Patriarchy and Varieties of Violence Against Women: a Contextual Analysis
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City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 9-2017 Patriarchy and Varieties of Violence Against Women: A Contextual Analysis Margaret Schmuhl The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2179 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] PATRIARCHY AND VARIETIES OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: A CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS by MARGARET A. SCHMUHL A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2017 © 2017 Margaret A. Schmuhl All Rights Reserved ii Patriarchy and Varieties of Violence Against Women: A contextual analysis by Margaret A. Schmuhl This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Criminal Justice in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Date Karen Terry Chair of Examining Committee Date Deborah Koetzle Executive Officer Supervisory Committee: Karen Terry Brian Lawton Amy Adamczyk THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii ABSTRACT Patriarchy and Varieties of Violence Against Women: A contextual analysis Margaret A. Schmuhl Advisor: Karen Terry Violence against women (VAW) is a widespread social problem affecting nearly two million women in the United States each year (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). In recent years, feminist criminologists have called for the ‘resurrection’ of patriarchy as a theoretical explanation of VAW women (Hunnicutt, 2009) suggesting that the prior literature’s focus on gender inequality in social institutions must be broadened to include patriarchy’s ideological element. The empirical literature on VAW mostly examines the effects of gender inequality on rape and femicide often neglecting more common forms of violence that women experience. In addition, while there are some exceptions, this literature tends to treat women as a homogenous group thereby obscuring variation that may occur across victim-offender relationships and race and ethnic backgrounds. Finally, very little research examines the role of patriarchy on clearance rates of VAW, the institutional response to these incidents. Three feminist traditions and their hypotheses, the Marxist, Ameliorative, and Backlash, find mixed support throughout extant research, perhaps due data availability and varied operationalizations of gender inequality. As such, there is a need to examine patriarchy, both structurally and ideologically, as it relates to varieties of VAW and clearance rates of varieties of VAW. This dissertation tests these feminist hypotheses using data from National Incident Based Reporting System and other sources in both multilevel modelling and regressions with clustered standard errors. Ultimately, this dissertation seeks to address the gaps in prior literature on VAW, examine fuller operationalizations of patriarchy, and extend these feminist frameworks to varieties of clearance rates of VAW. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I would like to thank my chair Dr. Karen Terry for her unwavering support and feedback throughout this project. Your brilliance and guidance in this journey has made me a better scholar, teacher, and person; I’m so grateful you took a chance on me. I’d also like to thank my committee members Dr. Brian Lawton and Dr. Amy Adamczyk. Dr. Lawton, I will never be able to thank you enough for all of the time you’ve dedicated to me and my research. From pouring over results to our candid talks on the job market and beginning an academic career, you have given me the confidence I needed to see this dissertation through to the end. Dr. Adamczyk, I am continually inspired by your work and dedication to creating a more accepting world and am the criminologist I am today because of the example you set. Beyond my dissertation committee I’d like to thank Drs. Chongmin Na, Kevin Wolff, Hung-en Sung, Lucia Trimbur and the John Jay doctoral faculty for their mentorship and encouragement throughout my studies. A special thanks to Shari Rodriguez and Kathy Mora for their support and friendship; my success in this program is a direct result of their endless work. I also thank Professor Martin O’Connor. From the mentorship you’ve provided in class, and the fellowship to presiding over my wedding, you have taught me what it means to be a good person and I strive each day to be that person. Key to finishing a dissertation and PhD, and equally important as one’s committee, is having a “dissertation support committee”. This committee, chaired by my wonderful mom, Julie, has spent the entirety of my dissertation cheering me on through letters of support, Starbucks gift cards, care packages, and love. Writing a dissertation is exciting, exhausting, inspiring, and isolating all at the same time yet everyday was much brighter because of them. Thank you to my aunts Lisa “Lovely”, Ellen, Mary Beth, Sue, and Jane, family friends Nikki, v Judi, Betsy, my siblings Kenny and Katie, to Kristi and all my Dixon cousins. A special thanks to my parents and grandparents who’s love and encouragement to “hit the books” has molded me into the woman I am today; thank you Mom and Dad, my wonderful step parents Ken and Laurie, and my loving grandparents Peggy and Roger Dixon and Shirley and Al Schmuhl. Thank you to my high school friends, Chalsi, Meghan, Courtney, Katelyn, Marisa, Michael, Josh, Laura, and Andy who have helped me grow. Thank you to my college friends – Lauren, Allison, Sarabi, Dante, Jes, Denise, and Alyssa – who have helped me find my footing in this world. Thank you to my PhD friends – Cat, Colleen, Emily, Laura, Celinet, Ally, Chunrye, Celina, Beth, Adam, Doug, Shun, and Julie – who have made me into a fierce advocate for justice. A special thanks to Michelle Cubellis who has lifted me up when I’ve fallen down the darkest of dissertation holes – I’m so lucky to have you in my life. Thank you also to my New Haven friends, Steve, Mark, Ben, Sam, Margaret, Cuan, Brock, Tim, Christine, and Nicole who have been my side through the best and worst of times. Thank you to our late best man Todd; facing life’s most daunting tasks is easier knowing I can be “Todd Tuff” like you. All of you have shaped me into the person I am today and have believed in me when I doubted myself and for that, my life is all the more beautiful. Finally, thank you to the love of my life, Bradley James Parcella. With each passing year it’s harder to remember my life before you but easier not to mind. If I were to write all of the ways you have brought me joy on the best days and solace on the worst days throughout the past five years I may never finish writing this dissertation. A simple I love you will have to suffice. vi DEDICATION To my best friend, biggest fan, ‘dissertation support chair’, and hero – my mother Julie Dixon Cowin. When I’m uncertain you remind me that my dreams are in reach and worth fighting, and when I’m scared you keep my fears at bay and give me the courage to persist. But most of all, whenever I am anything, you are there. Thank you and I love you. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................... v DEDICATION............................................................................................................................. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................... viii LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES ............................................................................................ x CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER TWO: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................. 6 Defining Patriarchy .................................................................................................................. 7 Structural and Ideological Patriarchy .................................................................................... 7 Patriarchy and race ................................................................................................................ 10 Patriarchy and Criminology .................................................................................................. 11 Patriarchy and Clearance Rates ............................................................................................ 13 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 16 CHAPTER THREE: FEMINIST EXPLANATIONS ON VAW ........................................... 17 Patriarchy and Rape Victimization ....................................................................................... 19 Economic status and rape ...................................................................................................... 20 Educational status and rape ................................................................................................... 22 Employment status and