Do you think violence against men and violence against women are connected?

I see a lot of posts and activism about ending violence against women, or occasionally, ending violence in general. I haven't yet seen a person call for ending violence against men for whatever reason.

I don't think violence against women and violence against men are completely unconnected. Rape is a crime that primarily affects women, but many rapists have been known to attack men as well for other reasons. Areas that have high crime rates against men tend to have high crime rates against women as well from what I've seen. The majority of criminals pick victims based on who they think will put up less of a fight and will allow them the best chance for escape, not on gender. For this reason, I think it's kind of a folly to try to end violence against only one sex. I think we should be promoting an end against violence period.

Do you think there's a connection?

Anjana- Women who are criminals attack men much more than they attack other women. What do you have to say to that?

I agree with your argument that there is a connection.

I work in the areas of domestic violence, rape and incest. Violence is something I come across to varying degrees every day.

There seems to be much debate as to why feminists argue that violence against women is more important than violence against men. I am yet to meet a feminist who argues this, however. It seems that this myth predominantly comes from mens rights groups; not feminist groups. Perhaps the confusion is when feminists argue that funding shouldn't be removed from women's programs, to be able to then fund men's programs. Personally, I completely agree that this shouldn't occur. Unfortunately however, this is the case in Australia. I expect it may also be the case in the US. Funding shouldn't be something that women's groups and men's groups must compete for. They should both be resourced according to need. There is need in both groups.

We live in a violent society. It's glorified in many circles. One just needs to switch the television on to see how prevalent violence is in nearly all genres of television viewing. People watch NCIS, CSI and all the other programs that depict violence as entertainment. Entertainment!!

Violence is regarded as a normal and acceptable part of society. THIS is what we should be challenging. It should be challenged from a very young age.

My view is that while we live in a society that favours white, young, middle classed men as those who should be in positions of power, we will continue to live in a society which considers anything other than that group as "less worthy." When we begin to challenge the stereotypes that continue to perpetuate that hierarchy, violence will be less prominent.

*waits for the barrage of thumbs down*

Yes - bullies and victims share a lot of similarities whatever their gender. You are absolutely right that people look for someone they believe will be easy to victimise - I think we need a social revolution concerning violence, where it is never seen as acceptable - people scoff at this idea but look at places like Japan, that have such low violent crime rates :-)

We have been promoting an end to violence for a long time now and by erecting liberal democracies we have been quite successful.

Do not look to an imagined future free of violence, but to the past that was so violent that this present we live in would have been heaven to all that went through the hell that held forth in much of the past.

YES!!!

We need to STOP ALL violence there is a connection and we need to stop asking WHY and start to try and find ways to get the abusers help along with the ones being abused. it is time to value everyone and stop blaming one gender or the other and help BOTH genders. violence is a HUMAN problem not a gender one. Good question God Bless

Yes, but you'll notice the people who just want violence against women to end, usually don't care at all about men.

I really don't care, if anyone uses violence against anyone who's significant to me, regardless of sex, I'll give them some violence in return. Everyone else is irrelevant.

I agree with you Rebel Man. I also think that we should stop all violence.

I don't know about a connection, but I would love to live in a world where people don't feel the need to shoot each other, rape each other, or anything else to feel that fleeting desire of "power".

Sure, yeah, absolutely, definitely, for sure, yes, oh yeah.

Word!

Agree...good point...

Most violence against males is perpetrated by other males. Most serious DV violence is perpetrated by males against females. So yes, I think they're very "connected" - with males (especially young males) - primarily responsible.

And if you don't think the USA is a violent society downright enthusiastic about violence, think again:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

That's what Americans need to address.

*Women who attack men are in the process of being attacked themselves. These "attacks" doesn't happen at the public library or the local Burger King - they happen behind closed doors in the 'private sphere'.

Of course it's connected. The vast majority of perpetrators of violence-whether the victims are male or female-are male.

Who's disputing the connection?

And from what I've seen, the laws that are in place protect both men and women, so I don't understand why you think violence against only one specific sex is looked down upon.

edit To be honest, your additional details are a little unclear. Do you mind just restating what it is you want me to understand?

'I haven't yet seen a person call for ending violence against men for whatever reason.'

I've seen plenty, both on this forum and in real life (where I live there are constantly calls to put an end to gang violence and stop boys/men killing each other, for example >>> initiatives often running into vast sums of money)

Regardless I agree that we should be focusing on stopping violence full stop

What are you asking? Are you attempting to say women commit the same type of crimes as men? That women are just as violent?

Men are biologically more violent and if you try to fight that, educate yourself in the history of the world. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Women are not as violent statistical and you sound stupid attempting to say they are.

Women who are "rapists" are only rapists by statutory law. So stop acting so childish. The forceful angry, brutal rape of women and men is committed by men.

Violence is wrong whoever initiates it. But there aren't enough battered men to need to build shelters to protect them from their wives. Plus, most of the crime is man on man.

To people who answer statistical questions with "i believe" Go get some hardcore evidence to support your beliefs.

it is real strange that you asked this ?? the day after i got beat up by a man. i too believe that both sexes should be punished. the violence committed by women should not be treated differently. if a woman puts herself in a mans shoes then she should be punished just like any other criminal. i did not ask to be hit. all i did was ask the guy to leave. he would not so i tried to get the phone to call the law. i ran outside and that is when he hit me several times. if a woman did that to a man i would expect the woman to go to jail just like a man. there will always be violence but we could try and end most of it by educating children to what causes violence.

Violence is a human issue, not a female issue. Stop thinking it's all about the women and give men and children the attention they deserve. And since men and women are humans, yes, violence against men and violence against women are connected.

This 65 page law review by Professor Kelly reveals that men and women are both equally victims of domestic violence with the perpetrator being a member of the opposite sex, and that while men are physically stronger, women are more likely to use weapons. A really good read:
http://www.law.fsu.edu/journals/lawrevie...

We can start by changing VAWA into VAHA (Violence against humans act) and stop taking women's words as the truth, and men's as lies.

The question is the volume and degree of attack and the ultimate of status of the gender, only counts! Women are more attacked socially, culturally and in many fronts by men and even the laws and rituals have made them backward refusing equality in every opportunity in life and living! Women being weaker both physically and mentally are subjugated to hardship , say two times than men makes it really four times equal for men on the same hardship, WHICH IF FORCED UPON MEN, THEY WOULD DIE INSTANTLY! This is to confirm that women have the great strength to consume all the humiliation, abuse, insult and the hardship till date in bringing the men and the humanity in general today's level!

Violence against men which is mainly man against man due to reasons like money, property, power, welfare, greed etc needs a different plank to discuss in detail and cannot be couple to the violence against women!