Synthesis

The relationship between women's present situation and violence is a strong one. There is a pattern of violence in our patriarchal society where domination is key. In "Patriarchy, the System", Allan G. Johnson writes that "Above all, patriarchal culture is about the core value of control and domination in almost every area of human existence," and that to have "power over" is culturally defined as a good thing (Kirk, and Okazawa-Rey p.73). This value is ingrained into us from young through socialization, and is perhaps the root cause of violence against women.

While volunteering with Animal Safehouse, I saw that violence against women is more common than people think. The struggle against domestic violence is just as prevalent today as it ever was, and everyday women are fleeing for their lives. This is made clear to me by the amount of fosters we need, (and our lack thereof), and the never-ending fight Animal Safehouse continues to brave.

It is also significant to mention that most, if not all, of the women Animal Safehouse helps are abused by their intimate partner. This abuse involves physical, mental, and sexual abuse, including marital rape, which was not even recognized as a crime until the 20th century. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, there were 113,123 reported cases of domestic violence and 180 domestic violence related homicides in Florida in 2008" (www.ncadv.org). Animal Safehouse hopes to take more women out of their unsafe environments and away from those partners who promised to love them, by realizing the intersectionality between patriarchy, violence against women, and violence against animals. According to animalsafehousebrevard.org, "50 percent of women do not leave abusive situations for fear her pet will be injured or killed." The same power and force exerted upon women is often the same power exerted upon animals.
Women today stay in domestic violence situations for more reasons than their pets. There are unfortunately multiple barriers that prevent women from fleeing. One of the reasons is lack of resources. "Many women have children to support, yet they are not employed outside the home. Often the car, house, bank accounts and credit cards are in the abuser's name." (HealthyWomen) Another factor is institutional responses. Religious institutions are trained to save the marriage at all costs, police officers often treat victims of domestic abuse as active participants, and restraining orders often do little to help the situation. Many women just don't believe that they will get support if they leave (HealthyWomen). Another barrier is traditional ideology. Women rationalize their partners behavior or hold themselves responsible. The fear of losing their children is also an enormous reason women don't leave (HealthyWomen).

More women than men are victims of violence by strangers, family, friends, and intimate partners. The violence is extremely prevalent and it needs attention. Animal Safehouse is one organization that helps animals, while at the same time saving women from the violence in their lives.

Works Cited
Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women's Lives, Multicultural Perspectives. 5th. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. p.73. Print.

"Animal Safehouse Brevard." animalsafehousebrevard.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov 2010. <http://www.animalsafehousebrevard.org/>.

"Violence, against women, also known as interpersonal violence, is a crime of power and control." HealthyWomen 01 06 2010. n. pag. Contemporary Women's Issues. Web. 30 Nov 2010. <http://search.rdsinc.com.ezproxy.lib.ucf.edu/texis/rds/suite/+KGZeKVpBwFqzdGcw9s8W_TFqnh1ccewx1qmzwww/showdoc.html?thisTbl=CWI>.