Women As Victims Feminist Theories Sociology Essay
The feminist theory is based on the woman description, their human experience, and the crisis they face in the patriarchal society. It seeks social change in stopping the neglect and women subordination. In this regard, the experiences of women in the society are at the center of feminist theory. Most feminist theory believe that gender is a central component of life, and effects women in different ways and it should be well addressed in the various aspects of life.
Patriarchy is an ideology that the society is under the rule and domination of the males ideas. In that view, society has laid structure and values that subordinate the women. The concept of patriarchy first is based on the value of male status achievement. It argues that males hold the high status roles. In this regard, women are in a lower positions either in responsibility or production , and they appear inferior to men. This form of patriarchy leads women powerless in determining the course of their lives. It leaves a considerable number of women vulnerable to domestic violence. The status inferred to them subjects them to suffering.
In the book, ‘Saving Bernice: Battered Women, Welfare, and Poverty’, Bernice, an actual client of Jody Rapheal, suffers under the welfare institution, which abuses her. She is victimized in an attempt to liberate herself and children from the experience of battering. She faces numerous problems in an attempt to free herself from the batterer. Feminists hold that the patriarchal values, which have taken roots in the society, are responsible for the victimization of women. They hold that these values and cultural practices have subjected many women to suffering and victimization through domestic violence.
The value of male dominance in patriarchy is also argued to play a significant role in the suffering of women. Feminists believe, dominance resides in males, and women have faced it in order to get their way. In lewd of this everything is male thought based which gives men power because women circumstances are not a consideration in some aspects of life which makes it hard for females. This has given men the way to be heavily involved in domestic violence and continue it.
The sufferings of Bernice, an actual client of Jody Rapheal, in the book, ‘Saving Bernice: Battered Women, Welfare, and Poverty’, can be viewed as a product of patrichary , which subjects her to suffering as she seeks to free herself from domestic violence. The author notes that, domestic violence causes the victim to be vulnerable to the welfare bureaucracy. The author also talks about hurdles her client Bernice had to face to escape the abuse she faced. The text brings out clearly the many hurdles that women of the day face to escape, and be self-sufficient.
As discussed in the slides, under ‘feminist analysis’, the society has reinforced patriarchy. This has led to women being denied the power of decision-making. This may be the reason responsible for the sufferings of women in society The slides also present the feminist view that many societies have had problems in defining woman battering as a crime problem. This form of context paves a way for the male dominant gender to have more power, and liberty to engage in this criminal behavior.
The feminists’ theories view social institutions, such as family, job, churches, and other to be responsible for maintaining violence. As discussed in slides, the liberal feminists advocate for women to engage in the labor market as opposed to taking dominance in traditional roles of childcare. Notably, they feel that the traditional family as a social unit has subjected many women to suffering through women dominance in childcare, and the violence that takes place in the family.
The slide on Marxist feminist argues that women’s “labor is reproductive and not productive; therefore, not creating surplus value” because of their reproduction ability. According to Marist feminist capitalism is the evil. In capitalist nations, women are abused whenever they are deemed as reproduction tools to produce the labor for the next generation.
The slide on radical feminism equally portrays a number of practices, which are practiced in the social institutions, such as, family, relationship and child rearing. Radical feminists argue that male power has been reinforced through numerous practices maintained by these institutions. The slide also mentions the practices of housework, marriage, child rearing involving women. As a result of this women end up abused by these institutions, by being allowed and sometimes must to take on some of the practices in certain ways, which subordinates them to their male counterparts.
Feminists believe, the social patterns and institutions in the society play a critical role in affecting the efforts of women to seek to free themselves and their children from social and physical oppression. Social institutions such as the family and home matters maintained within the structures of patriarchy are said to affect the lives of women. This is because men establish the norms and values and beliefs in these social institutions. In addition, laws are as well established by men, which makes it harder for women to leave their violent partners legally. For example, in class we discussed when women attack their violent partner in seemingly harsh ways when the abuse wasn’t currently and physically happening to the male made legal system this would be murder and not a act of self defense and survival. (Tandon 2008 p.123).
In conclusion, the role of patriarchy in controlling women in society, and its influence on the domestic violence is very complex. social institutions encourage as well as sustain violence against women. Whether it be because of gender inequality, a view of liberal feminist. Economic class and their role in production and reproduction, which is a Marist view or lastly which in my opinion it is the most accurate and should not be view as radical because the word radical is viewed unconsciously negatively most of the time that male power is exercised through social intuitions, and jobs women general have in a family setting. However I don’t not think all men are responsible of this but rather the system that was made by men by not meant to be it primary job condones difference between male and female ideas which eradiate hurdles that female have to make all of which is just an indirect outcome that was not foreseen.
