22nd July 2024
A kneeling woman in the corner and a clenched man‘s fist or a bloody knife up close – that is the image most often used to depict domestic violence. This type of crimes is often described as quarrels, incidents, or accidents. A human rights expert states that such language downplays violence against women, leaving its true causes and perpetrators unnamed.
Mintautė Jurkutė, an expert of the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson, claims that the concept of violence can be interpreted broadly due to the nuances of the Lithuanian language. In public discourse it is often diluted with terms like ‘incident’, ‘drama’ or ‘tragedy’, or caricatured with phrase such as ‘disciplined’ or ‘smashed like an apple’. She asserts that this not only creates confusion but also downplays the severity of violent situation itself.
Violence as a Power Strategy
“When eight out of ten victims of domestic violence are women, it is clear that women are at the highest risk of experiencing violence. This shows that, domestic violence occurs due to person’s gender, highlighting a power imbalance and unequal partnership,” states the expert.
Domestic Violence Illustrations in the Media.
According to her, in such relationships, the man often feels superior and assumes a right to control or punish. “Referring violence in these cases as a merely ‘disagreement’ is fundamentally wrong. Only individuals in equal relationship discuss and resolve conflicts together. A victimized person, lacking those rights and usually suffers systemic violence,” explains M. Jurkutė.
A representative from the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson states that gender inequality in relationships is a more significant factor than those often highlighted by the media, such as alcohol or mental illness.
“It’s not like all drunk or sick people are violent. Therefore, it is unfair to cite these as reasons for violence. Abusers usually know whom they can target and whom they cannot, so usually they are often well-adjusted in society. They choose violence, and the target is typically in an ‘inferior’ position,” she says.
Emphasizing Consequences
M. Jurkutė states that prevailing stereotypes are further reinforced by visual aids used in descriptions of domestic violence. “Usually, a woman is depicted as small, curled up, covering her face, while the abuser not shown or only partially depicted – a fist, a knife, a belt. In other words, the abuser is portrayed as a shadow, an abstract threat or a sudden natural disaster,” the human rights expert adds.
Domestic Violence Illustrations used in the media.
She notes that such portrayals of the abuser undermine the abusers’ responsibility: “Certainly, showing direct scenes of violence is not necessarily required. It is better to emphasize that punishment awaits the criminal, regardless of gender”.
M. Jurkutė advises showing images of people in handcuffs, police arrivals, prison bars, and similar scenes. “Instead of depicting a defeated woman, it is better to show various help and solution options, such as, representatives of institutions providing assistance, people comforting and listening, or an arriving ambulance,” she suggests.
Women are More Afraid
When discussing male violence against females versus female violence against males, expert identifies a fundamental difference: “Psychologists have noticed that men experiencing violence from women do not feel as much fear and do not perceive a threat to their lives. Additionally, men have more opportunities to leave the abuser. Women, on the other hand, almost always fear for their lives and are usually more dependent on men. Research shows that, attempts to leave an abusive partner are often accompanied by the risk of further violence, persecution or even murder.”
For these reasons, according to M. Jurkutė, it is important to call domestic violence cases by their real names. The most appropriate term would be “violence” or, more precisely, “male violence against woman”. “By not softening our language or using figurative epithets, but instead emphasizing responsibility of the abuser, we demonstrate that we do not tolerate violence or unequal relationships between intimate partners,” summarizes a representative of the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson.