| dc.description.abstract | Spousal violence is a manifestation of violence evident in the wider society. Spousal
violence is a global phenomenon and has persisted since time immemorial. Its impact has
been felt everywhere and has been highlighted in the media, conferences, seminars and
other fora. Despite its negative effects in society in both magnitude and form, the practice
persists. There is need, therefore to inquire into this phenomenon of violence in order to
understand why it persistently occurs despite its adverse consequences and efforts to
eradicate it. Information on the practice of violence in general and spousal violence in
particular is available in books, journals, magazines and daily newspapers. These
documentary evidences highlight the causes, methods and consequences of spousal
violence. The study focuses on understanding and analyzing this information from an
ethical perspective with a view to minimizing the practice.
Spousal violence is viewed as the ultimate expression of male and/or female dominance
in families. The social and cultural construction of gender ensures unequal power
relationship between males and females giving rise to violence within families.
Personality disorders among other factors as well play a role in perpetuating spousal
violence.
The study hypothesizes that socio-cultural gender construction of males and females is
one of the determining factors for the practice of spousal violence. Theories of human
nature as well as "self' -"other" theories propagate this view; hence justify the male or
female supremacy over the other. One of the major findings of this study is that the
causes and methods used in spousal violence are clear indications of gender inequality
and unequal power relations between men and women who are both perpetrators and
victims. Spousal violence is practiced by both husbands and wives despite the fact that
most studies and available literature on spousal violence are gender biased in that they
focus mostly on violence against wives or women.
Unequal gender relationship is analyzed from an ethical point of view using various
ethical theories. These include teleological and deontological ethical theories as well
feminist ethical theories. These ethical theories are used as a guide to analyze the factors
of dominance and subordination that lead to spousal violence from an ethical point of
view. The study recommends a societal change of heart or a paradigm shift, which aims
at bringing harmony and peace in society. This can be possible if relationships of
dominance, control and power are replaced with those that have a rational and ethical
basis. These are relations | en |
