Social Work Advocacy Practice
on Women Abuse Issues
in China
Prepared by:
Drs. Siu Ming Kwok and Dora Tam, Associate Professors,
School of Social Work, King's University College
at the University of Western Ontario, Canada
Kate Schleicher, MSW, Social Worker, Defender Association of
Philadelphia, Philadelphia, US
Wenmei Wu, MSW, Social Worker, Community Development
Department of Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China
For correspondence, please email Dr. Dora Tam at dmytam@uwo.ca
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Background
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Prevalence of past year violence against women
was 16.8% in China (Tang & Lai, 2008)compare
with the 6% in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2011)
Whether China has responsive criminal justice
and community services being developed to
address violence against women issues?
Purposes:


1/ examine challenges faced by women in abusive
relationships; and
2) discuss social work advocacy intervention at
direct practice, service delivery, and policy levels
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Theoretical Approach
 SW
Advocacy Intervention is grounded on the
capabilities perspective (Hoefer, 2012; Morris,
2002; Pyles, 2012)


asserts that social construction of oppression
limits the recognition of violence against
women and the development of effective
intervention
aims at prompting the development of
individual women’s internal self-functioning and
effecting change on the social environment for
maximizing individuals’ well-being
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Demographics




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21 women, who had experienced intimate
partner violence, and
28 service providers from the social services,
health care, educational, and judicial sectors,
were interviewed.
12 women worked FT, 5 worked PT/selfemployed, and 4 stay home
housewives/unemployed;
11 women had college/university education, 5
completed high school, and 4 had some years
of education
11 women had at least child under 18, one
woman was pregnant, 3 had adult children;
and 7 women had no children
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Identified Challenges



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

suffering from both physical and psychological
health problems
reporting negative impacts on their children as
result of witnessing the violent
confronting with legal, socio-cultural, and
economical barriers
frustrating with the inadequacy and ineffectiveness
of the existing formal support
hoping for some major improvement in criminal
justice and community responses on VAW
experiencing discrimination against migrant
workers
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Direct Practice (1)
Inadequate
and
ineffective
intervention of
the Women’s
Federation
and
neighborhood
/villager
committees
under the
Ministry of Civil
Affairs
•Revise the protocols
and procedures of
these formal support
systems and
develop adequate
and effective
intervention
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Direct Practice (2)
Many
• Provide proper
criminal
justice and
training to
interdisciplinary
health care
professions on the
providers
nature and impacts
are not
of VAW on women
sensitive to
the impacts
and their children
of VAW
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Direct Practice (3)
Encountered
with financial
constraints
and child
care burden
that have
prevented
these
women from
seeking for
services
• Advocate for
service accessibility,
free-for-service or
sliding scale for
professional
counseling, legal
aid, etc.
9
Program Development (1)
Many people
including
• Public education and
service
early education to
children on proper
providers
gender roles, and the
hold
wrongfulness and social
patriarchal
costs of VAW
values and
• It is not a family matters,
tend to
but a social issue
blame the
women
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Program Development (2)
Impacts
of VAW
on the
wellbeing of
women
and their
children
• Develop individual or
group counseling for
women
• Provide individual or
group therapy for children
• Offer treatment programs
for men, who abused their
partners
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Program Development (3)
Confronting
with
practical
barriers such
as secure a
safe and
affordable
housing
• Develop adequate
women shelters,
transitional homes,
and affordable
housing for women
with children and/or
live on low income
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Policy Changes (1)
Mandates
of the
• Adopt a gender-based
Women’s
perspective (United
Federation
Nations, 2006)instead of a
and the
gender-neutral approach
Ministry of
• Address systematic barriers
Civil Affairs
that prevent gender
are driven by
equality, and condemn
a familyany use of violent acts
focused
orientation
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Policy Changes (2)
Current
criminal
and civil
legislations
adopt a
narrowed
definition
on VAW
and related
evidences
• VAW should be regarded as a
crime similar to other acts of
violence outside the home
• Introduce the pro-charging and
pro-prosecution policies
• Reports of VAW to licensed
social workers should be
considered as admissible
evidences for filing a divorce
petition (could start with noncompensation divorce petitions)
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Policy Changes (3)
Migrant
workers
have
been
deprived
of many
benefits
and
services
• The residence registration
system needs to be
changed
• As interim measure,
migrant workers should
have access to legal aid
or financial assistance to
leave violent relationships
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Conclusion
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Gender inequality is evidenced in the roots of
VAW in China
VAW affects physical, psychological, social, and
financial well-being of women and their children
Structural barriers including patriarchal values,
employment discrimination, wages inequality
have prevented women to leave violent
relationships
Adopt a gender-based perspective is the
fundamental step to eliminate VAW
Use of the capabilities approach to develop
social work intervention at direct practice,
program development, and policy levels.
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Select References:
Hoefer, R. (2012). Advocacy practice for social justice (2nd ed.). Chicago, Il:
Lyceum Books.
Morris, P. M. (2002). The capabilities perspective: A framework for social justice.
Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Service, 83(4), 365-373.
Pyles, L. (2012). The capabilities approach and violence against women:
Implications for social development. In C. M. Renzetti, J. L. Edleson, & R. K.
Bergen (Eds.), Companion reader on violence against women (pp.31-38). Los
Angeles: Sage.
Statistics Canada. (2011). Family violence in Canada: A statistical profile. Cat.
No.: 85-224-X. Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada.
Tam, D.M.Y., Kwok, S.M., Wu, W., Law, A.K.C., & Chan, Y.C. (2009). Support
Systems of Abused Women under the Changing Economy in China. The
International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, 3(10), 180-191.
Tang, C.S.K., & Lai B.P.Y. (2008). A review of empirical literature on the
prevalence and risk markers of male-on-female intimate partner violence in
contemporary China, 1987 – 2006. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 13: 10-28.
United Nations. (2006). In-depth study on all forms of violence against women.
Report of the Secretary-General. New York: General Assembly.
WHO. (2005). WHO Multi-country study on women’s health and domestic
violence against women: Initial results on prevalence, health outcomes and
women’s responses. Switzerland: The Author.
Thank You!