The ANROWS Digital Library provides links to a broad range of evidence in the violence against women sector including research papers, reports and resources.

The library is committed to providing access to high-quality and accessible (open access) evidence to ensure that researchers, policymakers, and practitioners have access to research and resources that are relevant to their work in the prevention of violence against women.

Please note that some content such as journal articles and books are restricted from public access due to copyright restrictions. Please refer to the information on the record to locate these resources externally.

If you have any questions or need help accessing resources, please contact publications@anrows.org.au.


Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/12742
Record ID: 47d9a5e5-a8f1-4364-a28f-5c0c43c9e3ee
Full metadata record
DC FieldValueLanguage
dc.contributor.authorMundine, Warrenen
dc.contributor.authorCunneen, Chrisen
dc.contributor.authorRobertson, Bonien
dc.date.accessioned2022-06-30T23:01:53Z-
dc.date.available2022-06-30T23:01:53Z-
dc.date.issued2007en
dc.identifier.citationNo 30en
dc.identifier.issn1443-7236en
dc.identifier.urihttps://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/12742-
dc.formatPages 8-10en
dc.languageenen
dc.titleThree commentaries on Louis Nowra's Bad dreaming: Aboriginal men's violence against women and children.en
dc.title.alternativeAustralian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse Newsletteren
dc.typeJournal Articleen
dc.identifier.catalogid12059en
dc.subject.keywordNowra, Louisen
dc.subject.keywordnew_recorden
dc.subject.keywordAboriginal cultureen
dc.subject.keywordIndigenous Australiansen
dc.subject.keywordSneddon, Clareen
dc.subject.keywordGrey liten
dc.subject.keywordCultureen
dc.subject.keywordDomestic violenceen
dc.subject.keywordCultural assimilationen
dc.description.notesThe 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.<br/ >Author's Address:<br/ >Griffith University (1) Executive Officer, NSW Native Title Services (2) University of New South Wales, NSW 2052 (3)<br/ >Edited by Clare Sneddon<br/ >Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse Newsletter no.30 Oct 2007: 8-10en
dc.identifier.sourceAustralian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse newsletteren
dc.date.entered2014-07-21en
dc.description.physicaldescriptionPages 8-10en
Appears in Collections:Journal Articles

Files in This Item:
There are no files associated with this item.


Items in ANROWS library are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.

Google Media

Google ScholarTM

Who's citing