“Break Through”
A Reader and Manual for Trainers

voorblad

Breaking the chain of family violence…

Ann MannenEURO LOGO

Helmut Swart

1

This manual and training programme are produced by Ann Mannen and Helmut Swart by order of the association ProJob-NL.

The project “Breaking Through” is funded by the European-Commission / D-G Justice and Home Affairs under the Daphne Programme.

In the project: “Breaking Through” ProJob co-operates with:

  • TIYE International (NL)
  • European Network for Intercultural Action and Exchange (ENIAE, IE).
  • Small Health Community Form, (SHCF, UK)
  • European Network of Women, (ENOW, GR)

Illustrations:* Wieke van der Berg

* Rogier Alwart

Association Pro Job

P.O:BOX 198

6700 AD Wageningen

The Netherlands

Wageningen, December 2001

Contents page

  • Acknowledgement
  • Background information
  • Introduction
  • Conclusions, Consequences & Recommendations
  • Summary

Part 1

  • Overview
  1. Domestic Violence
  2. The Project Breaking Through
  • Definitions
  • Offences
  • Causes
  • Consequences
  • Strategies & Interventions
  • Prevention
  • Some facts and figures
  • Legal Aspects
  • Family life & Religion
  • A Different Approach

Examples of good practices

Sources

Part 2

  • Introduction to the training
  • Guidelines for the trainers

Part 3

  • The Training

Part 4

  • Annexes

Acknowledgements

  • Yvonne Saroo, Federation of Women’s Self Help NL
  • Machtild Cairo, Surinamese Women Rijnmond NL
  • Leontine Bijleveld, Trade Union Women’s secretariat NL
  • Turkish Women’s Group – Eastern Netherlands
  • Annemiek Goes, Transact NL
  • Liesbeth Sijsling en Margreet de Boer, Clara Wichmann institute NL (Women’s Legal Aid Institute) NL
  • Mr. Marion Vijghen, Ministery of Justice, D-G PJS, NL
  • Refuge Support Centre Rotterdam, NL
  • Marianne Dauvallier, Bureau Remedie, NL
  • Black Women Step Out (BAWSO) United Kingdom (UK)
  • The Birmingham Police Domestic Violence Unit, UK
  • BirminghamCity Council, UK
  • Birmingham Domestic Violence Forum, UK
  • Colleen Barrett, UK
  • Katy Moore/Women’s Refuge Dublin/Ireland
  • Pavee Beoirs/NGO of Irish Travellers Woem
  • Marina Angeli-European Network of Women (ENOW)/Greece
  • The transnational project management team of “Breaking Through”
  • Tiye International/The Netherlands
  • Small Heath Community Forum/United Kingdom
  • ENOW/Greece
  • European Network for Intercultural Action and Exchange/ANIAE-Ireland

At EU-level

  • Colette de Troy/European Women’s Lobby Brussels
  • Patrick Trousson of the European Commission, DG.-“Justice and Home Affairs”
Background

This training manual is created as a pilot, for use in the European Union in the struggle to prevent and combat domestic violence in the families of Black, Migrant and Ethnic Minority, (BME) women, especially at the grassroots-level.

Some important factors are to make visible:

  • the specific needs of these BME women
  • the importance of empowerment of these targeted group of women
  • the lack of management of diversity in organisations and agencies.

The initiative seeks to address the cause of intimate partners abuse, through the application of self-help mechanisms and strategies as well as to help build happy BME families in a safe and healthy environment.

The training is designed to:

  1. raise awareness
  2. to promote and make visible the self help mechanisms of the targeted group themselves
  3. to break through the (cultural) taboos.

The modular training programme uses a combination of lecture, games, creativity and small groups participatory exercises. The training encourages participants to draw upon their own experiences in their environment in order to develop an understanding of the concepts and potential uses of empowerment and self help strategies to address violence against women in their own communities and organisations or networks.

The manual consists of four parts:

Part 1 – Overview, definitions, strategies, legal aspects, prevention method etc.

Part 2 – Introduction to the training guidelines for the trainers

Part 3 – The training

Part 4 – Annexes for more background information for the trainers.

Wageningen, December 2001

Introduction

This paper is about domestic violence. It provides background information on a subject that may involve everybody because like it or not, violence, in its many forms, is present in society and within the homes. Domestic Violence is unacceptable in itself. It also damages many areas and spheres of the lives of victims: “housing, health, education and the freedom to live their live without fear and in the way they wish.

It is important to create a greater awareness of domestic violence among Black, Migrant and other Ethnic Minority women at the grassroots level.

The information in this manual should help you to prepare, to evaluate and to focus on core issues of the training programs you wish to implement in your country in future.

Much of the material is based on EU and UN level experiences and that of the target group themselves and their organisation. We have however, processed international data into the texts whenever appropriate which should give you enough ground to stand on, as we feel that most of the UN addressed themes will be recognized in many countries. We have tried to be as brief as possible without unduly simplifying this complex issue. A reference list is available should you want to study this subjects into detail.

