Theoretical Framework of Violence Against Women

Many theoretical frameworks can be used to explain violence against women, but this blog will use resource theory and social exchange theory to explain violence and how to create further social change to end the violence.

Resource Theory

Resource Theory is the theory that all social relationships are based on an assumption of force or a threat of force (Kenny, Fotaki, & Scriver, 2019). It theorizes that the more resources that are available to an individual ,the greater the threat of force, but the less likelihood that force/violence will be used in that relationship (Walters, Basile, & Hall, 2013). It does not mean that no threat will be used to maintain control, it means that physical violence will not be used. Rather the violence that a woman may experience in this situation is not physical violence but rather emotional violence. However, when someone has fewer resources, they can only resort to force/violence to maintain control over the relationship(Walters, Basile, & Hall, 2013).

Resource theory needs to be addressed to further the social change to end violence against women because the legislative policies only address the physical violence women experienced but do not address the emotional violence. Emotional violence is still not recognized as a criminal offense or illegal. Further social change is needed to challenge emotional violence against women as well. This is challenging many cultural standards. One example is that words and emotional abuse are protected under freedom of speach. It is also challenging the cultural stigma that women are emotional.

In addition to addressing emotional abuse, Resource Theory also needs to be considered in order to prevent physical violence against women in vulnerable populations-the poor with fewer resources. Despite the criminalization of violence against women, women within this demographic are still being victimized by gender based violence. Further social change is needed to create programs or legislation that specially targets assistance of prevention and help to this population.

Social Exchange Theory

Social Exchange Theory is the theory that people seek the highest reward while putting in the least amount of effort while in a social relationship (Kreager, Felson, Warner, & Wenger, 2013). As it pertains to violence against women, violence is used when the reward of gaining control is worth the effort and potential legal consequences (Resko, 2010). Although there are laws against abuse, this does not always prevent abuse. This occurs for a multitude of reasons.

Many women, when reporting abuse, are re-victimized and accused of putting themselves in that situation (Vidales, 2012). This attempt to justify gender based violence not only harms the victim further by blaming her for the violent actions of another human being, but also encourages more violence from the perpetrator because society is essentially condoning the violence. Without cultural retribution against the violence, the effort of violence costs nothing but gives the perpetrator control.

Furthermore, the legislative punishment of violence is not always as it should be. Many judges will lesson the sentence of the perpetrator if the victim defends herself (Sage Publications, 2012). Furthermore, many perpetrators are released after being charged with violence, or given less time under the precedence that they are “first time offenders” (Johnson, 2005). To many, the reduced sentence is a small price to pay for the violence that rewarded them with control of the relationship.

Without societal or true legislative support to punish those who commit violent acts against women, the abuse is further rewarded because the woman, after having violence used against her, is more likely to comply with the wishes of her partner as a way to avoid having violence acted against her again especially since the its not handled appropriately by society (Resko, 2010).

Social Exchange theory needs to be considered when addressing the additional social changes that need to occur to end violence against women. In order for criminalization of violence against women to be effective, the punishment of the crime must cost enough to prevent the crime. The punishment must cost more than the reward of regaining control in the relationship. Further social change is needed to challenge cultural norms of first time perpetrators and “true” victims. This will challenge that first time perpetrators deserve lesser sentences or that perpetrators deserve lesser sentence because of this culturally engrained idea of what a victim should look like.

Other Theories

Although the intended framework is Resource Theory and Social Exchange Theory, there are many more theoretical frameworks that encompass different aspects of violence against women. Violence against women is a multifaceted and complex issue that requires multiple views to fully comprehend (McDonough, 2010). Therefore, this blog will focus on the previously mentioned theories but also recognizes that there may be some crossing into other theories that may also need to be addressed to add depth of understanding to the complexity of the issue of violence against women. These will be added in separate blogs throughout this blog as it becomes appropriate to address them.

References

Johnson, S. A. (2005). Forensic Considerations for Assessing Violence. Forensic Examiner, 14(3), 6–12.

Kenny, K., Fotaki, M., & Scriver, S. (2019). Mental heath as a weapon: Whistleblower retaliation and normative violence. Journal of Business Ethics, 160(3), 801–815. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1007/s10551-018-3868-4

Kreager, D. A., Felson, R. B., Warner, C., & Wenger, M. R. (2013). Women’s Education, Marital Violence, and Divorce: A Social Exchange Perspective. Journal of Marriage & Family, 75(3), 565–581. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1111/jomf.12018

McDonough, T. A. (2010). A Policy Capturing Investigation of Battered Women’s Decisions to Stay in Violent Relationships. Violence & Victims, 25(2), 165–184.

Resko, S. M. (2010). Intimate Partner Violence and Women’s Economic Insecurity. LFB Scholarly Publishing LLC

SAGE Publications. (2012, September 12). When battered women fight back stereotyping can kick in. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 29, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120912161552.htm

Vidales, G. T. ( 2010 ). Arrested justice: The multifaceted plight of immigrant Latinas who faced domestic violence. Journal of Family Violence, 25, 533–544. doi: 10.1007/s10896–010–9309–5

Walters, M. L., Basile, K. C., & Hall, J. E. (2013). Expanding resource theory and feminist-informed theory to explain intimate partner violence perpetration by court-ordered men. Violence Against Women, 7, 848.