• "Acts affecting life;Domestic violence has often gone unreported in Cambodia, though that trend appears to be (slowly) changing (LICADHO 2007: 15). (For further information, see the literature review "Understanding Domestic Violence" available HERE.)
• Acts affecting physical integrity;
• Torture or cruel acts;
• Harassment causing mental/psychological, intellectual harm;
• Mental/psychological and physical harm exceeding morality and the boundaries of the law;
• Sexual aggression (including violent sex, sexual harassment and indecent exposure);
• Threats aiming at frightening, shocking; and
• Acts affecting individuality and property." (CAMBOW 2007: 8)
As evidenced both by government legislation and non-government initiatives, the intentional work and education of various organizations addressing violence in the home have made interventions more culturally appropriate. However, studies continue to show a significant rate of incidence in Cambodian families.
In 1996, two studies documented the experience (Zimmerman, 1996) and prevalence (Nelson and Zimmerman, 1996) of family violence in Cambodia. A decade later, the most comprehensive research on Cambodia's experience of family violence showed that, tragically, little had changed. (n3) In 2005, 64% of the population claimed to know a family (n4) that used violence by “Throwing something at the other, pushing or shoving or grabbing the other.” Further, 58% claimed to know a family that used violence by “Knocking on the head, slapping or spanking, kicking, biting, shaking, pulling hair, punching.” Even in families without physical violence, 93% of respondents said that it was acceptable for “cursing or insulting” to be used in family conflict and 92% claimed they knew a family that used cursing/insulting. Perhaps most significantly, respondent attitudes about the acceptability of violence, including extreme violence (e.g., threatening with a weapon, burning, choking, throwing acid, shooting, etc.), was consistently reported at disturbingly high levels. For example, when asked, “In your opinion, ... is it at any time acceptable for a husband to do this to his wife?,” 28% of respondents answered that it was at least sometimes acceptable to throw acid at or shoot the wife. (Cecil 2005: 26-29) This same baseline study also concluded with four challenges/program recommendations6 for those people/organizations wishing to change the situation of domestic violence in Cambodia. (86-87)
The purpose of the present case study was to begin to investigate the applicability of peace education to the four challenges (engaging values and attitudes of power and control, addressing men in the context of women's rights, engaging attitudes accepting violence, and offering a wider and culturally appropriate range of alternatives for preventing and healing family conflict and violence) identified by the 2005 Baseline Survey. Participants of the Conflict Counseling and Mediation Training program offered by Peace Bridges were chosen specifically because this training focuses on transforming values and attitudes as a way to engage with and reduce conflict in communities.
***Notes1) The available literature focused primarily on physical abuse; therefore, most information in this section will only refer to such abuse. Any information pertaining to other types of abuse will be so noted.2) The available research on domestic violence in Cambodia made no distinction between typologies of violence (See 2.2.2, Typologies of Domestic Violence, below).3) “The prevalence of domestic violence as reported in this survey and in the 1996 PADV study has not changed significantly. The percentage of people who know a woman experiencing domestic violence in Cambodia – 64% - is lower than the 74% who reported knowing a family which experienced domestic violence in 1996. however [sic] the PADV survey asked about violence perpetrated by any family member.” (Cecil 2005: 86)4) Because of under-reporting by victims, the most reliable indicator of the actual prevalence of family violence is reports about other families. See WHO (2001), 14-17 for more information.
