10.4　Summary

10.4　Summary

This chapter presented both the interview and questionnaire data in relation to verbal behaviour,including ridicule,and non-verbal behaviour,including use of facial expression (glaring),body gesture (moving fists and stamping foot),and involvement of a 'third party',and also in relation to different educational backgrounds.These verbal and non-verbal behaviours can be seen as forms of psychological violence.Through these data,we can see firstly how the interviewees conceptualised 'ridicule' which covered 'jokes' and 'nicknames' and how they had attitude towards to 'ridicule',which was reflected in two aspects:humor and hurt.The questionnaire data in relation to 'ridicule' has shown that wives might be more likely to ridicule their husbands in the home,while husbands might be more likely to ridicule their wives publicly.In respect to the educational levels,the data suggests that there was a difference in this behaviour between women among the two educational groups.For example,intellectual wives might be likely to ridicule their husbands publicly.In respect to facial expression and body gestures,the quantitative survey data has shown that husbands might be likely to choose active non-verbal behaviour – glaring and threatening with fists – to abuse their wives,whereas wives might be likely to choose passive non-verbal behaviour – stamping of foot – to abuse their husbands.With regard to the educational levels,wives and husbands among 'School Education' and 'College Education' might be more likely to use 'threatening with fists' in a conflict.Through the qualitative data,we can see that the 'third party' situation is a reality.Some of the respondents said that they could accept this behaviour for a number of reasons including emotions,money,and social status.The victims (mainly wives) suffering this behaviour from their partners (mainly husbands) often chose toleration of the situation and were abused severely by their partners at different physical and psychological levels.

Finally,we can see that there is a gender difference in these verbal and nonverbal behaviours used/experienced/narrated by wives and husbands although the interviewees themselves did not talk about gender in this way.Wives and husbands tended to see the issues differently.This difference may be linked to the division of labour,position in family,power and the traditional culture.This difference leads wives mainly to suffering these abusive behaviours in the home and in conflict.

Through analysis of both interview and survey data,I found that psychological violence impacted on victims,and that it occurred in both intellectual and non-intellectual families.The next chapter will discuss further the impact of psychological abuse on wives and husbands.

【注释】

[1]Interviewed on 21 November 2003 in her office．

[2]Interviewed on 24 November 2003 in the Centre of Protesting Domestic Violence．

[3]A Chinese purple vegetable with flowers grown mainly in Wuhan．

[4]Here 'ox' is one of 12 symbolic animals in China,which means that she was born in the year of the ox.

[5]http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ridicules．

[6]See Example 14 in Chapter 9.

[7]See Chapter 9.

[8]See Chapter 9.

[9]See this Chapter.

[10]See Chapter 9 in Page 157.

[11]See Chapter 9 in Page 147.

[12]See Chapter 9 in Page 163.

[13]Interviewed on 8 December 2003 in his house．

[14]A city in South of China,which is one of cities in the areas of the Chinese economic reform region．

[15]Interviewed on 3 December 2003．

[16]Interviewed on 25 November 2003．

[17]Interviewed on 5 December 2003．

[18]Interviewed on 15 December in a restaurant．