you dealt with murderers amd murder victims? I have dealt with thousands of offenders and victims of domestic and other violent crime. The letter writer minimises the impact of what domestic abuse involves…her views might not be extremist but they certainly fail to appreciate why DV needs to be dealt with differently.
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Mary, the law changed some time ago to allow police to proceed with an investigation even if the victim did not wish to co-operate in domestic abuse incidents.
Therefore, anyone can report someone they believe is abusing their partner, even if the victim themself refuses to make a complaint. Police no longer need a complaint from the victim to bring charges if the evidence is there.
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Easier than done though Chris. Many are reluctant to report the abuse by a partner of a friend for fear of bringing more retribution from the abusive partner onto the victim and/or witness since the abusive partner commonly disregards any instruction to keep away, etc.
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I think what Mary was suggesting is why should one ‘victim’ get preferential treatment over another?
We have already seen it happen where so called hate crime is involved it now seems that a non-hate, non-domestic victim is now a third class citizen.
This surely means that the victim is then revictimised through no fault of their own.
I always thought that the authorities were under an obligation to fear or favour nobody.
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What are you on about Stokey? Are you trying to say that victims of so-called ‘domestic’ violence are getting preferential treatment?
Or are you another one who thinks they should shut up and put up with it?
And before you ask ‘Why don’t they leave’ –
“2 women are killed each week by a current or former partner (Homicide Statistics, Home Office, July 2002)”
… and that is most likely to occur at exactly the moment a woman gets up courage to leave – because the man’s ego can’t tolerate that.
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Some excellent comments on here (after the initial grunt from Neanderthal Mandy).
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Why is domestic violence viewed in a different way to other violence? Because it is different. On average two women a week die in this country due to domestic violence. Most will have experienced numerous other incidents before the police become involved and prosecution takes place. Domestic abuse takes many forms and often involves controlling behaviour, sexual harm and threats to cause harm. Often weapons are used. In many cases children are present and as well as witnessing violence they get caught in the crossfire and experience emotional harm. It is treated differently because it needs to be. Violence by a stranger will usually be a one off event – hence the stranger element – and whilst there is no doubt harm is caused it would be wrong and ignorant to view domestic violence as anything other than a priority offence for the police, CPS, courts and other agencies to deal with.
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thanks Chris for that info about the law changing,i didn’t know that- that’s very good news.often the victims are not only phsically injured but so emotionally damaged that they are not able to go through being questioned and have to relive the horror of the abuse.
The next step is to drop the word “domestic” or any other description which would cause it to be dealt with in a different way to any other form of violence
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Why the need to drop the word domestic? By the same logic you should re-categorise rape as just an offence against the person rather than specifying what it is. Domestic crimes are charged specifically – common assault, ABH, GBH, Attempt Murder, Unlawful Wounding etc – but are dealt with by specialist prosecutors and dedicated courts because they involve other unique domestic factors. That Mary wishes to change this suggests to me a lack of empathy for victims or some other agenda.
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Well Simon I have empathy with other victims of other crimes, but in this instance i am saying- again- that if we believe that we have moved on from the “dark” ages when it was quite acceptable to knock each other about whenever we felt the need, then there should be no difference at all in the way it is viewed and in the way it is punished. Specialist prosecutors? Unique domesic factors??? that in itself I think proves my point, and should give us cause to complain even louder! what you seem to be saying in effect ( and forgive me if I have misunderstood you ) that it needs a special group of people to take into account where you were bashed and why you were bashed– well HELLO!– this is the 21st century AND NOBODY SHOULD BE GETTING BASHED FOR ANYTHING,ANYWHERE AT ANY TIME!
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Well Simon I have empathy with other victims of other crimes but at the moment I am discussing violence done to women by husbands, partners etc in other words where the victim and the perpetrator were having, or have had a physical relationship.
If we are to prove that we have moved away from the “dark ages” when we all bashed each other whenever we felt like it, then we must treat all offences of violence
the same, and punish them all the same. Your mention of special domestic issues etc is extremely worrying proves my point exactly, as it seems to suggest that we have a special group of people who discuss and take into consideration where the victim was bashed and why the victim was bashed !!–well HELLO!–THIS IS THE 21ST CENTURY AND NOBODY SHOULD BE BASHED BY ANYBODY AT ANY TIME FOR ANYTHING
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I agree that no one should be “bashed”, but with domestic violence the “bashing” can also involves sexual harm, rape, torture, use of weapons, control and ultimately death…and much more so than in other forms of violence. The “bashing” tends to be over a prolonged period of time (weeks, months or years) and will often result in children being harmed directly or indirectly. Try to think of any high profile case where children have been seriously harmed or even killed at home and in most you wil find domestic violence or “bashing” as you choose to call it.
The Coordinated Action into Domstic Abuse(CAADA) has shown that the harm from domestic abuse/violence far outweighs the harm caused by other forms of violence. It requires a multi agency approach to reduce it hence across the country there are Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACs), Independent Domestic Violence Advisors, specialist police teams, dedicated domestic violence courts and numerous other partner agencies including housing, refuges, education, primary care, mental health, substnce misuse, Probation etc all working together to reduce the serious and potentially fatal harm caused by this particular type of “bashing”. It does need to be dealt with differently and thankfully it is.
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I see comments about ‘women’, domestic violence happens both ways thousands of men suffer in silence too.
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I do realise that. I was talking in general terms because most victims are female but I take your point.
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d
I did respond earlier to your post but it has not appeared for some reason. I do of course acknowledge and understand what you say.
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