UMaine researcher explores domestic violence myths

ORONO – A researcher and lecturer in the University of Maine School of Social Work wonders if people are less affected by reports of domestic violence if they believe in social “myths” that tend to excuse violent behavior.

Will a person, for example, be more inclined to excuse domestic violence if he or she thinks a slap in the face isn’t such a crime against a spouse who continues to nag after being asked to stop?

John “Jay” Peters, a child welfare specialist studying attitudes toward domestic violence, suspects people who are willing to excuse domestic violence are more likely to become batterers themselves. His research should help establish an assessment method that may be used in prevention or treatment programs to determine a person’s propensity toward assaulting a loved one, Peters said. The information also might help prevent abuse before it happens.

While it may seem obvious that people who blame the victim for domestic abuse may be more likely to engage in violent behavior, it has never been studied and established, so far as Peters knows.

“When you talk with people who work with domestic violence,” Peters said, “everybody talks about domestic violence myths. The reason people think the myths are important is because the myths really say ‘This is not really a problem. She deserved it. She asked for it, and it’s no big deal.'”

Peters, along with other authorities in the field of abuse, call those excuses “myths.” They say there is no excuse for domestic violence.

When violence at home is trivialized or excused for any reason, it “makes it an individual problem, not a social problem,” he said. “The endorsement of these myths makes it harder to raise money for battered women’s programs and to raise money to help battered women.”

Peters, who also consults for the Maine Department of Human Services Bureau of Child and Family Services, said some of the most common myths include “women ask for it,” “he was set up,” “it was a one-time thing,” or “he was abused as a child, so it’s no big deal.”

Relying on statistics about serious assaults, Peters assumes men batter women more often than the other way around.

“Women may slap or push their partners as often as men, but domestic violence is really about a pattern of coercive control,” said Peters, “and that is most often done by men.”

Furthermore, he said, “We assume that men who believe these myths are more likely to batter women. We need to find that out right away.”

Peters began his research in January, sending out 4,000 requests to faculty, staff and students connected through the University of Maine’s FirstClass e-mail network, seeking participants who would fill out a Web page attitude survey.

Peters will extrapolate the questions and answers in an attempt to draw objective conclusions that can be considered scientifically reliable.

The survey asked for responders’ feelings of self-confidence, self-worth, trust of others and sexual stereotyping after they read one of three short newspaper articles about crime, violence or assault. The survey also probed responders for attitudes about relationships, aggressive behavior, fear, personal security, domestic violence and what people consider appropriate or inappropriate behavior for a single man or single woman.

He wants to explore the connection between belief in domestic violence myths and responders’ degree of abhorrence, acceptance or even participation in domestic assault. That connection, he hopes, will provide new insights into treatment programs for batterers.

The time frame for completing the study depends upon the time needed to interpret the information he receives, Peters said. He can be reached for more information at 581-2355 or e-mail jpeters@maine.edu.