This study starts from the awareness that though the seriousness of domestic violence in this Korean society, there is not any proper policy, theory, practice that support a sense of self-reliance of domestic violence victims to liberate themselves fr...
This study starts from the awareness that though the seriousness of domestic violence in this Korean society, there is not any proper policy, theory, practice that support a sense of self-reliance of domestic violence victims to liberate themselves from violence fundamentally.
Therefore, in this study, we have examined the various levels of a sense of self-reliance of the domestic violence victims and have tried to find out various factors that affect their sense of self-reliance from multi-dimensional aspects, such as gender equality, social support, domestic violence, sociodemographic factor.
We have analysed the survey materials on domestic violence victims from the 2013 National Survey on Domestic Violence from one-hundred and forty-eight service users of the counseling centers and one-hundred and nineteen shelter residents.
In this study, the used data processing is spsswin 18.0 and we have performed the frequency analysis, correlation analysis, t test, and ANOVA. Finally we've carried out the multiple regression analysis to find out the causal relations of each factors and their senses of self-reliance.
The variables are used in the study as follows : the gender equality awareness factor(gender role attitude), the social support factor(right to an emergency action, the victim protection order system, right to access to the scene), domestic violence experience factor(Whether or not being exposed to violence from their parents and seeing violence between the parents in their childhood, the level of spousal domestic violence, the level of child violence from the parents), sociodemographic factor(age, education level, marital condition, existence of the current occupation, past job experience and availability, number of children, average monthly wage)
To sum up the research results as follows ; First, the level of a sense of self-reliance of domestic violence victims has appeared relatively higher with average 3.66 points on a five-point scale. The most affected factor of the self-reliance was gender egalitarianism. This newly obtained result implies the importance of gender equality factor to the social work intervention for the domestic violence victims.
Second, the study found that high level of awareness about the domestic violence victim protection system correlates with high level of a sense of self-reliance. If the victims knew the protection system, they could easily ask for help to free themselves from domestic violence. Likewise, the statutory social support indicates that the problem of domestic violence is not private issue or personal problem. The consideration of the domestic violence as public issue can have the victims to avoid self-condemnation.
Third, among the domestic violence experience factors, growing violence experience exposed by their parents were shown to far more strengthen their sense of self-reliance. This is contrary to the ordinary expectation that when the victim has had less experienced the violence, they would have more sense of self-reliance. The result implies that though the victims have had their actual damage in childhood from their parental violation, the possibility of various protection factors mitigating such damage also exists and suggests the necessity to examine the dynamic relationship among other factors other than violence experience in childhood. In addition, it is necessrary to conduct the empirical study about the channel, the way, other domestic violence experience factors could affect the victims
Fourth, this research demonstrates that the older victims show more sense of self-reliance. therefore, if the victims get effective supports by appropriate trainning and education, they could realize their self-reliance in their higher ages. Also, the research demonstrates that the education level and the past job experience affect a sense of self-reliance. This result represents that the continuous expansion for the training and education opportunity for women and the establishment of gender egaliritarian wage labor market should be important factor to mitigate damage of the domestic violence.
Based on theses results, to strengthen their senses of self-reliance of domestic violence victims, we suggest as follows ;
First, The higher level of a sense of self-reliance of domestic violence victims shows the limit of consideration of domestic violence victims as mere victims.
The women with access to the shelter or counseling system have already begun solving their problems. Domestic violence victims as survivors need to multifaceted supports to transform their previous lives. Above all, there should be unconditional, practical support for women victims using victim protection system.
Second, the gender role attitude of the domestic violence victim affects a sense of self-reliance. this result implies the facilities and programmes for protection should be arranged to establish their gender equality awareness. Also, domestic violence victims should have critical understanding about spousal violence and gender inequality commited against them. To do this, there should be a feminist conuseling intervention. Through their critical understanding and feminist consciousness raising, women can minimize their self-condamnation, actualize distributive justice, improve actual access to resources and develop strategies to eliminate violences.
Third, gender egalitarianism is very closely related to outbreak and duration of domestic violence. Therefore, our public education system and lifelong education should establish the value of gender equality and human right for every man and woman, every member of our society.