This manual and related modular training programme has not the intention to interfere in the field of the violence prevention professional circle, primary, secondary or tertiary.

With this manual the initiator, the authors and the organisations in partnership will try to overcome taboos and reach out for tools for empowerment and self-awareness strategies. Grass roots organisation, of Black, Migrant Women and other Ethnic Minority women can play a fundamental role in this pre-primary prevention circle.

“The violation of Women’s rights and human rights should be put permanent on the Agenda”(Beijing Platform for Action 1995 Strategic Objective D and article 125 – a to h.)

“Women’s Human Rights are much more than a body of law; they constitute an universal value system and vision of principles that form the foundation of global freedom, justice and peace.” (Women’s Rights Network – USA).

Conclusions, Consequences and Recommendations

-Domestic Violence is a complex issue, still surrounded by taboos by bringing up the subject out in the open we may break through the taboo.

-Solutions have to be found at a different level than the level that created Domestic Violence (cf. Albert Einstein). If all cultures evolve from religions, this time a common religious basis for a global culture should be found that resets the rules for handing aggressive behaviour and violence.

-Domestic Violence has a tendency to copy itself from generation to generation: today’s victims become the perpetrators of the future. Combined efforts should be made to prevent inheritance.

-Domestic Violence paralyses a balanced development of the planet, since it leaves out half of the earth’s human potential: woman. If we systematically create non-violent families instead, in the end a huge step towards world-peace may be made.

Domestic Violence involves a combination of the following types of abuse within a relationship / family (BAWSO – November 2001):

  • Physical
  • Sexual
  • Psychological
  • Economic

Health Consequences

Domestic and sexual violence against women leads to far-reaching physical and psychological consequences, some with fatal outcomes (WHO-1996)

Consequences of Denial of Fundamental Rights

Perhaps the most crucial consequence of violence against women and girls is the denial of fundamental human rights to women and girls. International human rights instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, adopted in 1948, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), adopted in 1979, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), adopted in 1989, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), 1965, affirm the principles of fundamental rights and freedom of every human being.

Recommendations:

  • Promote equality in diversity
  • Give priority to the family and family live
  • Give priority to the education of women and children (H.B. Danesh, M.D.: The Violence Free Family – 1995, Ottawa-Canada)

Summary

Domestic violence, being defined as any form of violence within the intimate circle of family and friends, is a present day pandemic. This phenomenon has existed for a long time, has many unexpected and hidden aspects, but only recently has surfaced to gain the general attention of the public and of legal, health-, educational and other professionals alike. For several reasons, migrant women and children are especially at risk. To relieve their plight the "breaking through" project is under development. By virtue of the EU, funds have been made available to guarantee the progress of this project, that meticulously balances between primary prevention (advocacy, education, awareness- raising), secondary prevention (referring to various services, practical training at grass root-level) and the pursuance of professional intervention. Culturally determined differences in attitude to beating of women and children are being described ("proprietary rights"). With certain universal religious principles in mind (e.g. “the golden rule") attempts are being made to find solutions on a global scale. On the political and legal level a great variety between countries exists and is rapidly changing. Empowerment of women, the (future) primary educators of children, is the main focus of the project training developed for trainers. It is recommended to transform power-based families into dialogue and equality- based families.

Overview

1. Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a pervasive human rights violation. It’s a worldwide phenomenon, cutting across boundaries of culture, class, education, income, ethnicity and age. No society can claim to be free of such violence, only patterns and trends vary. Specific groups of women are more vulnerable, i.e. minority groups, migrant and refugee women and female children. Domestic violence is most prevalent yet relatively hidden and ignored and people dislike to get involved into such private matters.

The following story illustrates this point.

In 1964, a young woman named Kitty Genovese was murdered on her way to her apartment in New York. Although many neighbours could hear her screaming and could see the abuse from their windows, nobody called the police. At first many people concluded that the American society had become negligent and degraded and that years of television had blinded people from violence. Further investigation disproved this conclusion. Many witnesses saw a man supposedly beating his wife and for that reason it was a “family matter”.

Studies estimate that, from country to country, between 20 and 50 per cent of women have experienced physical violence from the hands of an intimate partner or family member. Many publications emphasize that governments can no longer wait to take measures to eliminate this global epidemic.

The project: “Breaking Through”

Background and Preparation of the project

A summary

In the European countries there is a lack of knowledge and experience of ways of preventing and combating violence against black, migrant and refugee women and girls.

The target group of this project are for these reason ethnic minority and refugee women and children at grass root level. It is a very complexed target group.

They are in some cases women from formal colonies in the Netherlands and in the United Kingdom.

Refugee women who were forced to leave their home because of fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality membership of a particular social group or political opinion.

Migrant women in the Netherlands. In this project we only cooperate with Turkish women groups.

Moroccan women were at the moment more interested in the Moroccan Family Law and the impact of this law in the Netherlands on these women and their children.

In Greece women: Roma, Turkish, Kurdish and Albanian women.

Immigrant women who left their country for economic reasons or for a reason not covered under the limited definition of refugee.

In Ireland: Mostly women originally from Africa an Asia.

