NALD: Fulltext Documents - The Companion to SARAW: An Exercise Workbook

Wife Abuse

Wife abuse is common in many countries in the world. Abused women and their husbands can be young or old, rich or poor. They can have many years of school or just a few. They can come from big cities or small towns.
Wife Abuse in Canada
Many men in Canada abuse their wives. In a recent study, 29 per cent of women in Canada said that their husbands or boyfriends abused them.
Wife Abuse is Against the Law Wife abuse is always wrong. And some kinds of wife abuse are against the law in Canada. The police, the government, and community groups are working together to help abused women. There are different kinds of abuse.
Physical Abuse
A man might:
Punch his wife.
Slap her.
Pull her hair.
Kick her.
Break her arm, finger or other bones.
Psychological abuse. A man might:
Threaten his wife.
Break her things.
Call her names.
Say she is having sex with other men.
Not let her go out alone or see her family and friends.
Economic Abuse.
A man might:
Give his wife very little money for food, clothing, and other things.

Take her pay cheque.
Not let her work outside the home.
Sexual Abuse.
A man might:
Force his wife to have sex with him.
Make her do sexual things she does not like.

Background Information

Abuse happens to people everyday. Women, children and people with disabilities are the most likely victims of abuse. Talk about what you know about abuse and why women stay with their abusers. If you feel comfortable with the subject, talk about any abuse you have suffered.

Questions

1. What is another word for wife abuse?

2. What percentage of women in Canada say their husbands or boyfriends abused them?

3. Why do you think all forms of abuse are not against the law?

4. What three groups are working together to help abused women?

5. What are the different kinds of abuse?

6. What is another word for punch?

7. How is psychological abuse different from physical abuse?

8. Do you think a person can go to jail for psychological abuse? Why or why not?

9. What does economic mean?

10. Why do you think people abuse their loved ones?

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