Academics, journalists and the religious community can provide information about societal attitudes toward domestic violence and services available to victims of domestic violence. They can also provide insight into the level of trust women have for the police and other governmental officials. They can discuss women’s attitudes toward violence and their willingness to discuss the problem with each other. The following are suggested questions for people who do not fall into the legal, social services, or medical category, but who may have useful information:
- What is your view of how widespread the problem of domestic violence is?
- How does the government currently respond to victims of domestic violence? Police response? Court response?
- Are there social services available to victims of domestic violence, e.g. shelters, hotlines, counseling centres?
- Are there any private organizations or political groups dealing with the problem of domestic violence?
- What is your opinion about the level of concern of the general population about the problem of domestic violence?
- Are cases of death or serious injury caused by domestic violence publicized in the media? How are they handled? How does the media commonly refer to cases of domestic assault?
- Do women discuss problems of domestic violence among themselves?
- Do women discuss problems of domestic violence with their clergyperson?
- Are there social pressures or family pressures to abuse (or not to abuse)?
- Are there social pressures or family pressures for women to stay with their abuser? What are some of the reasons that people use to convince a woman to stay with her abuser?
- What is your opinion about the most common causes of domestic violence?