How do we change mindsets towards women so that they are no longer the victims of violence and abuse?

Question

The word "abuse" isn't exclusive to physical harm. Many women around the world, across races, religions, income, class & cultures, are equally subjected to psychological, social or mental abuse, which are sometimes even more damaging than physical violence.
How can sexist, derogatory & abusive attitudes be overcome?
What role do the rest of us play in this process of change?

Answer 1

It's hard for societal chauvinism to disappear from the face of the earth. Men and women have always been created as equals but in some countries, cultures and communities, there have been cases of inequality.

It's perhaps a sign of masculinity, a sense of power, a feeling of superiority or plain stupidity that men sometimes feel when using sexist, derogatory & abusive remarks at women. If someone has not been taught to respect women as equals, the process will be very hard to change.

Most men have several women in their lives-mother, wife, daughter and friends. If they don't treat this women the same, then they genuinely have an attitude problem. I've never understood how men can rape and harass women just to satisfy their lustful designs. Women are spiritually, mentally psychologically and socially equals (sometimes stronger than men) but tend to be inequal physically (most of the time) which perhaps explains the reasons why they are subjected to physical violence.

The role of society must be to educate the majority to respect all beings regardless of sex, race, religion, creed and to eradicate the minority that can't be educated. Punitive laws are the best deterrent for such shameful attitudes and behaviors. I strongly support castration, public caning and death sentence for rapists!!! I think the best deterrent for rape is death penalty. Physical violence and mental abuse cases should face less punitive action but be deterrent enough to prevent repeat actions.

Answer 2

Money for campaign. NGOs against domestic violence and abuse. Letters to dailies. Celebrities endorsing women empowerment. Special days to celebrate femininity/feminism.

Not that useful or the same problems would not persist after centuries.

There are only two sexes in this world (erm, generally?) so it's the other gender which is inflicting violence towards women (erm, generally again). Why can't we take charge and give them a taste of their own medicine? I know an eye for an eye makes everyone blind.

But wouldn't it be better to have a blind first generation, partially sighted second generation and completely sighted third generation? Instead of having sighted but discriminating (and discriminated against) generations for the rest of our time before the world ends?

Things are like that because when we were without clothes, men were stronger PHYSICALLY. Things are different today because we don't need to hunt and gather anymore. But not much has changed along with times.

Education and awareness are working, yes, but are they fast enough?

Chuck sexists in jail for life, castrate rapists, invent laws that are at an advantage to women, stop boys from going to school, force husbands to stay at home, push for lower salaries for male staff even if they are equally capable and qualified, stone abusive husbands and fathers to death.

That's how desperate measures can be. Scary?

And all that were what women experienced, which today some still have the misfortune to continue experiencing. As long as men feel superior and dominant, women will continue to be the inferior ones, whether we choose to believe it or not.

If things still don't change after so much effort, there's only so much half the planet's population can do. The ones producing the next generation I meant.

Answer 3

It has been an accepted norms since time in memorial that women is the weaker sex and are to 'bow' to men. To change the mindsets is not easy but then it is neither impossible. First is to throw the male chauvinists out of the Parliament. See they made the damage and just have to say sorry to the Minister and all is well. So how much can you improve?? Secondly, women should project themselves and show that they are equal. This is very rare and most of the women I met would always reject difficult work and say let the men do it. Until women can show that they are as capable, abuse will always continue. Thirdly is publicity or rather education. Educate the public that abuse against women is a degrading thing to do. I hope that there will be no abuse against anyone men or women as we are all equal in the eyes of God Almighty.

Answer 4

I believe the more appropriate question should be "How we change our mindset towards stopping violence towards mankind?" Just take a second and look around us, violence, violence and more violence. Crime rates is going up and oppression towards mankind is also at an all time high in some region of the world. Just what is wrong with this world today? On a general ground, the level of education we are receiving today are surely more and not better compare to our forefathers. But is it all working or should we go back to the drawing board and start looking up what or where went wrong because it just doesn't tally unless what we are teaching to our children is way and means to KILL. You ask violence and abuse towards women but I'm sure that there are also abusive wife's/ladies out there whom would not give a second thought about abusing their husband/man. So are we shutting this group of people off? Maybe if we could just see human as nothing more then flesh and blood then we would be able to see the world on a much wider perspective. I personally believe when we are able to see thing at the common level then we might have a chance at lease at reducing but not totally eliminating violance in our society today.

Answer 5

Abuse against women is nothing new especially in Asian society. It has been an accepted norms since time in memorial that women is the weaker sex and are to 'bow' to men. To change the mindsets is not easy but then it is neither impossible. First is to throw the male chauvinists out of the Parliament. See they made the damage and just have to say sorry to the Minister and all is well. So how much can you improve?? Secondly, women should project themselves and show that they are equal. This is very rare and most of the women I met would always reject difficult work and say let the men do it. Until women can show that they are as capable, abuse will always continue. Thirdly is publicity or rather education. Educate the public that abuse against women is a degrading thing to do. I hope that there will be no abuse against anyone men or women as we are all equal in the eyes of God Almighty.

Answer 6

You should rephrase this question....
The issue is the lack of respect for women and the having to be second rate human being in some societies...
That would be a good topic.

But when you speak of violence:
Many men are victims of violence and abuse by women.
Most men go through that and finally leave the situation without ever going to the police or other help organisation.
As a man it is seen as weak and it is a taboo to do so.
Therefore most these cases go unnoticed. Statistics only show the female's cases....

On the other hand, if we are speaking of women being robbed, raped and molested in the street because they look like an easy victim: Then yes, we have a great topic to talk about.
I suggest a course in self defence and street awareness on short term. Long term is to teach people that we are equal. Very difficult as religion has such an influence on these things. In Europe we were equal for many years. Now with new immigrants from Marroco, Turkey, Algiers, Pakistan, all equality that we achieved in those years has gone up in flames.....
We used to go to a smimming pool during the weekend with boys and girls. This is not possible any more due to religious reasons of new immigrants. We have respect for their ways, but they have no respect for our ways.
Europe used to be a nice place. Not anymore....

Answer 7

The best way in my opinion, is to create a new education system that will educate the society ; including the women folks of the importance to respect those from other genders. This is because women lack the fire to fend for themselves and most of them are still being naive when it comes to their rights in the society. A clear proof of this fact is that we still see very often, women who are well educated are being subjected to all the unpleasant acts. Why does this happen even when they are given the best education? It proves the point that there is a weak link in the education system that causes the prejudice among genders. Both man and woman, girl and boy are still looking at one another as different and not as the same human being we know as homosapiens. Something needs to be done in the long run so that the future generation of women can stand up bravely and fight against violence and abuse. Women leaders should be the force to be reckoned behind an effort to promote this. Being a guy myself, I clearly feel that if the right measures are not taken in the near future, then women might someday end up back where they were nearly half a century ago, in the kitchen!! It may sound like a painful fact but indeed, it is the reality.

Answer 8

I believe it's all about mindset, the way of thinking. Which influenced by the way people being brought up. I'm sure this sounds like a typical answer, but that's the reality.

Men being disrespectful to woman due to the way they being brought up. How their mind being set. Perhaps they have witnessed such event where woman (mom, sisters, etc) being abused mentally or physically. Hence tempted to experience it themselves.

As to how such events can be overcome, since I believed it's all about mindset, I would say the best method is to change the way of thinking. Perhaps it is too late to change the way adult man thinking, although it is not impossible.

Through media, blogs, and other sources the public should be able to contribute. Instead of keep interviewing the women on what happened to them, it might be wise to listen to the abuser themselves on why they abusing the women. No doubt some might try to place themselves on the right side, but that's not the important part. Through interview the masses would probably able to identify the cause of action. Hence allowing them to seek for solution to overcome this matter.

Placing men in women's shoe, another method to overcome this scenario. It is merely impossible to abuse the abuser, perhaps through videos and interviews men able to realize what are abused women being through. Their actual feelings, and hoping that this able to change their mindset. "You can't teach old dogs new tricks", forget about the expression, it is possible to change men perceptions. It may not be an overnight effort, it maybe consuming few years, but in the end when they are starting to treat women with respect, it's all worth it.

Yes, methods mentioned are mostly being done today. But there are still women being abused. The main reason for this is that these methods are not well enforced. Whereby it is all limited to television, radio, and internet. Perhaps it's about time we start a door-to-door way. Which gives more time and able to explain better to the public about this matter.

Cheers!

Answer 9

Education. By this, I do not just mean going to school, going to colleges and going to universities. The first educators in everybody's life would be mainly the parents. Those without parents will have to be taught by their guardians. The parents / guardians do not just tell the kids verbally that abusing females is wrong but also showing that it is wrong in their daily lives. Example; if the mother / father sees the son hitting the daughter even though the daughter is wrong, they have to tell him that hitting is wrong. Then they have to tell the daughter what makes the son hit her. And later the proper disciplinary action meted out to both of them. Things like that. Proper family upbringing or proper upbringing for those without families. Then within the family, there is religion, moral values, principles, tried and tested ways of teaching the kids. As the kids are growing up, they learn from their environment like their schools, television shows that teach, their own peers, activities which they are involved in and so on and so forth.
Both the girls and boys should be given equal opportunities in carrying out the same activities like sports. Co-education can bring in advantages as the boys and girls mix together and compete in a healthy manner so that the boys can see for themselves that the girls are equally strong.
Both boys and girls should cultivate healthy minds. Minds that are disciplined, that know the right from wrong, that are strong and not negatively influenced.
Females should know that they are on equal footing with the males. Many times females would prefer to be humble, to walk behind the males and to play the role at the back of the scene. They prefer not to show their real self. When they are abused, they take it quietly, thinking that this should happen and they should just accept it. They forget that they are human beings too. Sometimes for the sake of the kids, they stay on. They prefer to be abused rather than to see the family breaks.
Then, there is the psychological factor. Abusing means loving. When the women are abused, they think that this is the way the husbands show they love them.
Therefore, from the moment the kids are borned, they should see for themselves and learn that there are other ways of handling females instead of having to harm them physically.
I also want to bring up some other points such as wives abusing husbands and women abusing fellow women. But this will be another issue altogether.

Answer 10

There is no possible way to change anyone and get them to escape physical or mental abuse. People change becuase they want to, are tired of life's ugliness or they have finally woke up to reality. They are the one that must take the first step, encourqagement is helpful and letting them know that you will ge there for them when the time comes but unless they have decided to make you a part of their life try hard to keep you feelings close to yourself and give them all the support they need. Do not support them like a crutch because after a while they will come to depend on you for answers, help and pretty much everything that they have just come out of. Always encourage them that a lot of people change and go through the process and you will be there to help them as much as is humanly possible. You are a good person. A lot of people will become involved with the abused person to try to show them how good the opposit sex can be but until the other person is healed inside all that happens is that you will become painfully hurt and part of the problem.