Global Approval for Domestic Abuse Down

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Approval for domestic violence has gone down worldwide. Fewer people think it's okay for men to beat their wives for burning food than for neglecting their children (Image credit: Anneka | Shutterstock.com)

Around the world, domestic violence has become much less socially acceptable, new research suggests.

Views on domestic violence changed dramatically since 2003 in 26 middle- and low-income countries across the world, according to a study detailed in the April issue of the journal American Sociological Review. Half of the countries surveyed were in sub-Saharan Africa.

Still, the data, which were collected by the United States Agency for International Development  (USAID) from hundreds of thousands of people, shows that violence against women is still widely accepted. And in two countries — Indonesia and Madagascar — tolerance for domestic violence actually increased.

The survey asked people how justified men were in beating wives for things such as going out without letting her husband know, neglecting the children, arguing with her husband, refusing sex or burning food.

Unsurprisingly, those who live in urban areas and had more education were likelier to reject wife beating. Access to media such as television or newspapers also increased disapproval for domestic violence.

Interestingly, in 11 of 15 countries, men were more likely to reject domestic violence than women.

The attitude adjustments were found across societies.

"Often it's the case that social change starts with younger people," said study co-author Rachael Pierotti, a graduate student at the University of Michigan, in a statement. "But in this case, people of all ages became more rejecting of domestic violence."

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Tia Ghose
Tia Ghose
Editor-in-Chief (Premium)

Tia is the editor-in-chief (premium) and was formerly managing editor and senior writer for Live Science. Her work has appeared in Scientific American, Wired.com, Science News and other outlets. She holds a master's degree in bioengineering from the University of Washington, a graduate certificate in science writing from UC Santa Cruz and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Tia was part of a team at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that published the Empty Cradles series on preterm births, which won multiple awards, including the 2012 Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism.