The Power of Patriarchal Terrorism
Patriarchal Terrorism (or Patriarchal Violence) is when men believe they are in charge of the relationship. It is violence exclusively initiated by men as a way of gaining and maintaining absolute control over their female partner.
According to author and feminist Gloria Jean Watkins aka Bell Hooks, she believes that women are portrayed as the only victims of violence in a zealous effort by reformist feminists to bring focus to the violence against women.
Patriarchal violence in the home is based on the belief that it is acceptable for a more powerful individual to control others through various forms of coercive force.
One example of the patriarchal violence occurred between Chris Brown and Rihanna. The fight started after the Grammy Award Party in 2009. Rihanna caught Brown texting to a woman in his phone. She asked him why he did not tell her the truth, but he kept on telling her that it was not her business. The couple began to argue to the point that he battered her. From what you can see the picture on the right, Rihanna’s face was bleeding and swollen. Just because she was curious about what he was doing, it does not mean he had to beat her up. She was his girlfriend so she had the right to know why her man was texting another woman.
In the cases of patriarchal violence, it also affects women and children to behave aggressively from such abusive tortious act. The fact that many violent attacks on children are perpetrated by women is not equally highlighted and seen as another expression of patriarchal violence. We know that that children are violated not only when they are the direct targets of patriarchal violence but as well when they are forced to witness violent acts.
Just like what Hook stated:
Emphasizing male violence against women in a manner which implies that it is more horrendous than all other forms of patriarchal violence does not serve to further the interests of feminist movement. It obscures the reality that much patriarchal violence is directed at children by sexist women and men.
When you think about it, children are in the stage of learning. In order to prevent them from being an abusive and violent person, parents are the responsible ones to teach them that it is wrong to hit people. Most importantly, young boys need to learn NOT to hit girls.
For example, what would happen when you put a boy in front of a girl and ask him to slap her? In this cute video, this is how children react to the subject of violence against women.
After you finished watching this cute video, the boys refused to ‘slap’ the girl because you know why? It is because they believe girls are fragile group of individuals that do not deserve to receive such severe acts.
Needless to say, women are not just victims themselves but become violent as well. The truth is that children are not aware they are the victims of female violence. For instance, a mother who is not violent but teaches her children, especially her sons, that violence is acceptable when they feel offended or get bullied at school. Clearly, that is still patriarchal violence. The mother seriously needs to reconsider a therapy.
In a culture of domination, everyone is socialized to see violence as an acceptable means of social control. Dominant parties maintain power by the threat that abusive punishment, physical or psychological will be used whenever the hierarchical structures are in place are, threatened, whether that be in male-female relationships, or parent and child bonds.