Women Travellers in (Northern) Ireland are also a target group because they are an excluded group of Irish women who form part of a travelling community in transit and even if they do settle into houses, they are often excluded by local communities. (Self) Empowerment mechanisms and awareness are very crucial.

Cursief hieronder

--In a refuge for battered women we met a female traveller of 36 years. Mother of seven children and grandmother of two children.

She decided to end the chain of family violence when her son started to beat his wife.

As you can read the target group is very diverse. Sometimes terminologies are not harmonized at EU level or even between the partner countries of this project.

It is therefore important to define the target group clearly in the training.

Expected impact

Main objectives:

The training aims at raising awareness of violence and prevention of violence against women’s and children who are refugees or members of black migrant or other ethnic minority groups at the grassroots level. And to develop self-help mechanisms at grassroots level for (potential) victims of domestic violence.

Important conditions are:

-breaking through the (cultural) taboos of domestic violence against women

-enhancing awareness, assertivity and making visible signs against black. Migrant, ethnic minority and refugee women and children.

- emphasizing prevention.

Methodology

A modular training program of seven sessions is developed to stimulate interpersonal skills and violence free communication and artistic methods. This to create a caring and loving learning environment were women equally can share their knowledge, will learn to appreciate their differences, and learn to deal with patterns of exclusion.

The training project is a pilot. It can be made suitable for other relevant groups.

Definitions

“Domestic violence is understood to mean a violation of the personal integrity of the victim by a person from the victim’s family circle.” (Justitie, summary).

Violence: Breach of the personal integrity. Often divided into mental and physical violence (which includes sexual violence).

Family Circle: This includes (ex) partners, family members and family friends.

Family Friends: Persons that share a friendship relation with the victim itself or with a close relative thereof and who meet the victim in the home environment.

“The term “domestic violence” includes violence against women and girls by an intimate partner, including a cohabiting partner, and by other family members, whether this violence occurs within or beyond the confines of the home” (UNICEF).

Note that ´domestic´ as in ´domestic violence´ is not merely defined by the spot where the offence takes place, but by the offender itself, being a member of the family circle.

Ethnic minority and refugee women are often defined as vulnerable groups in international papers, for example UN documents when addressing domestic violence.

In the Project “Breaking Through” domestic violence was discussed and defined as: “The systematic use of any violence and abuse to gain power over and to control a current partner or former partner (within their homes and community). Domestic Violence occurs across all cultures, ages, ethnic groups and social classes. Domestic Violence may include physical violence, aggressive or unwanted physical contact, sexual violence and non physical abuse such as: verbal, social, racist, psychological or emotional abuse, the use of economic, structural institutional or even spiritual abuse.

Sometimes it is very difficult defining Domestic Violence for example in the case of Traveller women in Ireland.

“Traveller women in Ireland are in a situation of struggling to survive without basic facilities such as water and toilets, where they are poor and have large families. They have little education and therefore little prospect for employment, they literally haven’t had the time to formulate and articulate their own needs and concerns. Also where life experience is limited and violence is even present, it is difficult to imagine there is a different life. Violence can become accepted as a reality”. (Dublin, Ronny Fay, Pavee Beoirs 1996. (Parvee Beoirs means Traveller women in Traveller’s language.)

Offences of domestic violence

Blanco pagina voor illustratie

Offences of domestic violence

Domestic violence knows no geographical boundary, no age limit, no class distinction, no race distinction and no cultural difference.

How does domestic violence manifest itself?

During a 1997 Dutch investigation possible victims of violence replied to 32 questions (Table 1). Clearly defined, each incident could be spoken of as domestic violence even if it occurred only once. However, emphasis was laid on structural practice of violent behaviour, meaning that:

  • there were meaningful consequences to the opinion of the victim
  • there was physical damage
  • the violence lasted over a year

As a result more than 50% were victims of one or more of the 32 offences. Some 21 % were sexually victimized. In general there is almost no gender difference to violence: boys and girls are especially equally victimized. Possible consequences are eating disorders, feelings of anxiety, divorce or problems with intimacy.

Table 1

Offences
Someone threatened to beat you
Beaten
Held so hard that it hurt
Pushed against something
Kicked
Someone threatened to hurt people
Someone threatened to wound you
Someone locked you up
Someone showed you knifes or fire weapons
Cut with a knife or another sharp object
Threatened to break the relation
Regularly mocked at or being humiliated
Constantly being watched
Not allowed to go out
Not being allowed to talk to others at a party
Not being allowed to make an appointment with someone else
Not being allowed to make a spontaneous phone call
Telephone bills being checked
No insight into someone’s financial status
No access to one’s mail
Not allowed to have a personal bank account
Someone makes obscene gestures
Someone threatens to have sexual intimacies with you
Touched with unwanted sexual intentions
Someone stood nearby with unwelcome sexual intentions
Forced to engage in sexual acts
Someone undressed oneself in you presence
Raped
Asked to touch someone else
Forced to undress oneself
Forced to look at another’s sexual acts

There are various forms of violence: