International Women’s Day 2013

Domestic Abuse – Everyday terrorism

Domestic abuse remains a persistent and prevalent reality for millions of women around the world. One in four women experience domestic abuse at some point in their lives, and between 6 and 10% in any given year (Council of Europe, 2002). Last year in Scotland there were 59,847 reported incidents of domestic abuse to the police.

Over the last 10 years 1,200 women have been murdered by their partner/ex-partner and an astonishing 5.2million reported incidents of domestic abuse in the UK. These ‘incidents’ vary from assault, rape, serious assault, breach of the peace and murder. However, like rape and sexual assault most ‘incidents’ go unreported. On average a woman would have been assaulted 35 times before she would call the police.

However, domestic abuse is not just about physical violence. Rather it is the use of various methods of control – emotional abuse, controlling behaviours like enforced isolation from friends and families, stalking and harassment, mental abuse, physical and / or sexual abuse.

In an attempt to get people to understand the complexities and range of abusive and controlling behaviours domestic abuse is being equated to an act of terrorism or rather “intimate terrorism” or ‘everyday terrorism’. Scottish Women’s Aid produced some research “Everyday Terrorism: How fear works in domestic abuse?” which graphically illustrates how domestic abuse is used as a form of control over the lives of women and children. Domestic abuse routinely creates long-lasting fear and trauma, sometimes through acts of violence but often through the threat of violence.

“He had got what he wanted by doing that. And OK he’d only have to do it occasionally, but then I was living with this constant watchfulness, anxiety, you know, self-regulation, and I would do anything to make sure that couldn’t happen. But at the same time there was nothing I could do to make sure it couldn’t happen, because it was so random.” – ‘Jennifer’

Many women through threats and fear remain in abusive relationships, however, many remain because of lack of access to financial support, specialist services, housing and legal services.

The wrath of attacks on public services will only exacerbate this. When women leave or try to leave their abuser, they leave their home, their furniture, TV, children’s toys and community to start all over again. If they are lucky they may find space in refuge accommodation. Last year 54% of women who requested refuge from Women’s Aid were turned away due to lack of space. The attacks on benefits means that women can wait weeks for a benefit claim to be processed, many are dependent on food parcels to survive.

Cuts to the Legal Aid budget means many women, particularly those who work, can’t get access to basic protective orders like interdicts or child contact order. An interdict costs more than £1,000!

There have also been cuts to Violence Against Women Services in Scotland. 84 per cent of Women’s Aid groups in Scotland are working with a reduced or standstill budget – up from 61 per cent in 2009/10, and a third of groups are currently reporting budget deficits. Often Violence Against Women’s Services go from one year to the next not knowing what their funding will be.

Socialist Party Scotland Demands:

• An end to victim blaming! For a programme of education in schools, colleges, universities workplaces and the trade unions about the myths and facts of rape and domestic abuse.
• Support services for women – including legal, emotional and practical support.
• No closures of Violence Against Women services! Increase and improve services to help women affected by domestic and sexual violence.
• End the bedroom tax and reverse all welfare cuts!
• For a mass building programme of decent, affordable social housing to ensure women have somewhere to go should they choose to leave a violent relationship.
• Reverse the cuts to legal aid. Free access to legal protective orders, like Interdicts and Child Contact Orders. Increase the threshold for legal aid so all women have access to it.