Systemic obstacles to battered women's participation in the judicial system: when will the status quo change?
The Canadian government has introduced numerous policies, guidelines, and mandates at the federal and provincial levels that recognize woman abuse as a serious social problem and violation of the law. Nonetheless, recent feminist research continues to expose laws and practices that fail woman abuse victims. The present study examined the experiences of women victims in domestic violence cases and the barriers they faced in dealing with the police, the courts, and social service agencies. Despite government initiatives, the study results corroborate previous findings indicating that many battered women feel further traumatized by ambivalent or discriminatory attitudes and practices prevalent within the system.
Gillis
Joseph Roy
JR
University of Toronto, ON, Canada.
Diamond
Shaindl Lin
SL
Jebely
Paul
P
Orekhovsky
Victoria
V
Ostovich
Ellis M
EM
MacIsaac
Kristin
K
Sagrati
Sandra
S
Mandell
Deborah
D
D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008875:Middle Aged; D033262:Narration; D009864:Ontario; D016495:Police; D011640:Public Policy; D012941:Social Responsibility; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014933:Women's Rights / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*