Back to our roots and into the 21st century: why gender and feminism

matter in responses to VAWG

Prof Liz KellyChild and Woman Abuse Studies Unit

London Metropolitan UniversityNE SV Conference

November 2012

Reflections and challengesReflections and challenges

Almost 40 years as a feministAlmost 40 years as a feminist Most working on VAWGMost working on VAWG Importance of roots, principles and changeImportance of roots, principles and change Ideas that motivate and challenge meIdeas that motivate and challenge me Am not standing outside, but include myself Am not standing outside, but include myself

in the questions and tensionsin the questions and tensions

Feminisms and feministsFeminisms and feminists Minimal definition: understanding women’s Minimal definition: understanding women’s subordination in order to change it – theory and practicesubordination in order to change it – theory and practice Not one but manyNot one but many

The diversity of ‘us’The diversity of ‘us’ In multiple spaces and locations In multiple spaces and locations

Have always been argumentative Have always been argumentative Need to dare to ask hard questions, to know the uncomfortableNeed to dare to ask hard questions, to know the uncomfortable

New and old - ideas and practicesNew and old - ideas and practices More reflexive? More reflexive? Still ‘in movement’?Still ‘in movement’?

Some of us now have positions of influence Some of us now have positions of influence What is feminist integrity? What is feminist integrity? How do we use the power we have?How do we use the power we have?

The second wave - 1970sThe second wave - 1970s Re-discovery of VAWRe-discovery of VAW

Telling our own stories, naming and speaking, Telling our own stories, naming and speaking, questioning shame and self-blame, questioning shame and self-blame,

The personal as political – crimes of dominion/powerThe personal as political – crimes of dominion/power Creativity, vision, optimismCreativity, vision, optimism

Creating what did not exist – services that supported Creating what did not exist – services that supported and believed womenand believed women

New ways of organising – anti-hierarchy, activismNew ways of organising – anti-hierarchy, activism A ‘we’ – violence affects all women, inviting women A ‘we’ – violence affects all women, inviting women

we supported to join movement we supported to join movement

Gender analysis and VAW

Disproportionality in victimisation and offendingDisproportionality in victimisation and offending Perpetrators usually known menPerpetrators usually known men

Violence as the exercise of power and control Violence as the exercise of power and control Over our bodies and our sense of self and safetyOver our bodies and our sense of self and safety Constructs masculinity and femininityConstructs masculinity and femininity Female offenders – access to more limited forms of powerFemale offenders – access to more limited forms of power

Not exceptional – everyday/everynight Not exceptional – everyday/everynight ‘‘safety work’ in our everyday routinessafety work’ in our everyday routines

Inadequate and inconsistent institutional responses Inadequate and inconsistent institutional responses linked to the lower status of women and girlslinked to the lower status of women and girls ImpunityImpunity

VAW and women’s inequalityVAW and women’s inequality UN ‘a cause and consequence’ of women’s inequalityUN ‘a cause and consequence’ of women’s inequality Limits our ‘space for action’ – in public space, workplaces, Limits our ‘space for action’ – in public space, workplaces,

familiesfamilies Lost opportunities and projectsLost opportunities and projects

Symbolic meaningsSymbolic meanings Worth less than men and other women – ‘spoiled identities’Worth less than men and other women – ‘spoiled identities’ Barriers to disclosure, under-reportingBarriers to disclosure, under-reporting

Harms - to sense of self, safety in world and connections to Harms - to sense of self, safety in world and connections to others others Betrayals of trust, breaking social connectionsBetrayals of trust, breaking social connections

Survival and coping strategiesSurvival and coping strategies ‘‘violence work’ that victim-survivors have to do just to ‘get violence work’ that victim-survivors have to do just to ‘get

by’, let alone rebuild their livesby’, let alone rebuild their lives Trajectories for many into drug misuse, criminality, mental Trajectories for many into drug misuse, criminality, mental

health problems and suicidehealth problems and suicide

VAW and women’s equalityVAW and women’s equality

The crucial thing is the structure of society – the The crucial thing is the structure of society – the fact that a woman cannot drive or travel without fact that a woman cannot drive or travel without authorisation, for example – gives a special sense authorisation, for example – gives a special sense of strength to the man, and this strength is directly of strength to the man, and this strength is directly connected to the violence. It creates a sense of connected to the violence. It creates a sense of immunity, that he can do whatever he wants, immunity, that he can do whatever he wants, without sanction.without sanction. Rania al Baz, 2005Rania al Baz, 2005

