These statistics also reveal that violence knows no class, race, ethnicity or religion. It transcends these boundaries and is an endemic problem in society. Since 1992, more than 118 women have died as a result of violence in the Downtown Eastside alone. Violence is about power and control. When men feel that they can no longer control women, violence erupts.
Violence occurs when men feel that women are taking over.
The focus on culture serves to deflect attention away from the real issues at hand - namely, power and control and the outcome of challenging male authority or patriarchy. Rajwar Gakhal challenged that authority when she left her husband and filed for divorce. Yet, rather than focusing on the bravery of this woman, existing accounts simply blame the victim by suggesting that she was remiss in not laying charges. The fear of taking such an action is dismissed. However, when compared to existing research, it is apparent that many women are afraid to press charges for fear of retaliation from their ex-spouses.