Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Adventurer]

Domestic Violence in Korea
Pooja,Shimla, INDIA
Jan 8 2007, 12:08 am GMT

Domestic violence, spousal abuse, woman abuse - different terms, translated into many languages, are used ubiquitously across the world. Even as many developing countries begin to experience improved economic and political conditions, violence against women continues to spiral at alarming rates.

This time the grey clouds of domestic violence have been shed over the sky of Korea. Native women today are increasingly likely to dissolve their marriage when they discover their husbands are violent. But conditions in the rural areas are not same. Women are not in a position to ask for divorce.

Figuratively:

1. 40% to 60% of married women have been physically abused by their spouse
2. 9% have been beaten badly enough to need medical treatment
3. one out of six married people has suffered from domestic violence
4. the Korean Women�s Hot Line revealed that 42% of those interviewed had been assaulted more than once a week

[I posted this because an OP posted about getting assaulted, and it seems like that from what I read on-line the Korean Government doesn't do enough to stop domestic violence i.e. husbands abusing their wives.]

http://www.wethewomen.org/entry/domestic-violence-in-korea/

[kermo]

Those figures are horrific.

I think we stand a much better chance at protecting people from domestic violence if we start early, and stop tolerating violence between students, and inflicted upon students.

We need to teach children how to solve problems with words, without letting their fists fly. From what I've seen, there's no impulse control-- they just go straight to the slapping. Bad bad bad habit.

Teachers need to do their part by showing restraint, strategising instead of showing aggression. They're modelling anger responses, and obviously the kids are learning, and playing it out their personal lives.

Obviously the government and police have a role in this, but by the time they intervene, it's obviously too late.

[Rteacher]

It's a complex subject, but unnecessary violence to animals killed (unnecessarily) for food will manifest in various violent ways among humans.

I'm also pretty sure that excessive consumption of alcohol - largely encouraged in Korea - plays a major role in cases of out-of-control domestic violence.

Moreover, there is inordinate financial and social pressure here that weighs on many people - young and old - reflected by the high suicide rate.

Of course, violent video games and movies don't help, and kids like to mimic or emulate pro wrestlers, K-1, and mixed-martial arts celebrities ...

I'm in favor of regulating (or eliminating...) violence to animals and discouraging alcohol abuse.

I personally like so-called violent contact sports, but they need to be well controlled and regulated as well - and not marketed so much to get kids (especially teenage boys) all riled up by adding sexy women to the mix...

But, it's not likely that society will ever be completely non-violent, and there are positive uses of physical force when necessary to control some types of destructive behavior ...

[faster]

I totally believe those figures, but are there citations? I'd love to see any actual studies on this issue here.

[RACETRAITOR]

My wife is totally more abusive than I ever could be.

What bothers me is the number of Korean women who've been brutally attacked by men they knew (and in one shocking case DIDN'T know) and hurt extremely bad with no punishment for the attackers at all.

[Adventurer]

[kermo]

Word, Adventurer.

Although requiring the police to "respond quickly" to reports of domestic violence is a good step, there are still two missing pieces--

--At this point, many people are unwilling to intervene on behalf of a victim of domestic violence, as they feel it is a personal matter. If the victim can't get to a phone, the screaming goes unheeded.

--Although the police are required to arrive on the scene, there's no guarantee that appropriate charges will be laid or followed through upon. After all, "marital rape" wasn't even a crime in this country until very recently.

[seoulsucker]

Here's an interesting pop quiz about domestic violence in the US.

Which day of the year traditionally has the highest reports of domestic abuse?

Incidentally, it's more of an urban myth/legend than statistical fact.

[cj1976]

[kermo]

[Milwaukiedave]

[Dev]

You just have to look at how Korean men behave in public and you can easily believe these figures. Enough said.

[faster]

[Milwaukiedave]

It seem like crime is underreported here in general. I mean look at the situation where someone else wrote about his wife's aunt who's house got broken into and didn't press charges. It makes you wonder how often things like sexual assult and assult in general are reported.

[kermo]