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While many people are aware of the term family violence, it is often accompanied by reluctance from society to accept the term as a present situation for individuals of many different backgrounds. The stereotypes towards family violence indicate that it is often neglected as it suggests the notion that it is an issue only for a small percent of the population. A common stereotype dictates that people of low socioeconomic status, for example, are the only people to experience family violence, which is not accurate. The reality of the situation is that family violence has no limits to whom it can affect, and it takes a heavy toll on society.
Family violence encompasses a range of terms such as domestic violence (DV) and intimate partner violence (IPV).Although both designations share common factors, they are unique in the execution, outcome, and lasting effects of the violence. DV and IPV stem from unequal power dynamics in relationships where one partner attempts to obtain and hold control through physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, financial, or spiritual abuse.Psychological, spiritual and emotional forms of abuse can take the longest to heal.The violence does not have to be direct; it can be in the form of a threat as well.IPV is limited to abuse between romantic partners, whereas DV encompasses a broader range of relationships such as siblings, roommates, pets, or parent and child.Survivors of DV often experience a feeling of shame for their family, ethnicity, and religious groups because of their experiences.
Statistics
It can be surprising to hear that a country deemed to have peaceful ideologies such as Canada can have such prominent rates of IPV. In 2011, Canada reported approximately 100,000 victims of IPV. Out of the 100,000 victims, 80% of them were women. These staggering numbers account for one-quarter of police-reported violent crimes. New Brunswick has the highest rate of murder-suicide associated with domestic homicide, which are some of the highest rates of DV within Atlantic Canada. Every two and a half days, a woman is murdered in Canada, and over 80% of those women are murdered by an intimate partner. It is shocking to hear that many people tend to underestimate the risk of DV. Credit for these perplexing statistics goes in part to the research being conducted at the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research at UNB (MMFC).
“This is a problem all Canadians should be concerned about.”
History of the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research at UNB
The Fergusson Foundation was established in 1985 as a catalyst for the prevention and elimination of family violence. The Honourable Muriel McQueen Fergusson dedicated her life, as a lawyer, to paving the way for women around the world. She is the honorary patron of the Fergusson Foundation. The Fergusson Foundation soon collaborated with the UNB Faculty of Arts to create the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research (MMFC) at UNB. Since then, the MMFC has contributed to countless research, education and knowledge transfer projects, all striving to positively impact the lives of people affected by violence.
The Career of Cathy Holtmann
Concerning our current knowledge of family violence, there is still a need to evaluate many contributing factors to their full extent. Cathy Holtmann, the director of the MMFC, researches many overlooked aspects of family violence that can contribute to its prominence. Cathy graduated from the University of Winnipeg with a Bachelor of Arts in Music. During her undergraduate degree, she enrolled in several religious studies courses, which sparked her interest in the social justice perspectives of religion. From these interests, Cathy continued her studies at the University of Toronto in a Master of Theology. After working as the campus minister and a contract academic instructor at St. Thomas University, Cathy applied to the Sociology graduate program at UNB to research faith-based movements on social justice for women. As Cathy pursued this educational path towards a doctorate, her research interests aligned with a striking time in the history of violence against women and immigrants.
History of Research in Violence Against Women and Immigrants
Research concerning violence against women skyrocketed at the time of the Montreal Massacre in 1989. This act of violence against women sparked discussions for the government and the public on the anti-feminist elements in Canadian society. For Cathy, it ignited her interest to look deeper at women’s equality in the Catholic church when she first became involved with the Religion and Violence research team at the MMFC. The issue surrounding women’s equality led to research concerning Catholic attitudes and resources for DV. Through this work, Cathy identified the misconception of conservativeness as an explanation for immigrant violence and became interested in the topic. After many discussions, Cathy identified a gap in the understanding of violence and immigrants. Following 9/11, there was widespread panic and the assumption that Muslims were inherently more violent than others. This event generated a concern in the research world that Muslim women were more likely to be victimized by DV. However, this assumption is not supported by empirical evidence in Canada. The allegation against Muslim women goes to prove that social construction has led society to misunderstand the situations immigrants in Canada find themselves in. This aspect of Canadian society fascinates Cathy. Cathy’s interests in these topics come from her hope in creating safety for families of faith and immigrant women.
Cathy’s teaching also includes information on other minority groups, such as Indigenous communities, which are among the most vulnerable populations for DV.As a result of a long and violent history of colonialism, family violence is nearly three times higher in Indigenous communities.Part of Cathy’s work on the subject looks at how society can build relationships within communities on the issue in order to do a better job at addressing the problem.
MMFC and Cathy’s Role in Research
Cathy and the researchers associated with the MMFC have, in its nearly 30 years of operation, contributed to numerous research studies, initiatives, books, and collaborations, all involved in making a difference to those living through and affected by family violence. Cathy also credits much of the work that the Centre has been able to accomplish to the victims, survivors, and families that were affected by family violence and their willingness to share their stories. It is through these survivors that we learn what we can do as policymakers, researchers, or service providers to help make people more safe, cope with the situation they are in, and overcome the barriers they have encountered when reaching out for help. During outreach, Cathy and the MMFC researchers and staff stress the importance of respecting women’s choices while in these situations.
“We are really hoping that people will continue to reach out to us as they have and share their stories so that we can do a better job in protecting people’s lives.”
The discussion on the unfortunate truth of family violence deserves awareness. Every day, people are affected by DV and the risk factors that accompany it, such as domestic homicide. The MMFC strives to bring knowledge to the public through a collaborative research approach on issues concerning family violence in Canada. They are involved in many local, regional, national, international studies, and collaborations. The goal of the Centre is to compile what they learn through their research into resources that fit the needs of educators, policymakers, government, and service providers dealing with family violence. All efforts put forth by the MMFC are credited to a dedicated group of researchers, students, and activists that make it possible. They encourage students to get involved in the Centre through many initiatives such as research, blogging, reading, and writing at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The MMFC hopes to create more opportunities to connect like-minded individuals with impactful research in Canada. There are many opportunities through projects to apply what is learned in the classroom and develop them into different, useful skills that can be applicable in countless settings.
“Translating what you learn in the classroom to everyday life makes it a great opportunity.”
References:
https://www.unb.ca/mmfc/about.html
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2013001/article/11805/11805-3-eng.htm
https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/fv-vf/about-apropos.html
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