... and ain't i a woman? Domestic violence

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Domestic violence

On March 21, Jean Lennon was shot by her ex-husband outside

the Family Court in Parramatta, Sydney. She died within hours

from bullet wounds to the head and abdomen.

The custody case regarding their four children was to be heard

that afternoon. Lennon had lived in seven or eight refuges in the

past year — moving frequently to escape her ex-husband. This

tragic incident has brought to the fore the extent of domestic

violence in Australian society.

The domestic violence sector has been dealt a blow by the

Labor government in NSW. Last July, the Domestic Violence

Advocacy Council was abolished. DVAC was initially formed to

provide consultation and communication between community groups

and government agencies. It was abolished with the intention of

facilitating the consultation through the Department of Women.

This indicates a lack of commitment on behalf of the government

to giving adequate attention to the issue of domestic violence.

Women all around the world experience domestic violence;

largely it goes on unpunished because it happens behind closed

doors. Society has not yet found a way of dealing with the issue.

Stopping domestic violence at its foundations requires a

fundamental change in society and in the attitudes of

individuals. However, until that time, partial solutions need to

be sought. The discussion that has occurred around this incident

has remained addressed to the symptoms, not the underlying

causes.

The Sydney Morning Herald focused on gun law reform.

While it might be true that Jean Lennon would still be alive if

her ex-husband had not possessed a gun, gun law reform will not

end violence. Guns are not the only weapons that can be used to

injure or kill people.

A protest that was organised the week following Lennon's death

demanded that the NSW government reconvene DVAC. The other demand

was for the police force and the Family Court to strengthen

apprehended violence orders to provide better protection for

women. While these measures are a very important part of creating

safety and protection for women, we should not have any illusions

that this alone is going to stop violence against women or put an

end to women being killed by their husbands.

In considering long-term solutions, can we begin to address

issues like changing attitudes of people? It's not only men who

have to change: the empowerment of women is essential for

creating long-term change. Rather than constantly being treated

as and feeling like victims, women need to be able to take their

fate into their own hands.

In the 1970s, many feminists were involved in setting up

refuges, rape crisis centres, women's health centres — the

services that we rely on today. They did so because governments

weren't living up to their responsibility to provide such

services.

While discussions now centre, understandably, on such

immediate aids, it's important not to lose sight of the long-term

goal of creating a society where women can live without fear. In

this respect, governments seem further than ever from fulfilling

their obligations to women.

Trish Corcoran

From GLW issue 226