Today I would like to ask your attention to WAVE. WAVE is a network located in Europe, the acronym means Women Against Violence in Europe. This organization
"The organization's core task is to co-ordinate the WAVE Network, to manage the European Info Center Against Violence and to update and attend the database. Principal functions contain the following: to collect and disseminate data on organizations working in the field of violence against women and children and on the applicable legal provisions, prevention programs, campaigns and international activities in this area; to issue publications (newsletters, conference reports, national reports etc.); and to organize and co-ordinate events such as the WAVE Conference and Steering Group meetings."(Wave website 2007-07-31 3:53PM)
The oncoming Conference will take place in Vilnius/Latvia from October 18 - 20, 2007. Discussions focus on a. the quality of work with women and children affected, and b. European ambitions against domestic violence. Victims of domestic violence should contact local authorities, if one of these patterns of violence apply: Physical violence, Psychological violence, Economic violence. To read an explanation, please go to Wave Network: Definition Domestic Violence. If there is to read more, try Fempower, which is the periodical related to this network.
Presumably, everybody experienced violence, therefore international actions are taken to explain, why violence happens, and what it means a. to be a victim of domestic violence, b. to society and c. to prevent it. Various organizations, from small to big, from local and global, interact and exchange research, data and databases, to name just a few. On the one hand psychological support is given to victims, especially to children. On the other hand social workers give lawful help or consult lawyers to do so. Mediation takes effect, when conflicting parties are assisted to return to daily live.
Brogan and Spencer explain referring to a LAFS - study dating back to 1996, that women abused feel more confident and relaxed under specific circumstances of mediation.
"This important research [Note Amber: Legal Aid and Family Services, LAFS, study by Keys Young] indicated that abused women generally experienced less pre-mediation anxiety, a more positive experience of the mediation process and a higher level of satisfaction with agreements where they
- had been subject to emotional abuse or one-off physical threats or threats only;
- had been separated from their ex-partners for a considerable time;
- had received personal counselling (as opposed to relationship counselling);
- reported that they no longer felt intimidated by their ex-partner; and
- felt confident in their legal advice and knew what they could reasonably expect from settlement;
and where mediators
- asked specific questions about violence or abuse, including non-physical types;
- offered women specific guidance in considering the possible impact of violence and abuse on the mediation process;
- offered women separate time with the mediator before, during and after sessions;
- worked as gender-balanced co-mediation team;
- demonstrated that they understood the woman`s concerns both within and outside the mediation session by implementing specific strategies to deal with these concerns;
- demonstrated they could control abusive behaviour within the session; and
- assisted women to deal with any harassment and intimidation which occurred outside the actual mediation sessions itself..." (Brogan / Spencer 2006: 133)
The authors Brogan and Spencer additionally offer The Theory and Philosophy of Mediation in chapter three of the book, wherein Neutrality is a central concept and discussed pages 91 - 99. They conclude
"Neutrality may be said to be `a lack of bias´ towards or against a party (impartiality), or the use of bias to balance power between the parties (equidistance)." (Brogan / Spencer 2006: 91)
The following chapter analyzes difficulties in practicing concepts of neutrality. Various Internet sites and services and this book serve primarily to understand what might happen to women and children, who live in abusive relationships. Social workers, psychologists and mediators will not only listen, they will also try to explain and analyze what was going on.
Reference
AOEF: http://www.aoef.at
Brogan, Michael / Spencer, David (2006) Mediation Law and Practice. New York: Cambridge University Press
GEWALTLOS 2 (2007) Newsletter der Informationsstelle gegen Gewalt, 7/31/2007 11:15 AM. Wien: AOEF
WAVE Network: http://www.wave-network.org
Quote of the Day:
The enraged colonists were mad.
--CJ's US History Work
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