Domestic Violence: Loopholes in the Arizona Legal System

2065 Words5 Pages

The United States has a long history of domestic violence. Nearly six million American women will be battered by their spouses every year (United Way, 1998). Tradition gives men the right to control their family including their wife. Violence is tolerated under these traditional conditions as discipline (Cohen, 1996). Domestic violence is overwhelmingly committed by men ".. to discipline and coerce women" (Cohen, 1996). "Husbands use violence against their wives as a way of coercing them, establishing control, and conveying rules to regulate 'proper' female behavior (Dobash & Dobash, 1977-1978)." This type of abusive behavior often comes from the ideology that women are subordinate to men (Cohen, 1996). This way of thinking was dominant until the feminist movements when women protested for equal rights and got them. It has still been a struggle to get women's issues recognized by law, however. Domestic violence is a serious issue that needs to be thoroughly addressed, especially in border states like Arizona which have a large Mexican immigrant population, often with traditional views. To have an effective legal system which thoroughly addresses domestic violence, abusers must be held accountable by law for their actions and all victims need to be able to receive aid and support from the state. Currently, these requirements for an effective legal system regarding domestic violence are not met in Arizona. Every year there is some 16,000 domestic violence charges filed in the Tucson Police Department and Pima County Sheriff's Office combined (United Way, 1998). The state does have punishment for these abusers. There are many laws is Arizona regarding domestic violence, however there are problems with the... ... middle of paper ... ... Social Policy, and Violence, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 70, No. 5, 1996. Moore, Roberta. Advocate for the Oasis Crisis Center, University of Arizona, 1999. Neff, James; Holamon, Bruce; Schluter, Tracy. Spousal Violence Among Alglos, Blacks, and Mexican Americans, Journal of Family Violence, Vol. 10, No. 1, 1995. Vargas, Alexia. Split Decision, Wall Street Journal, Vol. CCXXII, Nove. 18, 1998. Wabnik, Alisa. Bill Proposes Prison for 3rd Offense, Arizona Daily Star, March 16, 1998. http://www.azstarnet.com/plusb-cgi/fastw... National Research Council. Lack of Research Hampers Strategies to Stem Violence Against Women. May 1, 1996. http://www.nap.edu/bookstore/lsbn/0309054257.htm. United Way of Greater Tucson. Special Report on Domestic Violence, 1998. http://www.unitedwaytucson.org/unitedway/report/domestic.htm.

Open Document