Empowering physicians to respond to domestic violence

Abstract

Despite the progress of the last 15 years in combating family violence, some individuals, community agencies and institutions still support a man's "right" to control, and they often disregard the physical violence he uses. Because threats and assault are in fact against the law, a man who physically or sexually assaults his wife or girlfriend couldn't keep doing it without this support from the very people who are supposed to enforce the law and help the victims of crime-namely, police, prosecutors, judges, clergy, psychologists, social workers and doctors. Some let him get away with it, look the other way, or--unsure of what to do to stop it--do nothing at all. Thus, they reinforce his "right" to use force, even if they never say, "Go ahead, hit her." The police officer who walks a man around the block or fails to show up when called, the clergyman who advises a woman to go home and pray, the doctor who gently patches her injuries but avoids asking who inflicted them, all cooperate with the abusive man in several ways. He comes to understand that no one will stop him from doing what he does. He learns that there are no consequences to his actions--even his violent actions. He can beat up "his woman" if he wants to and get away with it.