J.D. Vance’s Views on Domestic Violence Aren’t Funny

After Yale Law School professor Amy Chua published her Domestic controversial parenting book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, in 2011, her husband and fellow law professor, J

ed Rubenfeld, wrote a follow-up memoir about his childhood. The book, The Interpretation of Murder, was well-received by critics, but it was not without controversy; some reviewers claimed that Rubenfeld’s depictions of domestic violence were glamorized and over-sexualized.

This new memoir by JD Vance is getting rave reviews, except when it comes to his chapter about domestic violence

In his book, Hillbilly Elegy, J.D. Vance points to a specific incident as the turning point for his mother; it was when she was the victim of domestic violence. He writes:

It happened when I was twelve and we were living in Middletown, Ohio (seven sentences). This is where I should mention that when you’re raised in an environment where men believe they are entitled to treat women as objects to be slapped around, sometimes women believe they are entitled to treat men like dirt.

I listened to this author speak, and he was an inspiration, but in the past 48 hours, he has exposed himself as clueless when it comes to intimate partner violence (IPV)

Domestic violence (IPV) is a serious issue that affects one in four women and one in seven men worldwide, including 1 out of 3 children and teens.

One of the most important steps to resolving this issue is shifting societal expectations that lead to oppressive, abusive relationships where partners feel unloved, unappreciated, manipulated, or shamed into staying in them. We need to work with survivors and their families to increase public awareness of IPV.

Survivors are brave for speaking up about their abuse—whether physical or emotional—and we should be listening to them and offering support instead of twisting their stories into the why don’t they just leave? narrative and ignoring the root causes of why people stay in those situations: systemic barriers such as poverty, racism, sexism, or homophobia.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Mr. Vance stated he believes IPV isn’t caused by patriarchy, male privilege, or other forms of institutionalized sexism

He added It’s a waste of time to focus on gender dynamics. The more I thought about it, the more I felt like I couldn’t talk about domestic violence as anything other than societal violence: as a problem of culture and management, not male privilege or patriarchy.

Domestic violence is often talked about in these sexist ways to make light of the situation and to position the abuser as being better than the victim because he can at least provide for his family financially, this type of sentiment is abhorrent and inaccurate.

Here are some links for people who need help after experiencing domestic violence.

Many people think of domestic violence as a physical or verbal assault, but many different types of domestic violence can cause lasting emotional damage to the victim

. All abuse is not just physical and oftentimes emotional assaults can be more debilitating than physical ones and lead to more negative long-term effects, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

If you’re experiencing any type of domestic violence, it’s important to get help immediately to avoid potentially worse consequences. One first step is figuring out your options for getting help.

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is one of the most pervasive forms of abuse, which affects all populations regardless of social, economic, or educational background.

A leading cause of injury to women in the United States, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will be victims of physical assault by an intimate partner in their lifetime; emotional abuse often accompanies these violent outbursts as well, creating an ongoing pattern of fear and control.

Violence against women can come from any gender identity or socio-economic group, but abusive behavior stemming from a male perpetrator persists at alarming rates due to our society’s continuing tolerance for this epidemic problem

National Sexual Assault Hotline

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-HOPE (4673). It will be answered by a local affiliate, 24/7, no matter where you are in the United States. All calls are anonymous and confidential.

The hotline is a free and available resource to anyone who has experienced sexual violence of any kind at any time in their lives. The hotline advocates believe that all survivors of sexual assault deserve empathy and support for what is one of the most difficult things to go through with limited or no options for help – especially when it comes to overcoming trauma from such an experience that never should have happened in the first place.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

We are committed to supporting individuals, families, and communities by sharing our resources, knowledge, and understanding of suicide. The Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call us at 1-800-273-8255 if you need help now.

National Child Abuse Hotline

We read J.D. Vance’s book, Hillbilly Elegy, and in it, he expressed views about domestic violence that are dangerous and frightening for survivors to hear.

Keep browsing Law Scribd for more updates.