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Social Work Advocacy Practice on Women Abuse Issues in China. Prepared by: Drs. Siu Ming Kwok and Dora Tam, Associate Professors, School of Social Work, King's University College at the University of Western Ontario, Canada
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Social Work Advocacy Practice on Women Abuse Issues in China Prepared by: Drs. SiuMing Kwok and Dora Tam, Associate Professors, School of Social Work, King's University College at the University of Western Ontario, Canada Kate Schleicher, MSW, Social Worker, Defender Association of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, US Wenmei Wu, MSW, Social Worker, Community Development Department of Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China For correspondence, please email Dr. Dora Tam at dmytam@uwo.ca
Background • Prevalence of past year violence against women was 16.8% in China (Tang & Lai, 2008)compare with the 6% in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2011) • Whether China has responsive criminal justice and community services being developed to address violence against women issues? • Purposes: • 1/ examine challenges faced by women in abusive relationships; and • 2) discuss social work advocacy intervention at direct practice, service delivery, and policy levels
Theoretical Approach • SW Advocacy Intervention is grounded on the capabilities perspective (Hoefer, 2012; Morris, 2002; Pyles, 2012) • asserts that social construction of oppression limits the recognition of violence against women and the development of effective intervention • aims at prompting the development of individual women’s internal self-functioning and effecting change on the social environment for maximizing individuals’ well-being
Demographics • 21 women, who had experienced intimate partner violence, and • 28 service providers from the social services, health care, educational, and judicial sectors, were interviewed. • 12 women worked FT, 5 worked PT/self-employed, and 4 stay home housewives/unemployed; • 11 women had college/university education, 5 completed high school, and 4 had some years of education • 11 women had at least child under 18, one woman was pregnant, 3 had adult children; and 7 women had no children
Identified Challenges • suffering from both physical and psychological health problems • reporting negative impacts on their children as result of witnessing the violent • confronting with legal, socio-cultural, and economical barriers • frustrating with the inadequacy and ineffectiveness of the existing formal support • hoping for some major improvement in criminal justice and community responses on VAW • experiencing discrimination against migrant workers
Conclusion • Gender inequality is evidenced in the roots of VAW in China • VAW affects physical, psychological, social, and financial well-being of women and their children • Structural barriers including patriarchal values, employment discrimination, wages inequality have prevented women to leave violent relationships • Adopt a gender-based perspective is the fundamental step to eliminate VAW • Use of the capabilities approach to develop social work intervention at direct practice, program development, and policy levels.
Select References: Hoefer, R. (2012). Advocacy practice for social justice (2nd ed.). Chicago, Il: Lyceum Books. Morris, P. M. (2002). The capabilities perspective: A framework for social justice. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Service, 83(4), 365-373. Pyles, L. (2012). The capabilities approach and violence against women: Implications for social development. In C. M. Renzetti, J. L. Edleson, & R. K. Bergen (Eds.), Companion reader on violence against women (pp.31-38). Los Angeles: Sage. Statistics Canada. (2011). Family violence in Canada: A statistical profile. Cat. No.: 85-224-X. Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada. Tam, D.M.Y., Kwok, S.M., Wu, W., Law, A.K.C., & Chan, Y.C. (2009). Support Systems of Abused Women under the Changing Economy in China. The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, 3(10), 180-191. Tang, C.S.K., & Lai B.P.Y. (2008). A review of empirical literature on the prevalence and risk markers of male-on-female intimate partner violence in contemporary China, 1987 – 2006. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 13: 10-28. United Nations. (2006). In-depth study on all forms of violence against women. Report of the Secretary-General. New York: General Assembly. WHO. (2005). WHO Multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence against women: Initial results on prevalence, health outcomes and women’s responses. Switzerland: The Author. Thank You!