Sir, - The cross-Border confer on Interventions together for change in the 21st Century (referred to by David Yarwood, June 26th), highlighted the Duluth Domestic Abuse Intervention project. Nuala Haughey's interview with Ellen Pence gave your readers an accurate summary of progressive legal interventions which are part of a growing trend internationally.
Statistics in the United States show that 75 per cent of women killed by their partners are killed when trying to leave the relationship, while 75 per cent of men killed by partners are killed after the man has beaten and/or raped the woman. In the period 1991-94 there were 21 women victims of domestic violence-related homicide in Northern Ireland and five in the Republic. In the same period there were seven men victims in Northern Ireland. In six out of the seven trials the men had a previous history of domestic violence against the assailant.
Of 1,031 other serious violence cases which came before the courts (from actual bodily harm to attempted murder) 979 victims were women and 52 were men. (Taking Domestic Violence Seriously - Issues for the Criminal Justice System, The Stationery Office, Belfast, 1996.)
It is important to contextualise the violence but it may be more productive to look to the future than keep score of who strikes most blows. The legislation in the United States, Ireland, UK and elsewhere is not gender specific, and the approach now being adopted in progressive judicial systems puts the onus on the state rather than the victim to challenge the perpetrator's behaviour.
Results are so far encouraging. Studies across the US indicate that deaths from domestic violence-related incidents are being halved. The purpose of a co-ordinated response by the judiciary, police, probation services and refuges is not only to reduce death and serious injury but to halt the escalation of domestic violence in the early stages. Evaluation of programmes to date suggest that those objectives are being met.
As David Yarwood describes this approach as having "undertones of the Third Reich" (the most murderous and oppressive regime in human history), I wonder why I am taking the trouble to respond at all, rather than granting him a fool's pardon. Perhaps it is because justice is ill served by ignorance.
A full report on the Conference held in Ballyconnell will be available in the near future. - Yours, etc.,
Regional Management Co-ordinator, Northern Ireland Women's Aid Federation, Belfast 7.