Only women can break that chain, and every country on earth, to varying but always traumatic degrees, has involved a fight by women for their rights, often accompanied by more violent state repression even than domestic violence. For millennia men have oppressed women; consider the ancient wars between the cults of the Ram (male) and the Bull (female)- regardless of the admixture of myth and fact, patriarchy and misogyny have existed wherever there is hierarchy. Read about Aung San Suu Kyi's struggle here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aung_San_Suu_Kyi#:~:text=Aung%20San%20Suu%20Kyi%20was%20awarded%20the%20Nobel%20Peace%20Prize,for%20democracy%20and%20human%20rights. Can we say that her struggle had nothing to do with her gender?

Thanks for nice sharing sir, Dr. Jim Drummond

For the ram and the bull, see this article:

https://digitalcommons.bard.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1350&context=senproj_s2015

Thanks a lot sir, Dr. Jim Drummond

تعنيف المرأة يتبع المستوى الثقافي للمجتمع فكلما كان مالمجتمع متقدم ومتحرر فكريا وملتزم بتطبيق الاخلاق الانسانية السامية والراقية كان دور النساء فيه تشاركي

ويشعر الرجا ان المرأة لها حقوق وعليها واجبات فيجب تحقيق حقوقها وانسانيتها وكراكتها بما

.. يحقق سعادتها ويرفع من قيمها الاجتماعية فتمكينها يضمن استقرارها ولكن هذا التمكين ان يكون بحدود يحقق حقوقها ويحقق استقراها لتاخذ دورها في،بناء الاسرة والمجتمع بما ينسجم مع القواعد الاجتماعية والسلوكية المحافظة ة

Sorry dear, I can read only in English Hakeem Khalill Ibrahim

Thanks Alexia Abnett

Jim Drummond set it perfectly. As a woman feels her empowerment, that is, acknowledges and practices her capability of self-determination, she faces big obstacles. One of them is supposing this empowerment itself is giving rise to more violence.

It is not that autonomy which causes violence: it is the judgement of the offender. When he senses the risk of not managing the micro patriarchal scope -- the household --, he will try to convince the injured person that she is wrong. Now the macro patriarchal system -- such as formal institutional norms -- plays a key role. The State could be a defender of her individual rights, or could ratify violent conceptions and behaviors.

Thanks for nice sharing Lívia Maria Souza

Alone women cannot break the chain in any patriarchy society. It needs to be a joint initiative from different social classes and communities. Influence from educators, from family and childhood learning is very crucial for any country to grow up with the mentality to respect all the human beings rather than gender, social class or community.

Yes, I think so dear Farheen Masfiqua Malek and men made male dominant culture is the major obstacle. You can manage or improve all other factors but men should be participatory in that at least theory says like that.

Nicely described, dear Alexia Abnett

In my view, there are two sides to the coin. Yes, women empowerment can increase domestic violence, and at the same time it can reduce violence.

I said it can increase violence in the sense that a people who are patriarchal in nature from the beginning will still expect the female gender to be submissive. This submission of the female can serve two purposes:

1. Increase the man's love and respect for her.

2. Promote peace and love between them

An empowered woman becomes a source of joy to the household as she can contribute her ideas on how to make life easier and more interesting to live in. This will only be achieved if the woman does not try to usurp the rights of her husband or begin to prove a right. A wise woman controls her husband with wisdom and not with power. Men are generally domineering but when a women devotes herself to her husband, then she gets his heart and this increases the love they share.

However, a woman who sees herself as equal in statue to the man and proves her equality in strong terms may only be inviting domestic violence.

Thanks Dr. Adegbite Tobalase

Absolutamente não, na linha teórica relacional o foco é ao contrário e que mulher quando empoderada busca a saída desse ciclo.

Sorry dear, I can read only in English. Thanks for your sharing too, dear Marli Aparecida Rocha de Souza

This is a very important question put forward by Dr. Alam specially in the context of present time. Good question or rather a debatable issue across the globe which was previously acknowledged by The United Nations and laid down in MGD in some way or other. Thanks Dr. Alam. This has become a social stigma.

The issue of empowerment is very complex as the issues related to women are varied and multidimensional. In its simplest form, women empowerment means the manifestation of redistribution of power that challenges patriarchal ideology and the male dominance. There are different approaches of women empowerment like Educational empowerment, Social empowerment, Technological empowerment and Economic empowerment.

So, if we focus our discussion in micro level then it is imperative that empowerment must be acceptable to spouse,family and then larger community as a whole. If this is happen from micro to macro level chronologically then controlloing, dominance , subjugation which are hindering the process of women empowerment should be and also I believe will be eliminated, half of the sky will be cleared and visible,otherwise in true sense development will not occur.

Thanks Dr. JAYANTA KUMAR DAS, FORMER PROFESSOR

Translation of Marli Aparaceida Rocha de Souza:

Absolutely not, in the relational

theoretical line the focus is the other way around

and that woman when empowered seeks the way out of this cycle.

Just great Dr. Jim Drummond

Literature is contradictory on this issue, not solely because of methodological reasons, but also because it's a very complex question with many potential influential factors. The process of empowerment takes place in a social context consisting of norms, values, attitudes and preconceptions on gender roles, among other things. The prevalence and acceptance of gender stereotypes and norms (hindering the empowerment of women) among members of society are very important elements in this process. Government's policy and communication on gender roles and equality is also a crucial factor, as well as e.g. the education system and many other factors, including the way victims of domestic violence are treated in the community and in the criminal justice system.

The empowerment of women has a lot of positive outcomes both on an individual and on a social level, especially on a long term, but it can also trigger aggression towards women from those who feel socially, economically and/or psychologically endangered by this process. But even if the process itself is not smooth sailing, it's an evident change that needs to be supported even if it can - in certain cases - raise the chance of interpersonal violence from proponents of the old status quo. Education, raising awareness, shaping attitudes are important tools of support and prevention. Responsibility of those in power is huge, but professionals of many areas also have to take their share, as well as all members of society. Women alone cannot break the chain.

Absolutely agree with you, Dr. Judit Szabó and this is men made myth as they don't want to share their power with their women in extreme gender stratified culture in South Asian countries. It should be shared to ensure equity.

Muhammed, what you describe here seems to be a more widespread issue than a woman-specific one. It appears as if at a societal level discussions need to be had regarding the status of women, how they could contribute in addition to some of their domestic roles and greater awareness of the need for collective collaboration. Interesting socio-cultural and potential systemic change are being raised here.

Thanks for sharing dear Dr. John Mendy

Law is there but nobody is there to report even the victim herself. This is the tragedy! @ dear Terry Purvis

@John Mendy

The societal issue is freedom to choose for all genders and, as Lawrence Durrell noted in The Alexandria Quartet, there are more than two genders. As to the traditional two genders, I hope I am misinterpreting when I see a subtle implication in your comment that women can only be free and allowed “to contribute” to the extent that they first prioritize their domestic obligations to a household. It would seem that “society” making those determinations might be skewed toward a patriarchal approach. I hope as I said that I misinterpret your comments.

Empowered women can play more capable role in case of decision making.An educated and aware society may facilitate to do so.However,male involvement is a must to earn the change.Ensuring equity with respect is mandatory.

This is totally true in societies ruled by conservative ideologies of gender difference, where feminist agendas are resisted. Domestic violence increases in conflict zones where men project their loss of masculinity and failure to defend themselves on women. You can read this article which shows that feminism and the empowerment of women are not relevant in many Arab countries, particularly Palestine. Article The misogynist representation of women in Palestinian oral t...

Ensuring equity with respect is mandatory. Yes, respect should be there. Thanks

dear Dr. Ishrat Javeen Lucy

Thanks for nice sharing dear Dr. Bilal Hamamra

ArticleIs Womens Empowerment Associated With Help-Seeking for Spous...

Men never want to share their decision-making power in South Asian culture. That is the tragedy, dear Dr. Gunel T. Imanova

It is true. More qualified and educated women also face domestic violence. only the form and the pattern change. it becomes more emotional, mental and psychological than physical.

I was waiting to listen this. Thanks dear Dr. Preeti Oza and this is our hard reality indeed.

Preeta Oza- this certainly is true as part of emergence of women’s power. In my first year of law school in 1971, there were 3 women in a class of around 175. They were often ridiculed and patronized based on not only chauvinism but physical appearance. But just because in the ruling class the violence is more verbal and emotional does not indicate evolution. The rise of women is still resisted. Even in more industrialized countries such as the USA domestic physical violence against women, and child sexual abuse, is rampant, even in the upper classes.There were almost no female judges in Oklahoma. The story today is vastly different because women persevered and rose to much more power. One may consider Mike Pence, who calls his wife “Mother” because he apparently believes women exist to bear children.

I apologize- Preeti Oza not Preeta Ozo

I think that there is no relationship between increasing or decreasing domestic violence and Women's empowerment. The idea is that women's empowerment makes most women become stronger, knowing their rights very well, so they do not keep silent in case of any type of violence. However, unfortunately in the absence of Women's empowerment, large numbers of women were forced to keep silent in case of violence because of many reasons, for example, they do not have a supportive family or other income.

Thanks for your sharing dear Bayan Khalaf and women's empowerment is a major determinant in domestic violence. Empowerment gives women decision-making power rather depending on men.