3rd European Conference on Politics and Gender (ECPG) Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona March 2013

Transcription

1 3rd European Conference on Politics and Gender (ECPG) Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona March 2013

2 Contextual Interaction of Actors to Implement Anti-domestic Violence Policy Nino Javakhishvili Gvantsa Jibladze Ilia State University

3 Contextual interaction theory This paper aims at analyzing anti-domestic violence policy implementation from a broad perspective that incorporates gender dimension together with other dimensions that play a role first for the policy to be implemented at all and then to how it is implemented. The contextual interaction theory created in 90ies of the 20 th century by Hans Bressers, the Dutch policy researcher. Actor-centered theory (Owens, 2008; Spratt, 2009).

4 Contextual interaction theory Implementation is an interactive and dynamic process in which the actors could be involved as implementers, or as target groups. (Hophmayer-Tokich, 2012). Policy processes are considered as the interaction between actors. The processes are influenced by actors activities and the type of interaction (Bressers, 2004).

5 Contextual interaction theory The implementation of the policy depends on the two main actors: the implementer and the target. the actors main characteristics are: motivation (that can drive their activities); cognition (information they have and use to interpret the situation) and resources (providing capacity and power). These three characteristics influence each other in the process of interaction.

6 Motivation Actor s own motivation and potential sources of external pressure. Actor s own motivation - the objectives of the implementer consistent with the goals of the policy; motivation to accomplish a task; attitudes to implementation objectives personal beliefs about implementation goals; attitudes towards the target group; the goals of the target group are consistent with the goals of the implementer. Potential sources of external pressure - normative, economic, social and political influences; whether the participation in specific activities is civic duty or not; financial reasons, or social and political pressure for specific activities (Owens, 2008).

7 Information General information and transparency. General information - knowledge of the policy and its requirements, information about potential benefit from the policy, knowledge of other stakeholders and their role in policy processes. Transparency - accessibility of different information and documentation; also process complexities and uncertainties (Owens, 2008).

8 Power Capacity and control. capacity, or resource - finances, personnel and time. control - formal and informal aspects. Formal power is given to an actor through legal channels. Informal power may derive from different channels and can be an important balance for formal power (Owens, 2008).

9 Interaction Process: Implementer: Motivation Information Power Target: Motivation Information Power

10 Two phases of implementation Analyze how the variables motivation, information and power - influence the interaction in the process of implementation. Two types of dependent variable, or two phases of implementation likelihood to implement at all adequacy of implementation.

11 I phase - likelihood to implement at all Cooperation active (the actors have joint ambition for proper implementation of the policy); passive (one party is impartial about the implementation); or forced (more powerful actor forces a passive one to cooperate). Opposition one actor attempts to prevent the other actor from proper implementation. Joint learning the actors experience the lack of information (Bressers, 2004; Owens, 2008).

12 II phase - adequacy of implementation Cooperation active-constructive (the actors have joint ambition for the implementation); activeobstructive (the actors benefit from improper implementation; actors implement a policy formally, have no real interest in its adequate implementation). Opposition negotiation (actors try to maximize their goals via compromises); conflict (actors cease the communication for specific reason, e.g. bringing the policy s legality into question). Symbolic application the policy is mainly realized through bureaucratic channels, but the implementation is weak (Bressers, 2004; Owens, 2008).

13 Aim of the study A comprehensive model for studying implementation of the anti-domestic violence policy on a state-wide level, with multiple layers of policies, with multiple key and other actors, their characteristics, relations among them and key external factors that influence a policy realization. the interaction takes place on a national level (country of Georgia, former Soviet Union), thus, expanding to multi-policies instead of a policy certain modification of contextual interaction theory is needed to consider such complex case as domestic violence.

14 Method Case study Interagency United Efforts to Combat Domestic Violence in Georgia: Local or International Agenda? (Javakhishvili et. al, 2011). Nationwide policy implemented from 2006 to 2011 In depth interviews - governmental and non governmental organizations. In total 33 organizations 29 non-governmental and 4 governmental ones were studied. Publications by state and non-governmental organizations working on domestic violence issues. Media materials. The most easily available journals and magazines with large circulation, TV programs.

15 Policy implementation is successful when The issue is important for each actor motivation The actors have relevant information and vision to solve the problems information The actors have the capacity to intervene - power

16 Motivation - The issue is important for each actor Attitude towards the issue traditional, thus influence actors motivation if domestic violence is not perceived as social problem, why to intervene, if gender inequality is not considered as a reason of domestic violence, the actors may not carry out relevant activities to combat domestic violence cases. NGOs activities are mostly determined by financial motives and are not considered as civic responsibility. Governmental sector has less motivation, its activities towards domestic violence issues are determined by external pressure from international institutions.

17 Information - the actors have relevant information and vision to solve the problems The organizations do not know exactly what the state policy towards the domestic violence is. The organizations lack sufficient information about the causes of domestic violence. The actors lack understanding of the complexity of the problem and necessity of collaboration. Transparency - some organizations conceal information, others do not have access to the relevant documentation, etc. This problem is also related with resources the actors do not have sufficient resources and skills to find out the information.

18 Power - The actors have the capacity to intervene State organizations and some large NGOs, described as elite organizations by respondents, hold sufficient financial, technical and personnel resources to implement large scope projects. Most of the other organizations do not hold enough resources that prevent their activities in terms of implementing projects. The power is distributed unequally between the implementers and targets. State agencies hold formal power, informal power is hold by the elite organizations (state and non-state). The elite NGOs cooperate with each other, as well as with the state, that increases their power. Context - Georgia is patriarchal country and decision makers are mostly men. They represent absolute majority in legislative as well as executive bodies that consolidate power; less power is on the side of gender organizations.

