Social Work Students’ Attitudes,
Perceptions and Knowledge Base
regarding Perpetrators of
Domestic Violence
Letnie Rock, Ph.D.
UWI Cave Hill Campus
Conference on Social Work and Social Development
Stockholm, Sweden, July 2012
Domestic Violence Hurts
Everyone
Domestic Violence Hurts
Everyone
Background
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Barbados is a small Island in the Caribbean
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Population of approximately 280,000
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Male female ratio in population 1: 3
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Increasing concern over the last two decades about
domestic violence (DV) in Barbados (perpetrated mainly
by males) and the apparent normalcy of the practice in
society (Le Franc & Rock, 2003)
Background
Initiatives aimed at preventing incidents of DV have
been put in place. These include:
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Public lectures and media campaigns
Community marches against DV
Legislation – The DV Protection (Orders) Act 1992
Family service agency
Counselling centre and hotline
Shelter for battered women
Men’s Support Groups
Profile of Domestic Violence in
Barbados
National study 2008/2009 (CADRES) found that:
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21% of homicides results from DV
Females are more likely to report incidences than
males
Females mainly victims based on reports
Perpetrators mainly males based on reports
Abusive incidents mostly physical, verbal and
psychological. Low incidence of financial abuse
based on reports.
Statistics on Domestic Violence in
Barbados
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Abuse occurs in all intimate relationships - marital,
common-law and visiting relationships
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66% of victims/survivors from the lower socio-econ.
group
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2000-2007 - 218 homicides in Barbados and 46 due
to domestic violence – these 46 were women
Face of Domestic Violence in
Barbados
 QUOTES
 “Sometimes
you have to make them feel
pain for them to stop the foolishness.
Women often agree with this approach too
..and my wife said that if I hadn’t done that
she might not have understood”.
Face of Domestic Violence in
Barbados
 “The
women might want to play the
leading role in a relationship. She does
not ask for or respect the man’s opinion”.
 “The
image of men is still that they must
rule and dominate. They will react to the
slightest thing that challenges them”.
Status of Research on the Problem
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Research on DV in the Caribbean is emerging
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Paucity of research in Barbados – to date mainly
statistical data reported
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Few Caribbean studies conducted: Danns & Parsad
(1989), Clarke (1998), Hezekiah (2000), Le Franc &
Rock (2001), Holder-Dolly & Sogren (2004),
CADRES (2008-2009) & UNICEF (2007)
Theoretical Rationale
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Socio-cultural perspective – this theory considers
the social conditions existing in the family and
community in which people live as well as the
cultural nuances and their overall impact on the
individual.
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Studies on domestic violence and child abuse in the
Caribbean have found cultural behaviors mores and
norms to be factors that influence abusive behaviour
Definition of Domestic Violence
A pattern of assaultive and coercive
behaviors including, physical, sexual and
psychological attacks, as well as
economic coercion, that adults use
against their intimate partner … to gain
and maintain power and control (Dunbar,
1998).
Research Objective
The research objective - to investigate whether social
work students have punitive attitudes (primarily a legal
perspective)
OR non-punitive attitudes (favour a
treatment approach) to perpetrators of DV before they
(students) acquire professional training and experience
Research Hypotheses
1.
Students who have experienced DV will more
likely have a punitive attitude to perpetrators
of DV than those without such experiences.
2.
Younger students would have a punitive
attitude to perpetrators of DV while older
students would have a non-punitive attitude.
Research Hypotheses
3. Entry level students are more likely to have a punitive
attitude to perpetrators of DV than final year students.
4. Male students would more likely have a non-punitive
attitude to perpetrators of DV while female students
would more likely have punitive attitude.
Methodology
Characteristics of Sample
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Exploratory study
Convenience sample
64 undergraduate social work students (Levels 1-3)
Sex: Males (12), Females (49), Not stated (3)
Age groups: 21-39 years; 40 and over
Marital status: Married 17, Single 39, Divorced 5
Degree level: Level 1 (14), Level 2 (29) Level 3 – (21).
Methodology
Research Instrument
Questionnaire [self-administered] contained 6 vignettes/
scenarios. Students were asked to complete each
vignette by indicating their responses to the statements
on a scale ranging from strongly agree to strongly
disagree. Facts were assumed to be true and
first/immediate responses given.
Current Study - Methodology
What did the 6 scenarios depict?
1. Physical abuse in a common law relationship –
female victim
2. Physical abuse, stalking and locking in the house in
marital relationships – female victims
3. Physical and verbal abuse in a marital relationship –
male victim
4. Physical and sexual abuse/rape in a non-marital
relationship. Perpetrator and victim living in two
separate households – female victim
Method of Data Analysis
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Data were analyzed using SPSS
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Descriptive Statistics
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Independent samples T-tests
Findings
Hypothesis 1: Students who have experienced DV
will more likely have a punitive attitude to
perpetrators of DV than students without such
experience.
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It was found in responses to only one vignette (#6)
that those students who experienced DV expressed
stronger and more punitive attitudes towards the
perpetrator when compared to students who did not
have DV experiences (p <.05)
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Limited support for this hypothesis
Findings
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Hypothesis 2 younger students would have a
punitive attitude to perpetrators of DV while older
students would have a non-punitive attitude.
Younger students generally expressed stronger views
that the victims should leave the perpetrator, obtain
Protection Orders and deny the perpetrators access to
their children. They also had stronger beliefs that
perpetrators should be arrested, placed on probation
by the court and have court ordered mental health
counseling in three of the case vignettes (# 2, 5 & 6);
ps < .05).
 Modest level of support for this hypothesis.
Findings
Hypothesis 3: Entry level students are more likely to
have a punitive attitude to perpetrators of DV than
final year students.
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There were no significant differences in attitudes
toward perpetrators of DV between entry level students
and final year students on five of the six scenarios
depicting DV
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The results show very limited support for hypothesis 3
Findings
Hypothesis 4: Male students would more likely have
a non-punitive attitude to perpetrators of DV while
female students would more likely have a punitive
attitude.
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In four of the six scenarios, female students generally
held more punitive attitudes toward the perpetrators
of DV than their male counterparts. In the respective
scenarios, female students expressed stronger views
that the victims should leave, obtain Protection Order
and deny the perpetrators any access to their children
(all ps < .05; Vignettes # 3, 4, 5 & 6).
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Modest support for hypothesis 4.
Findings
 Students
generally had punitive attitudes
to perpetrators of DV but also agreed in
their responses that more needs to be
done to help both victims and perpetrators
of DV.
Conclusion
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Findings cannot be generalized beyond the population
studied. However, in a society where DV is so
widespread, social workers need to receive training
otherwise their perceptions of and attitudes to
perpetrators and victims/survivors will influence their
potential work decisions.
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The results of the study support the need for a course
in DV to be included in the social work
undergraduate curriculum to equip students with the
relevant knowledge base.
Current Study - Conclusions
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More research needs to be undertaken to provide
greater insights on the problem and also to inform
practice and policy decisions on DV not only in
Barbados but the wider Caribbean region.
THANK
YOU
Thank You