2004-06-29

Gender Perspectives and Male-on-Female Violence - a Government Assignment

The background to the assignment may be found in the Government Bill Violence against Women (1997/98:55). In it, the Government emphasises that men’s violence against women is a social problem based on imbalance in power relations between the sexes. Effectively combating male-on-female violence requires people who may encounter battered women in their work to be well informed about this violence and the mechanisms that underlie it. It is important for those engaged in this area to have expertise and the ability to detect the problems concerned and respond to the women in question in the right way. The training in these issues that various occupational groups receive must not consist solely of optional course units or depend on individual teachers’ commitment to the question.

To survey the manner in which issues relating to male-on-female violence are dealt with in the above-mentioned 11 academic fields, the Agency sent a questionnaire to the Swedish higher education institutions. Twenty-two study programmes replied.

Questionnaire findings

But the fact that the subject is being dealt with does not mean that it is covered on a large scale and thoroughly. Although the questionnaire replies give examples of successful teaching about male-on-female violence, it is also clear that this work involves difficulties. Theories or literature may not be used, or teachers’ skills may be inadequate.

Successful teaching

The teachers’ proficiency, as supervisors as well as instructors, is also crucial to the attainment of high-quality teaching. This is a matter of, first, the teachers knowing enough and, second, enough teachers being familiar with the issues. For a course programme in which the instruction stands or falls with a single teacher, the situation is precarious.

The subject of male-on-female violence may be emotionally charged in various ways. Thus, it is important for a course to include preparation for meeting students’ reactions.
Finally, we may mention some other organisational requirements for generating sound teaching about issues relating to men’s violence against women. These may include inserting the subject in syllabuses or confining the teaching to compulsory course units.

The Agency’s proposals to the Government

The Agency proposes that the Government should consider inserting requirements concerning knowledge about male-on-female violence in the provisions of the Degree Ordinance relating to study programmes leading to degrees and diplomas in midwifery, medicine, teaching, psychology, psychotherapy, nursing, social work and public administration, dentistry and social care. For programmes leading to first degrees in law and theology, knowledge about violence is already required.
The teachers’ knowledge has a crucial bearing on how teaching about men’s violence against women should be conducted. The questionnaire findings show that there is a need to enhance teachers’ skills. The National Centre for Battered and Raped Women is a national resource and skills centre with extensive experience of training people in issues relating to male-on-female violence.

The Agency proposes that the Government assign the National Centre for Battered and Raped Women to review the need for teachers on relevant university study programmes to receive in-service training inissues relating to men’s violence against women.