One out of every 10 American women feel domestic violence is justifiable even though a vast majority of the United States (84.6 percent) disapproves of domestic abuse completely, according to the newly-released World Values Survey. The survey specifically asked whether survey participants found a man beating his wife justifiable or not.
The survey, which polled citizens from multiple countries from 2010 to 2014 on their opinions about family, faith and work life issues, found that more than one-third of women in 29 separate countries across the world find domestic violence acceptable, too. For example, Germany, a well-developed country similar to the United States, is closer to one in five women, the survey reported.
This shows that domestic abuse has become more widely accepted in societies across the world, both well- and under-developed, according to Rachel Tulchin, a policy advisor for the Clinton Foundation who recently spoke to NPR.
Is domestic abuse a sign that a woman should leave a damaging partnership? Yes, but the decision to leave an abusive relationship is not always easy.
Women who are victimized are going to be less likely to consider it a crime and report it, NPR reported.
This falls in line with a 2014 study from Cultural, Health & Sexuality that found women have a tough time leaving abusive relationships because they feel emotionally connected to their spouse. Even when they do leave those relationships, they dont always sever ties with the abuser becase of these emotional connections, which means leaving a domestic abuser can be a long and strenuous process, the study found.
Family members and friends are also less likely to help abused partners escape their relationship if they're in a society where domestic abuse is widely acceptable, Tulchin told NPR. And parents are less likely to teach their sons other ways to handle arguments in a society that accepts domestic abuse as a norm, Tulchin said.
But Tulchin was quick to point out that some outlets family, friends and religious communities will help women decide whether to leave their relationship or not.
"The conversation doesn't necessarily have to start with, 'Well, what are the gender norms in your house?'" Tulchin told NPR. "But it gets there eventually, and I think that's hugely important."
The Domestic Abuse Intervention Services recommends those in abusive relationships talk to their friends and family about their partnership if they want to move past it. The organization offers a list of warning signs families and friends can look for to identify signs of abuse, a dos and donts list of how to talk to a loved one about domestic violence, and an explanation of the different types of domestic abuse that happen in a home.
Most domestic violence victims feel very alone and confused as a result of the abuse, the organizations page reads. Victims often feel they have nowhere to turn they may worry no one will believe them, they may blame themselves for the abuse, and they may fear their abuser will hurt them, their children, or their pets if they reveal the abuse to anyone outside their home.
Some domestic violence victims also turn to their faith for answers on whether they should leave, according to a 2011 NPR article. Some abused women seek their pastors advice and look to their religious communities for a comforting environment that uplifts and inspires abuse victims to leave their partners.
This has led some churches, such as St. Pius V in Chicago, to talk about domestic violence during sermons and reach out to women who feel uncomfortable talking about the abuse they suffer, according to NPR.
"As my final resort, someone suggested I should visit St. Pius because they had a really good program, Elia Carreon told NPR. So as a last attempt to save our marriage, we went there, and what I found there was exactly what I was looking for.
The survey, which polled citizens from multiple countries from 2010 to 2014 on their opinions about family, faith and work life issues, found that more than one-third of women in 29 separate countries across the world find domestic violence acceptable, too. For example, Germany, a well-developed country similar to the United States, is closer to one in five women, the survey reported.
This shows that domestic abuse has become more widely accepted in societies across the world, both well- and under-developed, according to Rachel Tulchin, a policy advisor for the Clinton Foundation who recently spoke to NPR.
Is domestic abuse a sign that a woman should leave a damaging partnership? Yes, but the decision to leave an abusive relationship is not always easy.
Women who are victimized are going to be less likely to consider it a crime and report it, NPR reported.
This falls in line with a 2014 study from Cultural, Health & Sexuality that found women have a tough time leaving abusive relationships because they feel emotionally connected to their spouse. Even when they do leave those relationships, they dont always sever ties with the abuser becase of these emotional connections, which means leaving a domestic abuser can be a long and strenuous process, the study found.
Family members and friends are also less likely to help abused partners escape their relationship if they're in a society where domestic abuse is widely acceptable, Tulchin told NPR. And parents are less likely to teach their sons other ways to handle arguments in a society that accepts domestic abuse as a norm, Tulchin said.
But Tulchin was quick to point out that some outlets family, friends and religious communities will help women decide whether to leave their relationship or not.
"The conversation doesn't necessarily have to start with, 'Well, what are the gender norms in your house?'" Tulchin told NPR. "But it gets there eventually, and I think that's hugely important."
The Domestic Abuse Intervention Services recommends those in abusive relationships talk to their friends and family about their partnership if they want to move past it. The organization offers a list of warning signs families and friends can look for to identify signs of abuse, a dos and donts list of how to talk to a loved one about domestic violence, and an explanation of the different types of domestic abuse that happen in a home.
Most domestic violence victims feel very alone and confused as a result of the abuse, the organizations page reads. Victims often feel they have nowhere to turn they may worry no one will believe them, they may blame themselves for the abuse, and they may fear their abuser will hurt them, their children, or their pets if they reveal the abuse to anyone outside their home.
Some domestic violence victims also turn to their faith for answers on whether they should leave, according to a 2011 NPR article. Some abused women seek their pastors advice and look to their religious communities for a comforting environment that uplifts and inspires abuse victims to leave their partners.
This has led some churches, such as St. Pius V in Chicago, to talk about domestic violence during sermons and reach out to women who feel uncomfortable talking about the abuse they suffer, according to NPR.
"As my final resort, someone suggested I should visit St. Pius because they had a really good program, Elia Carreon told NPR. So as a last attempt to save our marriage, we went there, and what I found there was exactly what I was looking for.
