“There has been a wide range of donors, government agencies and NGOs working intensely to reduce domestic violence for the last nine years. ... this study demonstrates that these efforts have not lead to a significant change in attitude or behaviors, .... At their core, these past approaches were unconnected to Cambodian values and attitudes.” (Cecil 2005: 86)Specifically, the study called for programs with the following characteristics:
- Engages values and attitudes about power and control, specifically within the context of gender and family roles
- Addresses men rather than focusing exclusively on human rights education of women
- Engages widespread attitudes of acceptance of violence, abuse, and “men's entitlement to greater rights” rather than focusing exclusively on domestic violence as a crime
- Operates with awareness of the importance of “keeping the family together at all costs” as a common value, including offering a wider range of possibilities that include “ conflict resolution and improved communication within the family, community based help structures, referral systems, counseling or working with violent men.” (Cecil 2005: 86-87)
Finally, Peace Bridges already has a well-established network of community peacebuilders, many of whom are eager to further develop their skills and/or implement new peace programming in their local context. The potential for a quality program addressing family conflict/violence and encouraging the development of healthy family systems is very great.
