45 FAMILY VIOLENCE AWARENESS In spite of growing awareness of family violence, there continues to be a lot of myths about the subject, often based in a genuine misunderstanding of abuse and how it is experienced. Most of the myths about ‘abused women’ are not rooted in reality; in fact, they can be quite damaging as they lead to women receiving very negative responses when they do try to reach out for help. The negative attitudes and beliefs held by many people in the community tend to excuse and minimize the impacts of family violence by placing blame and responsibility on the victim. Victim blaming is still common and used to shift the focus away from an abuser and onto their victim. Conversations often focus more on what a woman did or didn’t do, rather than questioning the behaviour of the abuser. For example, assuming that it is a woman’s responsibility to “just leave” an abusive relationship takes all responsibility away from the abuser to change his behaviour. In reality, we know that leaving an abusive relationship is the most dangerous time for a woman; there are a number of things that need to be in place so that she is able to leave safely. In addition, attitudes about gender identity and roles influence how some people view family violence. From a very early age, society teaches us how we’re expected to look, speak, and behave based on our gender. For example, girls are generally expected to be polite, accommodating, and nurturing. Boys are generally expected to be strong, aggressive, and bold. These kinds of widely accepted beliefs about ‘appropriate’ gender roles and behaviours help to create an environment in which violence against women becomes normalized. Finally, there are misconceptions that social status (e.g., being poor, underemployed, or from certain cultural backgrounds) can be a cause of family violence. In reality, we know that family violence does not discriminate; abuse can occur in the lives of all people, regardless of race, income, or family background. Family violence: A cycle of abuse Before we can stop family violence, we must first understand how it works. Although every relationship is unique, experiences of family violence do tend to follow a clear pattern. Abuse typically occurs in a cycle of events or stages that repeat themselves over and over again. The abuse cannot be predicted and is Common myths and attitudes about family violence Designed by Freepik continued
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM0NTk1OA==