Mulholland, Bevellie --- "Book Review - Who's the Loser? A Story About Family Violence" [2002] IndigLawB 9; (2002) 5(14) Indigenous Law Bulletin 23

Book Review

Who’s the Loser?

A Story About Family Violence

Video produced by Country of OZ for Education Centre Against Violence, Sydney, 1999.
20 mins duration
RRP $80.

Reviewed by Bevellie Mulholland

Who’s the Loser?, initiated by Melva Kennedy from the Education Centre Against Violence (‘ECAV’) and funded by various departments and agencies, is a good ‘starting place’ resource for workshops and discussion groups on one of the facets of family violence – that of physical violence – prevalent in many Aboriginal communities.

The video is well directed and utilises a setting that would be familiar and pertinent to most Aboriginal viewers. The characters are recognisable: Janet the battered woman; Gwen the ‘staunch’ woman thankfully found in most communities; Janet’s children as they live with fear and witness their mother being battered; all are portrayals many Indigenous community members can identify in their own and extended families. Janet’s partner Mike is also recognisable and can be found in hundreds of thousands of Australian families of all cultural backgrounds.

The booklet accompanying the video is basic but thoughtful. It is written in plain English, which is a refreshing change for this type of publication and will be appreciated by both workers and community members. Many of the points, suggestions and questions are excellent although some drift into the area of ‘mainstream speak’. The booklet mostly fulfils its intention to encourage discussion, workshopping and reassessment, and to educate Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal workers and community members to promote protection of Aboriginal women and children.

The producers of both the video and booklet are to be commended for their efforts in attempting to raise awareness and address this sad, sad business. However, as an Aboriginal Family Support Worker, I felt that the video was restrained – sanitised even.

I understand that funding bodies have guidelines and policies that must be adhered to. I also know that there is very seldom sufficient funding provided to tackle projects comprehensively. I know that bureaucracy and limited funds can create huge difficulties for a film-maker attempting to portray a complicated, sensitive and sad subject. Nonetheless, many workers in the area of family violence have clients who would think Janet was a lucky lady.

I am not advocating that training videos should show in graphic detail the horrific treatment that is dealt out to many women and children. I am suggesting that perhaps with more funding the video could be longer and, as it is for training purposes, cover realistically all the forms family violence can take – psychological, verbal and physical. It should depict, if not the process, at least the result of the typical severe injuries suffered by women in this situation. This includes the depression and/or alcohol and/or drug abuse the woman sinks into due to chronic violence. It could also explore more of the many and various behavioural aberrations that manifest in children battered themselves or who witness battering; the helplessness experienced by children because they cannot help; their displacement from home and often school or, even worse, being left alone with their tormentor due to their mother being hospitalised; the horror of police involvement; and the threat and fear of Department of Community Services intervention in their lives. These are only some of the issues that victims of family violence face. These are the issues that should be confronted by those attempting to assist them.

Finally, and with all due love and deference to my mob, if a resource is intended to educate and enlighten, the entrenched acceptance and sometimes detached attitude to family violence by some Aboriginal community members should also be addressed, explored and examined.

Who’s the Loser? was awarded a Certificate of Merit at the Australian Violence Prevention Awards 2000 and a Highly Commended Certificate in the category of Excellence at the National Child Abuse Prevention Awards 2001. Who’s the Loser? and Big Shame, a video about child sexual assault, are both available from ECAV on 02 9840 3737 or [e-mail].

Bevellie Mulholland is Coordinator of Good Beginnings Inner West Aboriginal Parenting Program, working out of Mudgin-Gal Women's Centre in Redfern, Sydney.