Husband Battery as a Social Problem
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Construction of Husband Battery as a Social Problem
1. Introduction
The chosen topic in this exposition is that of gender. Specifically, the essay explores issues surrounding husband battery. Husband battery is defined as domestic violence against males, which their wives and female partners perpetuate. The essay explores several issues related to husband battery. An exposition is provided of the definition of husband battery and the controversy surrounding this definition. Also discussed is whether husband battery is a social problem. Construction of the “husband battery” label and its relative failure compared to the “wife battery” label is discussed. The essay looks at how this failure has contributed to the problem of husband battery. Other factors such as the role of mass media and gender images in the perpetuation of husband battery are also discussed.
2. Thesis on Domestic violence against Males
Even though husband battery is not considered a big problem, it is as pronounced and cruel as wife battery. The reasons why it is not considered a social problem are
i. Lack of a strong male movement akin to the feminist movement to champion the rights of battered husbands
ii. Little media attention
iii. Gender images
iv. Failed construction of the battered husband label
a) Theme 1: Husband battery is a social problem that deserves attention.
As pointed out by Lucal, the enormity of husband battery as a social problem is premised on the rates of husband battery (Lucal, 109). Those who believe that husband battery is a big problem cite studies that illustrate high rates of husband battery. According to Straus, physical assault on men by their wives is a big problem and that the rates of husband battery and wife battery are almost equal (Straus, 67). This assertion is confirmed by Gelles who found out that there are many battered husbands (Gelles, 7). However, several other researchers claim that husband battery is a myth and dispute the notion that the abuse of husbands is a social problem (Dobash et al., 71-91; Kurz, 88-103).
From the studies therefore, the conflict between the different authors is not on the existence of husband battery but on the magnitude of husband battery. Consequently, despite the conflicting assertions by different researchers, it is obvious that husband battery occurs in society. What is less obvious is the apparent refusal by society to consider husband battery as a social problem that deserves attention much in the same way as wife battery is acknowledged as a social vice that needs to be eradicated.
b. Theme 2: Lack of a strong male movement to champion husband rights has contributed to the many cases of husband battery
Part of the problem associated with the perceptions towards husband battery as a social problem has been caused by the lack of a strong masculine movement to propound male issues. This is in contrast to the feminist movement that has enjoyed prominence in the media, which has been credited with the successful creation of women-related social problems such as wife battery (Lucal, 109).
The feminist movement succeeded in portraying wife battery as a social problem by politicizing the abuse of wives by their husbands; by calling into question the legitimacy of wife battery, and by modeling violence against women as a widespread societal problem (Lucal, 113). Additionally, the feminist movement successfully marketed the issue of violence against women as one that is driven by the twin subjects of domination and power and promoted wife abuse as a social problem. The movement also succeeded because it had a preexisting organizational base, was flexible, and has a longstanding alliance with professional bodies and organizations. Involvement of battered women in the affairs of the movement also considerably helped construct wife battery as a social problem (Lucal, 113)
Since men lack a movement similar to the feminist movement, it becomes difficult for them to construct husband battery as a social problem and hence this issue is swept beneath the carpet, remaining unacknowledged and unaddressed. Whereas there have been attempts at creating a men’s movement akin to the feminist movement, the attempts have fallen flat on their face due to its lack of voice and resources, lack of focus on victims of abuse, and poor marketing where primitive masculinity is espoused in place of ideals and the current situation. Additionally, feminist activists have fought any attempts by men to bring the issue of husband battery to the fore due to the fear that a successful campaign by the men would make their clients lose funding (Lucal, 114).
Therefore, lack of a strong and focused men’s movement has played a big role in perpetuating the lack of recognition of husband battery as a social problem.
c. Theme 3: Little media attention on the problem of husband battery has contributed to the rise in husband battery
As postulated by Lucal, mass media attention on wife battery played a critical role in the construction of wife battery as a social problem. Social research and literature has provided the necessary statistics and evidence to back the widespread nature of wife battery. On the other hand, very few studies have been dedicated to the issue of husband battery and this has led to a dearth of data on husband battery (Lucal, 114)
d. Theme 4: Gender images contribute to husband battery
Perhaps the strongest factor working against acceptance of husband battery is the existing gender image of women as weak, passive, and dependent and of men as strong and assertive. These images are deeply ingrained in the minds of many people making it hard for society to accept the notion of husband battery as a social problem. Additionally, the standards of many societies hold it that whereas violence is not necessarily related to masculinity, being physically violent is unfeminine (Lucal, 117).
e. Theme 5: Failed construction of the “husband battery” label has contributed to high cases of husband battery
Even though husband battery may be a common problem as evidenced by studies that show high rates of this vice, it has been difficult to represent it as a social problem. This difficulty in packaging husband battery as a social problem has largely been occasioned by a failure in the process of the construction of husband battery as a deviant behavior (Lucal, 112). As mentioned earlier, failure of construction of husband battery as a social problem is due to our set images of gender roles.
3. Conclusion
Husband battery is abuse of men by their wives. Several studies indicate that husband battery exists in society though there is disagreement on how widespread this phenomenon is. Construction of husband battery as a social problem has failed because of lack of a strong and focused men’s movement, little media attention and social studies on husband battery, and predefined gender images.
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