Naming and speakingNaming and speaking

feminism is concerned with finding a voice, …feminism is concerned with finding a voice, …[with] working against cultural exclusion[with] working against cultural exclusion (Linda Gordon)(Linda Gordon)

‘‘Bringing into language’Bringing into language’ Listening and beginning from womenListening and beginning from women Early challenges about who speaks/is heard – Early challenges about who speaks/is heard –

race, class, sexuality – disability and age came race, class, sexuality – disability and age came laterlater

The complexity of speaking out/silence The complexity of speaking out/silence

In many countries violence and abuse is no longer In many countries violence and abuse is no longer ‘unspeakable’ ‘unspeakable’ Some forms of violence are more ‘speakable’ than othersSome forms of violence are more ‘speakable’ than others Some women have more possibilities to speakSome women have more possibilities to speak

BUT when women and children tell, safety and support for BUT when women and children tell, safety and support for them and sanctions for perpetrators are not always them and sanctions for perpetrators are not always forthcomingforthcoming

AND in some contexts speaking can create further danger/ AND in some contexts speaking can create further danger/ potential for harmpotential for harm honour based violencehonour based violence sexual violence in conflict sexual violence in conflict May choose silence or be silenced

Listening to womenListening to women

‘‘When you want help you don’t want to be When you want help you don’t want to be bombarded with bruised women, it makes you bombarded with bruised women, it makes you feel even more dirty and horrible about feel even more dirty and horrible about yourself’yourself’

‘‘We need public education with more Black We need public education with more Black and Asian women. If you don’t see yourself , and Asian women. If you don’t see yourself , you don’t relate to it’you don’t relate to it’

‘‘It’s about lifting the lid, not to be ashamed’It’s about lifting the lid, not to be ashamed’

Problematic imageryProblematic imagery

THE 21THE 21STST CENTURY CENTURY

Changed discourses Changed discourses VAW or GBV → ‘hate crime’, ‘interpersonal violence’ VAW or GBV → ‘hate crime’, ‘interpersonal violence’

Loss of gender and power analysisLoss of gender and power analysis Discrimination/inequalities → ‘disadvantage or ‘vulnerability’Discrimination/inequalities → ‘disadvantage or ‘vulnerability’

Loss of intersectional analysisLoss of intersectional analysis Telling/speaking → ‘disclosure’Telling/speaking → ‘disclosure’

Shifts focus from agency of woman to agency responseShifts focus from agency of woman to agency response Victimisation → ‘victimhood’Victimisation → ‘victimhood’

From a material reality to a stigmatised identityFrom a material reality to a stigmatised identity For professionals being a survivor is no longer a resource For professionals being a survivor is no longer a resource

but a weaknessbut a weakness

Language can change what we know and speakLanguage can change what we know and speak

Unintended consequencesUnintended consequences Success in placing VAW on national and internationalSuccess in placing VAW on national and international policy agendas BUTpolicy agendas BUT

Dominance of domestic violence - and shift to family violenceDominance of domestic violence - and shift to family violence Domestic violence as crime incidents rather than pattern of coercive Domestic violence as crime incidents rather than pattern of coercive

control (including in prevalence studies)control (including in prevalence studies) The neglect of sexual violence and sexual harassmentThe neglect of sexual violence and sexual harassment Culturalising of harmful practicesCulturalising of harmful practices Marginalisation of gender analysis Marginalisation of gender analysis

Funding of services has improved quality and distributionFunding of services has improved quality and distribution Emphasis on standards and policies eclipsed engaging with women? Emphasis on standards and policies eclipsed engaging with women?

Making states responsible, embracing multi-agencyMaking states responsible, embracing multi-agency Tempered feminist voices?Tempered feminist voices? Who sets the agenda?Who sets the agenda?

Who is silencing who, about what?Who is silencing who, about what?

Which women can speak about what kinds of Which women can speak about what kinds of violence?violence?

How is what they say heard and responded to?How is what they say heard and responded to? How do we maintain feminist voices and How do we maintain feminist voices and

perspectives?perspectives? Within women’s servicesWithin women’s services In multi agency contextsIn multi agency contexts

Where are the voices of resistance?Where are the voices of resistance? Importance of young women, survivors forums, Importance of young women, survivors forums,

blogs, Twitter – naming misogyny and sexismblogs, Twitter – naming misogyny and sexism

Neo-liberal agendasNeo-liberal agendas The current context we have to work incurrent context we have to work in

But need critical awareness not just adaptionBut need critical awareness not just adaption From women’s safety and needs to the language of From women’s safety and needs to the language of

rationing and risk rationing and risk Do we accept in principle that support needs to be Do we accept in principle that support needs to be

limited as are ‘too many cases’?limited as are ‘too many cases’? Whose assessment of risk counts? Whose assessment of risk counts?

