FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT, YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF WATCHING ONE OF TWO VIDEOS (BUT MANY STUDENTS WATCH BOTH!).

Stories from the Riverside is a 1994 documentary that interviews women at the Gatesville Penitentiary in Texas who were convicted of murdering their husbands after a long cycle of domestic violence (and the absolute failure of our bureaucracies to help these women end the cycle of abuse!). This video can be found at . If you have difficulty with this link, you can find this streaming video in the FAU Library catalog (after signing on to EZProxy if off campus).

STORIES FROM THE RIVERSIDE WAS FILMED OVER 20 YEARS AGO, AND MUCH HAS HAPPENED IN AMERICA TO REDUCE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN. BUT AS YO NO MAS SUGGESTS, THINGS HAVE NOT CHANGED MUCH IN SOME PARTS OF THE WORLD.

Ya no ms (Ive had enough!) is a 2010 film that depicts the pervasive Nicaraguan culture of machismo that leads to violence against women and bureaucrats indifference to this epidemic problem. If you choose this video, be sure to pay attention to the songs and media that routinely make fun of womens suffering and encourage male chauvinism. This video is in Spanish with English subtitles, and can be found at . If you have difficulty with this link, you can find this streaming video by searching the FAU Library catalog (after signing on to EZProxy if off campus).

There are many forms of partner abuse. There are also many reasons why women have difficulty breaking the cycle of abuse. As is clearly demonstrated in the video Ya no ms, patterns of abuse vary from culture to culture. Indeed, in many cultures it is okay for a man to discipline his wife.

Please take this opportunity to educate yourself further on issues involved in domestic violence, then use this Forum to expound upon some aspect of this phenomenon (e.g., different forms of abuse, why women stay, why men abuse women, a theoretical perspective on abuse, women as batterers, a perspective from a different culture, characteristics of an abuser, institutional reform to stop the violence, effects of domestic violence on children, counseling methods to end abusiveness, etc. etc. etc.).

Although this video can be viewed at your convenience, make sure you observe the deadlines set forth in the Course Schedule for making your initial post of approximately 250 words.  Click ‘Reply’ on the bottom of this post to make your initial post. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU GIVE YOUR INITIAL POST A CAPITALIZED TITLE ON THE FIRST LINE OF YOUR POST, TO DISTINGUISH YOUR THREAD FROM OTHERS. After you have made your initial post, you will be able to view classmates posts (not until then!).

To earn maximum credit, you are also required to make at least 2 posts of approximately 150 words that respond to (expound upon or critically assess) classmates’ threadsagain, see the course schedule for post response deadlines. Click the ‘Reply’ button at the bottom of any classmate post to which you wish to respond, to respond to that post. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU START A RESPONSE POST WITH THE CAPITALIZED TITLE OF THE POST YOU ARE RESPONDING TO, AND ORIGINATING AUTHOR’S NAME, ON THE FIRST LINE (E.G. JUSTIFIABLE HOMICIDE – SMITH). To enhance the probability that all classmates receive feedback on views contained in their thread, resist responding to a classmate’s post that has already received two comments (or respond to these AFTER you have responded to two posts that have not yet received two comments).  Feel free to continue dialog in any thread in which you are active until the Forum closes.  

Please review the grading rubric posted on Canvas prior to participating in this Discussion Forum so that you understand exactly how your participation in this Forum will be assessed.  Review tutorials on Canvas if you require instruction on how to participate (click on the Help icon in the Canvas navigation pane). APA guidelines on proper citation/reference procedures can be found at . And finally, remember NETIQUETTE!