19 To sum up: The organizations involved in the process of implementation of anti-domestic violence policy in Georgia lack motivation, information, power and resources to combat complex problem of domestic violence effectively.

20 Considering the obtained results in terms of the types of interaction: At the level of likelihood to implement at all - the cooperation occurs, which means that the anti domestic violence policy implementation takes place. At the level of adequacy of implementation this interaction is symbolic application, which means that involved actors have different goals as well as different levels of motivation; moreover, they lack information and power. In such case, a policy often is realized via bureaucratic channels and its implementation is weak (Bressers, 2004; Owens, 2008).

21 External Factors - media Researches in the USA and UK show that media carries the role of important change agent for raising the awareness to address the problem of domestic violence (Berns, 2009). Media possesses the power to change the attitude towards the victims of domestic violence in the society. According to our data, the mass media provide us with sparse information about the issue of domestic violence as well as about participation of different institutions in combating domestic violence. Comparison of information from various mass media means and interviews with the representatives of governmental and non-governmental organizations lead us to conclude that mass media does not see domestic violence as a social problem and provides little space to discussing the issue.

22 External Factors - church Churches are considered important team players against DV. Recognition and status of the problem in the society and from the legal system. Churches are encouraged to evaluate, report and respond to domestic violence. Trust in Church is very high in Georgia The representatives of the Georgian Orthodox Church lack systemic understanding of domestic violence and have limited resources to effectively intervene in DV cases. Obedience is an accepted premise in Orthodox religion which is revealed through woman obeying her husband and the latter obeying the God. According to the Archimandrite Michael Gabrichidze: the Paul apostle says that wife must obey her husband, while husband must obey the God. (Kobalia, 2011).

23 External Factors - Local community Discussion of domestic violence was a taboo in Georgian society and discussing it outside the family was considered inadmissible, which essentially implies the fear of being criticized, ostracized and mistrusted by society. The majority of women victims lack the desire to reveal family problems to the outsiders. They most frequently choose their close social network - parents (47.5%), friends (31.2%), sister or brother (22.4%) to speak about domestic violence and practically never apply to official institutions for assistance (Chitashvili, Arutinov, 2010). Georgian women often associate divorce with disaster and the end of the world. The society is rather intolerant towards the returned woman and taking this negative attitude into account, the family of the abused woman often refuses to accept her return. As a consequence, women are expected to tolerate violence in order to protect the reputation of the family (Tsuladze, 2010).

24 External Factors The research findings demonstrate that Georgian church, local community and mass media are not involved in combating the problem of domestic violence. Their position and activities reinforce and support the traditional views about family, gender roles, understanding of domestic violence, and intervention strategies for the DV cases. These actors fail to see domestic violence as a social problem, largely minimize its magnitude and detrimental impact on public, perceive it as a private matter and prefer not to react to it.

25 External Factors Minimization and denial of the domestic violence problem is a common strategy among the victims and witnesses as well as the perpetrators and general society. For victims minimization and denial is largely determined by the feelings of loyalty, shame and fear for their life, or lives of other family members. Perpetrators minimize the impact of their violent behavior classifying it as necessary or orderly, while society, including other family members, often refrains from defining the matter as violence power-control balance is still on the side of stronger perpetrators usually men.

26 External Factors This understanding prevails in local community, mass media and the church. Feminist perspective theories of domestic violence clearly state that domestic violence is the part of overall societal power and control structure where society is not ready to assume power on the side of traditionally inferior female. External factors influence implementation of antidomestic violence policy in a way that they hinder its realization.

27 One more actor - a victim The object of a policy a victim of domestic violence, who has its own motives, knowledge and resources. A victim - an actor, as its behavior largely defines implementation of a policy. First phase of a policy realization likelihood to implement at all no policy takes place not because of the oppositional interaction between an implementer and a target, but, because of activities of an object, who resisted the policy implementation.

28 A victim The research data shows that most of the victims do not apply to police, or nongovernmental organizations for help. The 2010 nationwide study of Georgian women yielded only 2% of victims applying to police and 1% applying to nongovernmental organizations. According to the international literature, one of the main reasons is the attitude of a local community and the whole society in the country.

29 Implementer Target - Actor Dyad of an implementer and a target turns into a triad of an implementer, a target and an object of a policy.

30 Interaction Process: Implementer: Motivation Information Power Target: Motivation Information Power Object: Motivation Information Power

31 The object a victim The data of our research shows that victims lack power - in gender relations power is on the side of men, information - victims often do not know what to do in case of domestic violence and motivation - are not motivated to fight, to divorce, as they are not supported by the family, friends and community.

32 Conclusion On the first phase, the anti-domestic violence policy on the national level has been implemented, the national anti domestic violence law and subsequent relevant documents were developed and adopted, certain institutions were established. The motivation and interaction of the key actors, as well as external factors the country s course to the European Union and European values all contributed to it. On the second phase, the policy is being implemented with impediments, as, in many cases it does not reach and protect the victim, does not prevent the cases of DV. Again, the motivation and interaction of the key actors, as well as external factors the gender equality attitudes and attitudes to family values and domestic violence - all contributed to it.

33 Conclusion the contextual implementation theory is enriched - we brought one more key actor - an object of a policy on stage domestic violence policy implementation is enriched - the contextual interaction framework applied to one particular country case proved that clear predictions can be done with the help of this theory even before a DV policy is implemented in a country. This experience is particularly important for those countries, who have not yet implemented the policy to avoid the pitfalls on its way.

34 Thank you!