Thailand Is Finally Breaking The Silence On Domestic Abuse

[mark45y]

Television personality, constitutional law expert and former Miss Thailand, Khun Areewan has always been a symbol of glamour and inspiration. And, as more people are finding out that she is also a victim of domestic violence, she has become a symbol of defiance and strength.

For years, she accepted the abuse. Like many women in her situation, she made excuses for what was happening. But one day she found the courage to leave. “I realized I was a victim of domestic violence. This was the starting point of my interest in women issues.”

The number of reported cases of violence against women and children is on the rise, from 11,542 in 2005 to 13,550 in 2006. According to the Public Health Ministry's One Stop Crisis Center (OSCC), in 2007, there were more than 19,000 cases of violent abuse reported against women and children, 80 percent involved domestic violence. Husbands, lovers or relatives are the majority of the perpetrators of domestic violence – often involving abuse of alcohol and drugs.

Khun Areewan, further states, “From a young age I have been brought up in a structure of the Thai family where women aren’t equal to men,” she said. “My boyfriend wanted to get married. I introduced him to my parents. That’s when he started beating me. At that time I thought this was his way of loving me.”

Engaging women like Khun Areewan is crucial to inspire others to report cases of abuse and seek support. “The first challenge is to change the structure of Thai society, Areewan explained. “Men are always perceived to be on a higher level.”

With the law prohibiting domestic violence now in place, and women like Khun Areewan continuing to speak out on this issue, domestic violence can no longer be ignored in Thailand.

The above information was obtained from the United Nations Development program in 2010.

http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2010/march/thailand-breaking-the-silence-on-domestic-violence--.en?categoryID=2208585〈=en

Edited July 31, 2010 by sbk
if you are going to copy paste please credit source with link

[IanForbes]

Good post, Mark. It shows Thailand might slowly be coming out of the dark ages. Too bad it hasn't changed in so many Islamic countries where women are treated as slaves, and with no medical attention.

[Thongkorn]

Its common knowledge that a /some Thai lady's position in Thailand is just above the family dog. While the police will not act on wife beaters and abusers it will go on , also there are some Thai lady's who get beat regularly and go to the police , but when the police arrive to arrest the culprit, and start to take him to the Monkey house they then beg the police not to arrest there spouse.So where do you start to educate women and men, in school , but it has to have the backing of the government..

[Valentine]

Good to have a high profile lady leading the charge. men who beat up on their wives &/or kids need to be punished but also need counselling as do the women who keep going back for more although they often do not have any other choice.

The issue of domestic violence in Thailand will be extremely hard to tackle considering the concept of male superiority which seems to be inbred throughout. Thai soap operas certainly do not help. A long time ago there was a book about Sarawat Yai (sergeant Yai of the police force) who was a good honest cop serving his community as one would expect of s decent police force & this was made into a TV series but was pulled after only a couple of episodes. There was recently a series from Korea, about a judge who dispensed justice firmly & fairly to all, which was really popular.

Education, shelters, sympathetic law enforcement, attitude changes, will all be needed for the situation to improve. If nothing else having K. Areewan spearheading the effort should at least encourage the victims to speak out thus showing the true magnitude of the problem most of which goes unreported.

[carmine]

This is very good news to hear although i think it's going to take years to deal with this subject matter. The acceptance and general apathy towards domestic violence here is appalling. However to have such a high profile personality taking issue is a major help in the matter.

[robblok]

Its common knowledge that a /some Thai lady's position in Thailand is just above the family dog. While the police will not act on wife beaters and abusers it will go on , also there are some Thai lady's who get beat regularly and go to the police , but when the police arrive to arrest the culprit, and start to take him to the Monkey house they then beg the police not to arrest there spouse.So where do you start to educate women and men, in school , but it has to have the backing of the government..

That is the problem here my dog seems to think he has a higher position Especially if she wants to enter the bed and he sleeps next to it. He growls then... But i must say i rather sleep next to my wife then to the dog.

Now serious and OT

I don't think that it is as common as people here make out to believe. Im sure its a serious problem here but i doubt that all Thai men are woman beaters.

[SomTumTiger]

Its common knowledge that a /some Thai lady's position in Thailand is just above the family dog. While the police will not act on wife beaters and abusers it will go on , also there are some Thai lady's who get beat regularly and go to the police , but when the police arrive to arrest the culprit, and start to take him to the Monkey house they then beg the police not to arrest there spouse.So where do you start to educate women and men, in school , but it has to have the backing of the government..

That is the problem here my dog seems to think he has a higher position Especially if she wants to enter the bed and he sleeps next to it. He growls then... But i must say i rather sleep next to my wife then to the dog.

Now serious and OT

I don't think that it is as common as people here make out to believe. Im sure its a serious problem here but i doubt that all Thai men are woman beaters.

blatant generalities? Must be a TV Poster of course.. lol<_<

[mark45y]

I don’t think abuse is the same in all classes of Thai people. If you will, let me ask a question about the moneyed class.

I don’t think it is any secret that large amounts of Thailand’s wealth are held by Chinese families with a sprinkling of Thai genes thrown in to make it legal.

