Attitude and booze drive violent men
Times and roles are changing for Thai males as society tries harder to find more ways to protect vulnerable women
When he finally realised his alcoholism and wife-battering ways were sending him down a bitter dead-end road, former bus driver Damrong Petra knew it was time to change.
After years of heavy drinking, Mr Damrong's sister finally managed to convince him to join a self-help session organised by a women's support group. The group invited men to share their stories about their chronic drinking habits and how they managed to quit.
"Stories of their families being torn apart [due to drinking] and their suffering from alcohol-induced paralysis made me start to think about changing my life for the better," Mr Damrong said.
Some women's rights advocates believe it will take a sea change in the attitude of men to reduce or eliminate the problem of domestic violence against women, which is usually associated with alcohol consumption.
Since today is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, several organisations will be holding events to remind society of the need to end gender inequality and domestic violence. These activities are expected to last throughout the month.
From being a part of the audience, Mr Damrong, 65, will now sit with those who want to share their stories.
He had been a chronic drinker since he was a teenager.
"I drank until dawn every day then and became furious whenever my wife warned or scolded me [about the habit]. Sometimes, I hurt her," Mr Damrong said.
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