Interpretive and Critical Methods of Studying Violence Against Women

As a matter of fact, it is not only the great number of violence cases against women that threatens women's lives, but the fear of violence that influences their everyday life.

Violence against women continues to be an urgent social and economic problem in the world with serious influences on our health and social services systems. Violence against women happens in every country all over the world. There is no country in which women are not exposed to some kind of violence. Women and children around the world, across lines of income, class and traditional views, are exposed to physical, sexual and psychological abuse, domestic abuse, inequality, and, in addition, lack of human rights. Worldwide, at least one in every three women is beaten, forced into sex, or abused in some way, most frequently by someone she knows, including her spouse or another male in the family. Violence relates to the lack of human rights, and to legal, economical, and public health problems as well. It influences all areas of the world and is a crucial problem that needs research initiatives directed at the improvement of universal understanding.

Violence against women is any act of gender-based violence that leads to, or is likely to lead to, physical, sexual or psychological damage or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, assault or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether happening in public or private life. Acts of violence are still taken place against women and children and new solutions that will always be required have the purpose of stopping abuse against women and observation of these solutions will be needed in all societies that consider women and children are not to be abused in any way.

There is an urgent necessity for demonstration projects, with appropriate evaluation, to define what works or does not work in different settings. The problem should be analyzed from the point of view of interpretive and critical sociology of studying violence towards women. Critical theory is a social theory that is concentrated not only on understanding or explaining the people conduct but on changing the society as well. Such a way in examining violence against women will have a positive effect as it will not only explain or examine the case, but change the present situation for the better.

Stopping violence against women needs strategies coordinated among many parts of society and at regional and national levels. In some states effective health programs have taken the first place in addressing violence against women. Though attempts should broaden beyond the health sector only. An agenda for change must contain interpretive and critical methods of studying violence towards women that means not only understanding or explaining people’s conduct but changing the society as well.