Domestic violence blights society
Nitiwadee Pucharoenyos, alias Doctor Nim, was sentenced to death last week by the Min Buri Provincial Court on a charge of murdering Jakkrit Panichpatikum, the national sharpshooter. The court ruled that Nitiwadee had hired gunman Jirasak Klinkhlai to kill Jakkrit, who was Nitiwadee’s husband. In 2013, Tawatchai Phetchote drove a motorcycle for Jirasak to carry out the murder. Jakkrit was shot and killed by Jirasak, who used a semi-automatic 7.62mm Tokarev pistol. The murder at that time made big headlines. Jakkrit was a popular member of the national sharpshooting team. However, the sportsman’s public image was tainted by the tension between him and his wife Nitiwadee, who accused him of assaulting her many times.
Jakkrit and Nitiwadee, who runs a cosmetic clinic, were seen as the perfect couple until the middle of 2013 when Nitiwadee filed a complaint to the police in July that she was assaulted by her husband. She once sought legal protection from her husband. But it did not work.
Domestic violence played a major part in the events that led to a tragic ending for this family. The case has shown that domestic violence may be more common than people might perceive.
It could happen to anyone. This family seemed to have everything — fortune, two beautiful children, a lovely wife and a national sportsman.
Unfortunately, some wives find it difficult to gain the social support that they should be entitled to. More often than not, society will pressure the battered wife to consider the interests of her family over herself by tolerating the assaults until it is too late.
Social tolerance is one of the reasons why some men feel it is acceptable to assault their wives or partners. Some were instilled with the wrong perception that women are genetically inferior.
A survey released last month by Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation showed that one-third of those surveyed said they perceived married women as belonging to their husbands.
Thai society tends to urge battered wives to consider the family unit before their own well-being.
About 14% viewed that the violence was an expression of love because the man acted violently as a result of jealousy. More than 80% of males used to verbally abuse their wives or partners. Moreover, 44.8% said they used to assault their wives or partners when they were drunk. In addition, 42.4% of respondents said they used to force their wives or partners to have sex.
Many people were also indifferent when they witnessed domestic violence. Almost 13% of surveyed people said they would not intervene because it was a domestic affair.
Of course, Nitiwadee should have handled the situation with her husband differently instead of resorting to violence. However, she previously led the court and the public to believe that her mother Surang Duangchinda was the person who hired the gunman.
While the legal procedures are dependent on the court’s decision and both parties, Nitiwadee’s case is worth examining to see what pushed her so far to commit a terrible crime.
Why did a lovely wife turn into a murderer? Why couldn’t she find social support to deal with the issue without having to sacrifice her emotional well-being?
In fact, Nitiwadee used to seek legal protection to keep a safe distance from Jakkrit. However, he was bailed out not long afterwards because of his duty to the national team.
Meanwhile, people around Nitiwadee tended to tell her to consider the interests of her family above her own.
Society should perceive domestic violence as a violation of an individual’s rights. Instead, Thai society tends to urge battered wives to consider the family unit before their own well-being. Victims of domestic violence are often urged to sweep the incidents under the carpet for the sake of the family.
It was evident in Nitiwadee’s case that people were rooting for the couple to reunite like a happy ending of a movie instead of realistically fixing the root cause of their estrangement.
In September 2013, Social Development and Human Security Minister Paveena Hongsakula was trying to act as marriage counsellor during a public event. On that day, Jakkrit posed with bouquets to ask for forgiveness from Nitiwadee. Both smiled to the camera during the photo opportunity.
But the happiness did not last long. Unfortunately, Jakkrit was murdered one month later. It takes more than a bouquet of flowers to heal a battered wife’s emotional wounds.