Domestic Violence and Legislation

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how domestic violence has rightfully evolved from a domestic issue to a serious crime. It explains that this change was the result of many factors: feminist activism, government recommendations, research studies, law suites, and the media raising the public's awareness. The writer points out that by the early 1990s, meaningful changes in the legal system were implemented and domestic violence was finally deemed a federal crime in 1994. The paper concludes that legal reform is still a work in progress - now that domestic violence laws have been strengthened, prevention, treatment, and understanding are the new frontiers for change.
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Historical Background
3.0 Scope of Problem before Legal Reform
4.0 Impetus for Change
4.1 1970s, Battered Women's Movement
4.2 1977 Studies in Detroit and Kansas City
4.3 Batter's Intervention Services/Education/Treatment Programs, Early 1980s
4.4 Individual and Institutional Advocacy Became Common, Early 1980s
4.5 The 1984 Attorney General's Task Force Report on Family Violence
4.6 The 1984 Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment
4.7 Thurman v. Torrington, 1985
4.8 Media Attention, 1980s
5.0 Resulting Changes
5.1 Late 1970s
5.2 Early and Mid 1980s
5.3 Late 1980s
5.4 Early 1990s
6.0 Room for Improvement
6.1 Prevention
6.2 Treatment
6.3 Stereotyping
7.0 Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Today, there is a view that domestic violence is a wrong that should be righted in every state in this country (Model Code on Domestic and Family Violence, 1994, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges). Empowered by stronger domestic abuse laws, legislators, government administrators, law enforcement, courts, attorneys, the medical and health care community, advocates and providers of services to victims, corrections and providers of treatment for offenders, educators, and volunteers now form a wide network to protect the rights of domestic abuse victims. However, this wasn't always the case.
As this paper reveals, until the late 1970s, law enforcement treated domestic violence as a family issue rather than a crime. As the scope of the domestic violence issue grew, feminists, the government, researchers, the courts and the media had to work very hard to create impetus for change. Progress was slow. Only minor changes in the legal system occurred throughout the late 1970s and 1980s. Beginning in the early 1990s, meaningful changes took hold and the legal system and police have moved in the right direction. Yet, there's still more work to be done in prevention, treatment and the recognition that heterosexual women aren't the only victims of domestic violence."

More papers on Domestic Violence and Legislation:

• Research Paper # 92713 : "Mandatory Arrest for Domestic Violence Offences"
• Essay # 67524 : "Domestic Violence"
• Essay # 60792 : "Domestic Violence"

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