"Exactly in the theory of domestic violence, domestic violence is like a continuous cycle," she remarked when contacted by ANTARA here on Friday.
According to Anshor, the cycle of domestic violence is toxic and continuous in a married couple's relationship.
The cycle begins with tension that triggers a conflict between a husband and wife, which then leads to violent behavior, such as physical, psychological, sexual abuse, she informed. Such conflicts can even be related to differences in economic backgrounds, she explained.
After a violent act happens, the doer apologizes, but the cycle of violence is repeated whenever conflict occurs, she highlighted.
Even amid the rapid development in the digital era, there are still many victims who are afraid to report domestic violence due to a lack of laws that protect victims, she said.
According to Anshor, the legal vacuum on domestic violence has been created by two things—the existence of unequal power relations in husband and wife relationships and the patriarchal culture, which normalizes hitting or shouting at women.
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Many victims who have been brave enough to report domestic violence, have faced countersuits from the perpetrators, she said. The perpetrators usually accuse the victims of defamation, she added.
The legal vacuum can be seen when evidence is heard in court, she said. If a victim does not have sufficient evidence or witnesses who saw the incident, the case gets rejected and it does not proceed in a court of law, she added.
She then appealed to the community to change the way they communicate to create a safe and equal environment among people.
"My appeal is: let us make it a tradition, let us cultivate equal and fair communication between men and women," she remarked.
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Translator: Hreeloita Dharma, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
