It’s time to #FlipTheSexistScript

Women’s Aid and University of Bristol launch research into the gendered experiences of justice and domestic abuse

 

The findings further highlight the importance of responding to domestic abuse as a form of violence against women and girls (VAWG), and sufficiently funding safe, empowering spaces led by women for women.

Women’s Aid is currently running a national campaign calling for the government to require local authorities to fund specific domestic abuse services for women and ensure that the £125m statutory duty in the Domestic Abuse Act reaches local specialist women’s domestic abuse services.

Alongside the publication of the report, Women’s Aid is today launching a social media campaign #FlipTheSexistScript, calling for unlearning of gender stereotypes and the unpicking of social power imbalances.

Farah Nazeer, chief executive at Women’s Aid, said:

“Our new research with the University of Bristol shows the extent to which gender stereotypes place the man in charge, cause power imbalances in the home and set the scene for domestic abuse.

Female survivors described how their male partners held the view that as men, they should be the ones to make the decisions about the household. These decisions formed the basis of abusive and controlling behaviours — leaving women with no say in how the household is run and with an expectation for women to be sexually available and compliant. This is not what healthy, loving homes look like. Women’s bodies and lives do not belong to men.

We need to build a world where harmful gender stereotypes and domestic abuse are no longer tolerated. To do this, we need to unlearn sexist gender stereotypes and unpick the power imbalances which are so engrained in our society.

If the findings in today’s report have helped you spot the signs of an abusive relationship, please reach out for support. Women’s Aid is here for you.”

Professor Marianne Hester, Chair in Gender, Violence & International Policy, School for Policy Studies, at University of Bristol said:

“This work is really important. It provides new and detailed evidence about the way domestic abuse is perpetrated and justified by men in relationships with women. The research shows the importance of countering sexist stereotypes, as they underpin and normalize domestic abuse against women.”

Click here to read the full report.

Notes to editors

• Women’s Aid is the national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children. Since 1974 we have been at the forefront of shaping and coordinating responses to domestic abuse, with survivors at the heart of our work. We are a federation of over 170 organisations which provide just under 300 local lifesaving services to women and children across the country.
• Women’s Aid provides expert training, qualifications and consultancy to a range of agencies and professionals working with survivors or commissioning domestic abuse services. Our campaigns achieve change in policy, practice and awareness, encouraging healthy relationships and helping to build a future where domestic abuse is no longer tolerated.
  An estimated 1.6 million women in England and Wales have experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2020 with young women aged 16-24 years continuing to be the age group at most risk (ONS 2020).
• If you are worried that your partner, or that of a friend or family member, is controlling and abusive, go to womensaid.org.uk for support and information, including Live Chat, the Survivors’ Forum, The Survivor’s Handbook and the Domestic Abuse Directory. Live Chat is open from 10 am – 6 pm seven days a week for confidential expert support from specialised support workers.
• Women’s Aid press office: press@womensaid.org.uk 020 7566 2511 / 07517 132 943
• The Centre for Gender and Violence Research, University of Bristol: We are a centre of excellence for research on gender based violence based in the School for Policy Studies. Our aim is to tackle gender based violence in its many forms and make a positive difference to the lives of individuals and communities touched by gender based violence, including survivors and perpetrators, whether adults or children, and professionals who may work with them. Our projects are usually conducted in collaboration with survivor organisations and others working to tackle gender based violence. Our research informs understanding of gender based violence, policy, practice and action, in the UK and beyond. Find out more: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/sps/research/centres/genderviolence/
• This research was made possible by a Knowledge Exchange Fellowship (funded by Economic and Social Research Council Impact Acceleration Award – ESRC IAA) between the University of Bristol and Women’s Aid. It was the first time a Fellow, in this case a researcher from Woman’s Aid,was brought into and temporarily based at the University of Bristol from a National Charity. Read more: https://policystudies.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/2021/07/16/knowledge-exchange/
• Research funding: The research was funded by an ESRC Impact Acceleration Award. It and builds upon work originally supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) under Grant number ESRC Grant ES/M010090/1.