Emotional abuse against women is when a female is experiencing monitoring of
what she is doing all the time, is accused of being unfaithful all the time, is
discouraged to see friends or family, is barred to go to work or school, is frightened
when the partner shows anger, is controlled how she is spending money, is
humiliated in front of others, etc.
Women trafficking is when a woman is tricked or forced into working in a terrible
condition.
Same-sex relationship violence.
Violence against females occurs in many cultures. Many scholars state that
violence against females is a form of power that masculinity exercises over femi-
ninity. And that can be traced back in history. In Thai culture, it is known that the
culture is hierarchal and patriarchal throughout the history of Thailand.
3.2 Female Status in Thai Culture from a Historical Perspective....
Perspective
From historical evidence, from the ancient Indian time, women were under the
guardian of their parents when they were young, of their husbands when they were
married, and of their sons when they had children. When the husband passed away,
the widow needed to stay single for the rest of her life or, before the English
colonizer forbade, they jumped into the pyre used for cremating the husband’s dead
body in public (Bhikkhu Mettanando 2004 : 214–224). During the Lord Buddha’s
time, Lord Buddha allowed women to be ordained as bhikkhunis or female
Buddhist monks. Evidence that bhikkhunis preached to bhikkhus (male Buddhist
monks) are the Songs of the Elders, a literature translated from Pali into English
from the Thera and Theri Gather as a part of Tripitaka (the three collections of
books making up the Buddhist canon of scriptures—dictionary.com 2016 )
(Bhikkhu Mettanando 2004 : 235). However, Bhikkhu Mettanando ( 2004 : 212,
248 – 252, 274–275, 283) researched that discrimination against the bhikkhunis
process occurred after the death of Lord Buddha. Dhammacaro (n.d.) reports
oppression of bhikkhunis by imposing the eight Garudhammas (rules for
bhikkhunis to adhere to) which are as follows:
- “However old a bhikkhuni may be, she must pay respect even to a newly
ordained monk and should learn and practice this dhamma throughout her life. - A bhikkhuni must not stay in a nunnery to observe the Buddhist Lent where
there is no bhikkhu Mettanando nearby and should learn and practice this
dhamma throughout her life. - A bhikkhuni must invite a bhikkhu Mettanando every fortnight tofix the date of
the Sabbath and the day to listen to the exhortation (Ovada) of the monks and
should learn and practice this dhamma throughout her life.
38 3 Violence Against Thai Females