Title: "Trivial complaints" : the role of privacy in domestic violence law and activism in the U.S. /
Authors: Rambo, Kirsten S.
Publisher: Columbia University Press,
Year: 2009
Subjects: Privacy, Right of.; Family violence Law and legislation; Abused women Legal status, laws, etc.; Privacy, Right of United States History.; Family violence Law and legislation United States History.; Abused women Legal status, laws, etc. United States
Abstract: ""Trivial Complaints" explores the historical relationship between privacy and domestic violence through an analysis of litigation and activism. The state has traditionally hesitated in responding to domestic violence, characterizing it as a "private" family matter. The discourse of privacy incorporates presumptions about race, class, and sexuality, and this volume examines the ramifications of such assumptions for victims and activists." "Kirsten S. Rambo begins with an analysis of courts' and activists' responses to domestic violence during the late nineteenth century and continues through to the late twentieth century, when the modern battered women's movement emerged on the heels of the battle to secure abortion rights. Rambo explores the seemingly contradictory yet often complementary ways in which the discourse of privacy has been shaped by both movements seeking justice for women. She further examines concepts of privacy as applied to same-sex relationships and domestic violence, and ultimately considers alternative models of privacy that are egalitarian and rooted in empowerment."--BOOK JACKET.
Contents: Introduction -- Precursors to the battered women's movement -- The paradox of privacy for the battered women's movement -- From Bruno to Gonzales -- Privacy and domestic violence in same-sex relationships -- Conclusion.