Type:	Journal Article
Title:	Three commentaries on Louis Nowra's Bad dreaming: Aboriginal men's violence against women and children.
Other Titles:	Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse Newsletter
Authors:	Mundine, Warren Cunneen, Chris Robertson, Boni
Year:	2007
Citation:	No 30
Notes:	The key argument of Louis Nowra's book, 'Bad dreaming', is that contemporary Indigenous family violence has its roots in traditional Aboriginal law and practice, which he claims were inherently violent and misogynist. His solution is for Indigenous men to put aside traditional practices and take on more individual responsibility for violence and for naming violence. In this article, three commentators respond to Nowra's views. Robertson argues that Nowra blames traditional culture and punitive customary laws without offering constructive solutions, that he cites no sources for claims of Aboriginal men assaulting women in the name of customary law and practice, that he fails to consider the benefits of strengthening customary law to employ sanctions against family violence, and that his generalisation of the issue of family violence to all Indigenous men denigrates Indigenous Australians and offers them only hopelessness. Mundine's commentary praises Nowra for promoting open dialogue on gender based violence and sexual abuse in Indigenous communities. He argues that Indigenous culture and languages are well maintained, that not all Indigenous men are perpetrators of family violence, and that dealing with all perpetrators, Indigenous or non Indigenous, under Australian law will not damage Indigenous culture. Cunneen comments that Nowra's views are reactionary and draw on a range of old and new prejudices about Indigenous Australians. Nowra expresses approval for the strict controls that governed Aboriginal communities through protection legislation, and his vision for the future is assimilation. The impact of violence, particularly against women and children, is widely acknowledged by Indigenous and non Indigenous people; the critical question is how to stop it. Nowra offers no analysis of how this might be achieved. Author's Address: Griffith University (1) Executive Officer, NSW Native Title Services (2) University of New South Wales, NSW 2052 (3) Edited by Clare Sneddon Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse Newsletter no.30 Oct 2007: 8-10
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/12742
ISSN:	1443-7236
Physical description:	Pages 8-10
Appears in Collections:	Journal Articles

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