Attitudes to domestic violence are developed during childhood, and right now Australia has a problem.
Almost half of all young men and a third of young women don’t think someone controlling their partner’s finances is a form of abuse.
That’s one of the findings from a report released by the Federal Government that shows attitudes of young Australians towards domestic violence could use improvement.
Lisa Wilkinson gave an on-air plea for Australians to tackle family violence in September (post continues after video).
But, the report says that attitudes like the tendency to blame the victim and make excuses for perpetrators, are especially common among young people.
“While 96 per cent of Australians condemn domestic violence, the automatic defences which impede our likelihood to influence, and be influenced, are powerful,” the report says.
What that means is that there are some ingrained assumptions people make about domestic violence, and those assumptions are found in both young people and their parents, teachers and other figures of influence.
“Importantly, victim blaming occurs automatically and seemingly unknowingly.”
The research the report was based on a mix of information gathering techniques, including focus groups across the country.
Ken Lay, the former Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, is now the chair of the COAG domestic violence advisory committee.
The report was commissioned by the committee.
In a speech to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25, Lay said changing youth attitudes was the key to ending domestic violence and other violence against women.
“When presented with some scenarios on aggression by boys, I heard with sadness about 10-year-old girls already diminishing the abuse they received from boys.
“I heard girls say about boys harassing them: “It’s not that bad, it’s not like he punched her.
Top Comments
I agree with most of this, but the finance thing is a two edged sword. If the husband or wife controls the finances, that could be a form of dominance or control, unless both parties agreed to it, which happens. But on the other hand, if one in the relationship spends recklessly that's kind of financial abuse. Particularly if one works and the other spends it all indulgently, that puts the wage earner under great stress, effectively they are a wage slave in the relationship.