Women And Violence

The Guardian’s G2 has run a feature today about actress Keira Knightley starring in a new ad for Women’s Aid about violence against women... by men. This is a problem that is well worth raising awareness about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctoZbeD-GlY

However – violence against women is not just perpetrated by men. Women also uninvitedly attack other women – and men – yet no one talks about it.

I happen to know of examples where women have been the perpetrators of violence within the home – not big, burly-looking men like the man in the Women’s Aid advert, but who, nevertheless, have caused fear and intimidation in the home because of their recourse to violence. I have seen gay charities speak out about domestic violence, but domestic violence isn’t exclusive to a sexual relationship. Hundreds of thousands – possibly millions – of people live in house shares with friends, acquaintances or strangers. This group is often forgotten by the media.

Domestic violence also includes family life. From what I have heard, and from what I have witnessed, it more often than not a woman who raises the punitive hand to a child, not a man. I have never seen a man beat a child in public, but women will.

Why women do this is another discussion, but it is one we should be having.