Domestic Violence: Sociological Perspectives

Abstract

Domestic violence is an issue of global concern characterized by a recent history of rapid social change in institutional policy and practice. In some countries there is considerable controversy about the nature of domestic violence, with some authorities suggesting that women and men are equally likely to perpetrate serious violence against their partners. Most researchers and policy makers now agree, however, that the global problem is primarily one of men's violence against women in intimate relationships. Domestic violence against women has a long and ignoble history and recent studies suggest that at least one-quarter of all women who have lived in a marital or marital-like relationship have experienced domestic violence, and additional evidence indicates that sexual aggression is a significant aspect of this violence. Worldwide, women killed in homicides are very likely to have been killed by an intimate partner or ex-partner. Research shows that men's violence is almost always associated with other acts of intimidation and control. Men's violence has important consequences for the women they abuse: studies suggest that physical injuries are often severe and sometimes permanent, and women may also suffer from persistent health and emotional problems. Evidence from a variety of countries suggests that women find it very difficult to leave a violent relationship because of threats of further violence, lack of economic and social support, and the inadequate responses of agencies of the state. Sociological explanations of domestic violence stress the importance of patriarchal ideals and practices, emphasizing male power and control. Alternative explanations often emphasize individual pathology and/or social traits that are deemed to have similar effects on the violence of men and women alike. Future research in this domain will continue to concentrate on efforts to explain domestic violence and the predicament of the women who experience it, as well as more focused questions abut the impact of social and legal interventions on the safety of victims and the violence of men.