Ann Jones

In the following viewpoint, Ann Jones states that violence against women—especially within domestic situations—has reached epidemic proportions. In fact, according to FBI estimates, every year men murder three thousand wives and girlfriends. In order to protect women from male violence, Jones asserts, the battered women’s movement must work to ensure that batterers suffer social and legal consequences for their behavior. Jones is the author of a variety of books on women, battering, and criminal justice, including Next Time, She’ll Be Dead: Battering and How to Stop It.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to the Statistics Canada study cited by Jones, how serious is the problem of violence against women?
2. In the author’s opinion, what mistaken beliefs do people have...