Domestic Abuse

By facebooker_597567733
  • Apr 18, 1405

    The Book of the City of Ladies

    Christine de Pizan publishes her book advocating for better treatment of wives and accusing men of cruelty.
  • Jan 1, 1500

    Lord Hale

    Lord Hale, an English Jurist, sets the tradition of non-recognition of marital rape. He states that when women married, they “gave themselves to their husbands” in contract, and could not withdraw that consent until they divorced. This is the basis of the “contractual consent" theory.

  • A Vindication of the Rights of Women

    Mary Wollstonecraft argues for more education of women and better treatment of wives.

  • Inheritance Rights

    Sweden passes a law that gives men and women equal inheritance rights.

  • ASPCA

    The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is formed

  • Wife Beating

    Alabama is the first state to rescind the right of a man to beat his wife, followed later in the year by Alabama

  • SPCC

    Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children is formed

  • Wife Beating is a Crime

    Maryland is the first state to make wife-beating a punishable crime, with up to 40 lashes or 1 year in jail.

  • U.S. Women's Suffrage

    Woman gain the right to vote!

  • Women's Shelters

    One of the first domestic violence shelters opens in Maine.

  • Rape Crisis Outline

    The first emergency rape crisis hotline opens in Washington, D.C.

  • Domestic Violence Awareness

    First Annual Domestic Violence Awareness week takes place

  • Violence Against Women Act

    Violence Against Women Act is signed into law, which requires a coordinated community response to violence, strengthens federal penalties for repeat offenders, creates legal relief for battered immigrants, allows victims to seek civil rights remedies, and creates full faith and credit provisions.

  • VAWGO

    Violence Against Women Grants Office is created by President Clinton and led by Kathy Schwartz

  • VAWO

    Violence Against Women Office created by President Clinton and led by Bonnie Campbell.

  • National Domestic Abuse Hotline

    National Domestic Abuse Hotline begins operaton and receives its first call. After one month, it has had 4,826 calls.

  • VAWO

    The VAWO Policy Office merges with VAWGO, creating the Violence Against Women Office.

  • VAWA 2000

    Pres Clinton signs the Violence Against Women Act of 2000 into law. Adds dating violence protections, expands interstate stalking laws, encourages enforcement of protection orders, and allowes STOP funds to be used to train sexual assualt medical examiners.

  • National Teen Dating Abuse

    National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline is launched and receives its first call.

  • Sexual Assault Awareness Month

    President Obama becomes the first president to announce that April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
  • Period: to Dec 31, 1300

    Middle Ages

    Nobles regularly beat wives, their peasants follow their example, and women are looked at as a species apart