Vanya Ganeva
Domestic Violence Against Women as an Object of Social Work
Summary:
The article deals with domestic violence against women, which in the last decades has been defined as one of the most serious social problems worldwide. The first part of the paper explains the essence of violence and the gender aspects of domestic violence. On a gender approach basis an explanation is sought as to how social relations between men and women in society, fixed via patriarchal order, contribute to the manifestations of tolerance towards domestic violence against women.
The second part of the article explains the specifics of social work against domestic violence against women. Theoretically this type of social work is based on the feminist and anti-oppressive trends developed considerably after the 80s of the 20th century. The practical realization of social work against domestic violence calls for the use of crisis intervention, a good knowledge on the social worker’s part of the experiences and reactions of women – victims of domestic violence, as well as the services which they can use. Besides working with victims, another main point in social work in cases of domestic violence against women must be working with domestic violence offenders, using methods borrowed from psychotherapeutic and consultation practice.
