Family Against Violence in Dysfunctional Family by Community Mentors

Abstract

The research article consisted of the following objectives: 1) to investigate the existing enforcement of laws on violence in families and provide development guidelines that could be used to address domestic violence; 2) to provide knowledge about relevant laws and rights, as well as skills in managing violence and providing support; and 3) to develop community mentors who can assist and transmit knowledge to others in their communities. The study employed research and development method. The target group consisted of students, teachers, parents, leaders, community volunteers, and local law enforcement officers in four regions of Thailand. The pilot provinces were Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Chiang Rai, Udon Thani, and Surat Thani, and also expanded to include 9 other provinces. The research tools were in-depth interview and focus group discussion with a sample group. The topics of discussion included how to develop the core components of domestic violence legislation that are applicable and suitable for Thai society; what terms should be used to foster understanding between the various groups (e.g., the definition of domestic violence);  the foundation of domestic violence legislation (and related laws), the knowledge of human rights that each group should have, and the key elements that are appropriate for different target groups (e.g., children and youth, teachers, parents, and community leaders). The form for evaluating knowledge and satisfaction, participant observation, and reflection were also used in the study. The statistics used for data analysis included percentage, mean, standard deviation, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

According to the findings of the study, domestic violence is the primary problem in society, and existing laws should be amended to reflect the present situation. There are also many people who are uninformed of applicable laws and rights. When violence escalates, people are unsure which agency they should notify and have no one to consult with. Therefore, the researcher would like to suggest as follows: 1) Proposals for improving the Domestic Violence Victim Protection Act, BE 2550 (2007), Sections 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, and 16; 2) Providing knowledge about relevant laws and rights, as well as skills in managing violence and providing support through the following programs, namely (1) positively empowering youth to solve problems of domestic violence, (2) developing community mentors through a three-day online course implemented in four pilot provinces with 1,175 children and 235 adult leaders. As a result, all participants have their learning outcomes improved statistically significance of 0.05 when comparing between pretest and posttest. There are 40 pieces of media produced by youth to help end domestic violence problems. The course also results in two projects: ‘1 village 1 subdistrict, empowering family in 2 sub-districts’ in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and ‘6 white schools for the end of domestic violence; and 3) The development of strong community mentors in 9 expanded provinces using a participatory action learning activity package. This training includes 11 activities with 357 participants from 9 expanded provinces. The training results in the change of people's attitudes and perception on domestic violence. Participants have a better understanding of domestic violence victim protection, more active cooperation to provide help, and more counseling skills. Additionally, more communities also develop these outcomes in three other provinces-Bangkok, Suphanburi, and Phayao.