Vitasta's new book, Multi-Agency Response To Violence Against Women, has a provocative subtitle, 'Feminist Social Work with the Police system'. What does it exactly mean? How is it different from Social Work otherwise? On the occasion of March 8, I would like to explain what it signifies. Patriarchy is a social malaise that breeds inequality of sexes. There are good and bad men. There are good and bad women too. A good man may be pitted against a bad woman. The issue here is not about the goodness or badness of human beings. What is so special about 'feminist' interventions in systems? Here, there is no place for, 'aadmi hai...karte hai...galti ho jaati hai'. One thing is clear from the very beginning. There is no place for violence against a woman...no matter what the provocation. Feminist interventionists believe that everyone can change. A man can change. The goal of the intervention is to stop the violence. A feminist social worker knows that the mother-in-law or the step-mother is not the enemy. As of now, the police is a male-dominated preaching service. Under Indian social conditions, the police are nowhere even close to the unarmed benevolent British Bobby. The association of a social worker with police work against domestic and other violence against women is a necessary partnership. The social worker/interventionist can be a man or woman.S/he has to keep the 'violated' woman as the priority focus. Feminist intervention is a process in an environment of trust and safety that enable a distressed woman to learn and explore her options and understand and manage her own problems. Feminist intervention is a process of empowering a woman to understand her own capabilities to lead a violence-free life.-
by Papri Sri Raman