1. Domestic Violence: A Historical Perspective The attitudes towards domestic violence evolved over several hundred years & are based on long held societal & cultural beliefs, customs, & laws. The beliefs, customs, & laws placed men in a privileged & dominant role.

2. Laws of Chastisement & “The Rule of Thumb” 753 BC: Rome Wife beating accepted & condoned under _________________________. Under these laws... By law, a husband could be held liable for crimes committed by his wife, so the Laws of Chastisement were designed to protect husband from harm caused by his wife’s actions.

3. Laws of Chastisement &“The Rule of Thumb” Law permits husband to beat wife with a rod or switch as long as its circumference is no greater than the girth of the base of the man’s right thumb---- hence ______________________________ Wives were property of their husbands & husbands had the power of life & death over their wives.

4. The Middle Ages 900-1300: Europe Nobles beat their wives as regularly as they beat their serfs. Peasants followed their lord’s example. Then _________________________________________ priests advice abused wives to win their husbands’ good will through increased devotion & obedience.

5. Late 1500s Russia : The State Church issues a __________________________ that describes when & how a man might most effectively beat his wife. He is allowed to kill a wife or serf for disciplinary purposes. England: It’s the time of ___________________________________ for women & children– they are taught it’s their sacred duty to obey the man of the house.

6. The United States The United States: The early settlers of America followed the ___________________ (1150-1861) which introduced that the… This permitted wife beating for “correctional purposes”.

7. The United States 1824: Bradley v. State of Mississippi The Mississippi Supreme Court’s decision allows a husband to administer only “moderate chastisement in cases of emergency”. 1871: Alabama becomes 1 st state to rescind the legal right of men to beat their wives (Fulgrahm v. State). Massachusetts declares wife beating illegal.

8. The 1960s 1961 in Texas: Texas law says a husband may kill his wife if he catches her in the act of adultery as long as the killing occurs in the presence of the wife & the person who she is having the affair. The law reads “homicide is justifiable when committed by a husband upon one taken in the act of adultery with his wife provided the killing takes place before the parties to the act have separated”.

9. The1960s 1962 in New York: Domestic violence cases… Husband never faces harsher penalties he would suffer if found guilty in Criminal Court for assaulting a stranger. 1966 in New York: Beating, as cruel & inhumane treatment, becomes grounds for divorce in New York. However, the plaintiff must establish that a “sufficient” number of beatings have taken place.

10. The 1970s Early 1970s: President Carter forms the Office of Domestic Violence. 1971: The United States’…

11. The 1980s & 1990s 1984: The Attorney General’s Task Force released their report on the problem of domestic violence & their recommendations to counter it. 1994: ___________________________________________ is passed.

12. Violence Against Women Act (1994) Part of Title IV of the Violent Crime Control & Law Enforcement Act. Gave states money to: –_______________________________________________________ ______ –_________________________________________________ w/i the Office of Justice Programs.

13. Some Other Facts about the Violence A/g Women Act It was part of President Clinton’s 1994 Crime Act. Important b/c it combined tough federal penalties w/ large resources to states. Provided more than ________________________ in federal dollars for states to _______________________________________, & provide ____________________________________ of domestic violence & sexual assault. Before VAWA, a batterer who brutally beat his partner & drove across state lines would likely escape prosecution b/c of jurisdictional problems.

14. Some Other Facts about the Violence A/g Women Act In 1996, President Clinton signed ______________________________________ that enabled the government to prosecute stalkers who cross state lines to harass victims, even when the victim hasn’t sought a restraining order. ________________________________________________ (1-800-799-SAFE). Callers receive crucial information & are linked directly w/ their local police department, during an emergency.

15. Violence Against Women Act II The 1 st Violence Against Women Act expired & so a new act was passed. The Violence Against Women Act II: Passed by Congress in _______________ __________________________________________ to sexual assault programs w/ emphasis on violence a/g women in the workforce, on college campuses, & in the military.

16. Violence Against Women Act II Provides a total of ____________________________________ for Violence a/g Women Act programs. Specifically it authorized: $875 million for shelter services for battered women $200 million to provide civil & legal services to victims of domestic & sexual violence $925 million in Services for Training for Officers & Prosecutors (STOP) grants $400 million to address violence against women on college campuses. Funding for programs that address teen dating violence, domestic violence in the workplace, & that support children who witness domestic violence.

17. White House Council on Women & Girls Obama established the White House Council on Women & Girls on March 11, 2009. 1 st year focus of the council: –___________________________________________________ ____________ ____