Would you say female violence against men has increased since feminism?
February 262010
The statistics for domestic violence indicate that female on male violence makes up around 50% or slightly more of all domestic violence. But was it always that way? We only really have statistics going back to the early 80s.
Does having one sided ideals and legislation which legally and socially condemns violence against women, but not necessarily against men allow women to commit violence against men with greater impunity, seeing as he can’t hit them back?
Any sort of chivalry in the past which prevented violence against women would also have had allowed women a certain amount of impunity in this regard. For example it is well known that Abraham Lincon’s wife was violent towards him.
Is this 50% figure a result of one-sided approaches to domestic violence – indicating that the incidence of female violence against men could rise even further if things continue like this, or would you say women are similarly violent regardless of legal or self defense consequences of their violence?
By the way I am contrasting the actual legal and social ramifications of feminism, including encouragement of ‘chivalry’, with the chivalry which may have existed before feminism here, not equating the two.
Oh yes…especially with this VAWA nonsense. Some women hurt themselves then accuse their husbands of doing it just out of spite.
February 26th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
I think it’s about the same as it always has been. Women can be vicious and violent people too.
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February 26th, 2010 at 9:05 pm
Yes.
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February 26th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
I believe society in general is becoming more violent. Women included. I don’t think it is directly related to the feminist movement.
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February 26th, 2010 at 10:40 pm
It has gotten worse I believe and it can only get worse with the younger generation the way they are (kids are more violent then yesteryear).
It is a runaway freight train. Whats stopping it. I dont see anything that is going to stop it in the short term.
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February 26th, 2010 at 10:49 pm
I agree with kp. more women are now being reported and charged with assault. there is less stigma of reporting women than ten or twenty years ago and that is how it should be . assault and violence is on the increase but the sad part is the young age of the people carrying out this violence.
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February 26th, 2010 at 11:14 pm
I think we are just getting better at defending ourselves. Heaven help the man who ever lays a hand on me because I fight dirty, and I know some moves.
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February 26th, 2010 at 11:34 pm
I think feminism as a movement liberated women in the way that they could reiterate to violence from men. Earlier, women were just supposed to face violence with the belief that men are their masters.
Today, if I can hit back my bf if he hits me, I’d rate it as violence for self-defense rather than some feminism-backed violence. In India where I live, thousands of women face domestic violence without uttering a word against it. I feel so sorry coz for them, feminism has no value!
I’m totally against violence of any kind though and use it only if absolutely necessary i.e. in self-defense.
But ya, violence is on the rise in society in general, be it by women or men.
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February 27th, 2010 at 12:19 am
I have no statistical background for my answer, or examples to site…just my gut feelings.
I believe people – both men and women – have always had tempers and some have tendencies toward violence. Perhaps in other eras, when women ‘knew their place’, even they would have considered it unthinkable to lash out at their husbands. Perhaps they exhibited their tempers in different ways.
With the advancement of women in their cause for equal citizenship, perhaps there has also been an emancipation of their tempers and their ability to direct their anger at the object of its intention. I do not, however, believe that the judicial system – in its lax and pathetic carriage of justice against female offenders – has encouraged an increase in female violence against men. Violence of that kind is rarely rational, and I don’t see many women stopping to think about the consequences of their actions and recognizing that they will ‘get away with it’ when in a violent rage.
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February 27th, 2010 at 12:52 am
I agree with Fancy That. Women have gotten better at defending themselves. The trouble with determining who is at fault in a domestic violence case is the nature of the physical evidence. The one who looks battered always looks like the victim. That doesn’t always determine who started the fight. I have seen cases in which men attacked women and then got the short end of the stick. But, then, I’ve also seen cases of celebrity husband beaters like Tawni Kataen who beat up on Chuck Finley, and Shannon Daugherty who has a history of beating up on men. I think it varies from case to case and has nothing to do with feminism.
BTW- Understand now, that there is a difference between
feminism(women’s empowerment), and agression. It’s the same with masculinity and virility. My masculinity does not make me a wife or girlfriend beater.
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February 27th, 2010 at 1:24 am
Yes, women attack men everyday and they’re getting away with it. Feminism is a cancer to society
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February 27th, 2010 at 2:03 am
Oh yes…especially with this VAWA nonsense. Some women hurt themselves then accuse their husbands of doing it just out of spite.
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February 27th, 2010 at 2:18 am
I’d say violence across the board has increased among all ages and sexes —- lots of factors – globalwide stress coupled with movie and game moguls teaching us how to punch & kill our way outta problems?
Our laws reflect societies views — as a whole we apparently still have faith that women are the caretakers of society and geared to protect/nurture rather than harm on purpose.
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February 27th, 2010 at 2:28 am
Yes, while the statistics reveal that violence from men upon women has decreased – they also reveal that violence from women upon men has increased.
I am a bit torn though, it could be that men are finally reporting the female abusers, whereas in the past they were shamed into letting it go (or retaliating and then being the one arrested) – or, is it actually increasing with the prominance of feminist figures calling for degredation of men, such as Andrea Dork and her ilk. Grrrl power is big issue, and when we’re confronted with ‘pro-female’ items and conversely anti-male items, such as ‘boys are stupid – throw rocks at them’ in conjunction with the likes of Oprah effectively giving the thumbs-up to husband murderers and NOW defending child murderers, it certainly seems understandable that violence against men & boys have risen.
I can’t answer the question per se, but there’s my take on it…
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