New public managementNew public management Measurement and ‘outcomes’Measurement and ‘outcomes’ ‘‘Evidence’ based policy – what counts as evidence?Evidence’ based policy – what counts as evidence? How many ‘anecdotes’ does it take to become data?How many ‘anecdotes’ does it take to become data? Costs of violence - public purse rather than women’s Costs of violence - public purse rather than women’s

liveslives

Knowledge claims Knowledge claims

Mossman et al 2009 – New Zealand review of Mossman et al 2009 – New Zealand review of sexual violence servicessexual violence services

Three framings to establish Three framings to establish Proven effective through research evidence Proven effective through research evidence Practice reflecting current trends Practice reflecting current trends ‘‘Knowledge based practice’ which recognises Knowledge based practice’ which recognises

skilled practitioners and experiences of survivors skilled practitioners and experiences of survivors (pxi)(pxi)

Women’s organisations should claim and value Women’s organisations should claim and value knowledge based evidenceknowledge based evidence

What women wantWhat women want

Focus groups with 300 diverse women as part Focus groups with 300 diverse women as part of consultation for Westminster government of consultation for Westminster government VAWG strategy in 2009VAWG strategy in 2009

Even though not asked directly many referred Even though not asked directly many referred to importance of women only servicesto importance of women only services

What women valued was – safety, holistic What women valued was – safety, holistic support, when and for as long as they need itsupport, when and for as long as they need it

Want better statutory responses AND Want better statutory responses AND women’s serviceswomen’s services

Huge challenge to maintain what we have builtHuge challenge to maintain what we have built

Susan Brison

I develop and defend a view of the self as fundamentally relational – capable of being undone by violence. But also of being remade in connection to others... Learning to fight back is a crucial part of this process, not only because it enables us to experience justified, healing rage... the confidence I gained from learning to fight back not only enabled me to walk down the street again, it gave me back my life... a changed life, a paradoxical life. (Aftermath, 2002, pxi)

 

The whole place selfThe whole place self From Fiona Elvines MA dissertation, From Fiona Elvines MA dissertation, Rape Crisis Centres - standing alongside and working with Rape Crisis Centres - standing alongside and working with

womenwomen To rebuild a self fragmented by violenceTo rebuild a self fragmented by violence Active participants in exploring what violence meant and means for their Active participants in exploring what violence meant and means for their

whole selves – not just a story of abuse, a collection of effectswhole selves – not just a story of abuse, a collection of effects The ‘relational self’The ‘relational self’

Women only – who women can relate to/withWomen only – who women can relate to/with Create new meanings ‘in conversation’Create new meanings ‘in conversation’

Rebuilding the selfRebuilding the self Empowerment as extending women’s space for action, including the Empowerment as extending women’s space for action, including the

power to speak out, resist, be part of a collective movement against power to speak out, resist, be part of a collective movement against sexual violence and for women’s equality sexual violence and for women’s equality

ChallengesChallenges Need feminisms for the 21Need feminisms for the 21stst century century

Renew and reclaim Renew and reclaim Gender theory and intersectionalityGender theory and intersectionality Respectful relationships in the VAW sector Respectful relationships in the VAW sector

Space for debate, disagreement, changeSpace for debate, disagreement, change ‘‘Practicing solidarity’ (Mohanty, 2003)Practicing solidarity’ (Mohanty, 2003)

Actively committing ourselves to ‘listen louder’ to Actively committing ourselves to ‘listen louder’ to victim-survivorsvictim-survivors

Must be a critical voice so long as violence and Must be a critical voice so long as violence and impunity continueimpunity continue

At the same timeAt the same time Htun & Weldon 2012Htun & Weldon 2012 Datasets for 70 countries over 4 decadesDatasets for 70 countries over 4 decades It is strong autonomous feminist movements It is strong autonomous feminist movements

that have that have Challenged social norms on male dominance in Challenged social norms on male dominance in

the family, sexuality and more broadlythe family, sexuality and more broadly Changed international norms on VAWChanged international norms on VAW Produced enduring impacts at national policy Produced enduring impacts at national policy

levelslevels Through a focus on ‘everyday politics’Through a focus on ‘everyday politics’