If a Thai man marries an only child of a wealthy Chinese family how does the money pass down to the next generation.

Is the Thai male in control of the cash or does the Chinese daughter maintain control of the family fortune?

[napalm]

http://www.news.com.au/national/hidden-epidemic-of-women-beating-up-men/story-e6frfkvr-1225869842575 Edited July 31, 2010 by napalm

[Shotime]

Domestic violence/abuse is a very complex problem. I have a daughter, and I always wondered what I would do if she was involved with someone who abused her. Of course, my first thought was that I would have to hurt the guy, but, looking at it objectively, I'd have to ask myself what is she doing with him in the first place.

I think it's learned behavior. Maybe in Thailand, it's more common to abuse your wife than other places. I don't know. I once was stopped at a red light (not in Thailand), and the car in front of me had a couple sitting in an SUV (I only mention the type of car to illustrate how high off the ground the passengers were). I saw the male driver get out of the car, reach across, and grab the female passenger by her hair. He pulled her out through the driver's side, and she came out horizontally, and hit the ground. It was very ugly. Before anyone could react, she got up crying asking him what she had done wrong, and pleading with him to let her back in the car.

It seems to be a vicious cycle. In any relationship, each person brings something to the table. High profile person or not, how can she put up with being abused for so long. Like she said, that's how she was raised.

Both parties are victims, and both need help and support.

[mark45y]

Domestic violence/abuse is a very complex problem. I have a daughter, and I always wondered what I would do if she was involved with someone who abused her. Of course, my first thought was that I would have to hurt the guy, but, looking at it objectively, I'd have to ask myself what is she doing with him in the first place.

I think it's learned behavior. Maybe in Thailand, it's more common to abuse your wife than other places. I don't know. I once was stopped at a red light (not in Thailand), and the car in front of me had a couple sitting in an SUV (I only mention the type of car to illustrate how high off the ground the passengers were). I saw the male driver get out of the car, reach across, and grab the female passenger by her hair. He pulled her out through the driver's side, and she came out horizontally, and hit the ground. It was very ugly. Before anyone could react, she got up crying asking him what she had done wrong, and pleading with him to let her back in the car.

It seems to be a vicious cycle. In any relationship, each person brings something to the table. High profile person or not, how can she put up with being abused for so long. Like she said, that's how she was raised.

Both parties are victims, and both need help and support.

I don't think you can compare the west to Thailand. Until the 1930's in Thailand a woman was the same as a water buffalo, a man's possession. The right to discipline a wife continued long after that and is in fact still in existence in some communities. If you know 10 Thai women you have heard 10 stories of abuse. I may be a bit harsh but other posters can confirm or deny.

[mark45y]

In some ways Thai Buddhism promotes abuse. First off women cannot become monks and secondly women put up with abuse because of Karma. They think they are paying for sins of a past life.

[mark45y]

Thai culture also promotes abuse of women by keeping family affairs inside the family. To report abuse is a face losing gesture. There is a Thai saying for it about keeping family things inside the family and outside things outside of the family.

[Shotime]

"If you know 10 Thai women you have heard 10 stories of abuse."

For a minute there, I thought the topic was "Do You Believe Everything You Hear......"

I know some Thai women who were never abused by anyone, and wouldn't stand for it. I asked one if she ever was abused cause she was pretty crazy, but the answer was no. In fact, her parents, if anybody, were the object of abuse.

[MyphuketLife]

I hope this can bring change.... When i lived in Phuket, the neighbors used to fight a few times a month. Always yelling, then one night he kicked the sh!t out of her, It sounded like he was killing her. I called the cops, who said "so what, this is between husband and wife, not police business". They refused to come stop it, so I rang his door bell and told him to stop, luckily he did.

I was shocked at the very lax attitude of the police.

[Thongkorn]

I hope this can bring change.... When i lived in Phuket, the neighbors used to fight a few times a month. Always yelling, then one night he kicked the sh!t out of her, It sounded like he was killing her. I called the cops, who said "so what, this is between husband and wife, not police business". They refused to come stop it, so I rang his door bell and told him to stop, luckily he did.

I was shocked at the very lax attitude of the police.

Correct I have posted earlier on this thread . Thai police think that beating the crapp out of your loved one is OK , just go home and talk it out , After you get out of hospital that is.

[mark45y]

I hope this can bring change.... When i lived in Phuket, the neighbors used to fight a few times a month. Always yelling, then one night he kicked the sh!t out of her, It sounded like he was killing her. I called the cops, who said "so what, this is between husband and wife, not police business". They refused to come stop it, so I rang his door bell and told him to stop, luckily he did.

I was shocked at the very lax attitude of the police.

Correct I have posted earlier on this thread . Thai police think that beating the crapp out of your loved one is OK , just go home and talk it out , After you get out of hospital that is.

Asked a cop for help once. My GF was going psycho. He took one look at her with her red high heeled shoe in one hand and a cleaver in the other and shook his head and told me to beat her up myself. Although I hardly blamed him.

[Thongkorn]

I was once being beaten up by a Thai girl , I ask for help from a Thai policeman ,all he said was I pay 500baht for that . you get it for free.