This study aims to determine how perceived violence acceptability affects dating violence in an individual. As opposed to previous studies, this study reclassified dating violence into coercive control (behavioral control, emotional abuse) and physical dating violence (physical violence, sexual violence).
 It was examined in particular how individuals' acceptability for violence progressively grew from behavioral control to emotional abuse, and ultimately to physical violence. This is the difference between this study and previous studies. A total of 2,000 unmarried men between the ages of 19 and 60 were surveyed for this study. The study used data from the ‘Dating Violence Survey 2015’ conducted by the Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice.
 Here are the results of the analysis. First, in the structural model, the criteria for model fit are met, so the research model can be accepted. Second, all paths show a statistically significant effect based on the path analysis. Third, all research models confirmed direct effect, indirect effect, and total effect as a result of mediating effect verification. The relationship between violence acceptability and physical violence, however, was not directly affected. Behavioral control and emotional abuse were confirmed to be mediated by a full mediating effect. Finally, all specific indirect effects associated with mediation pathways were found to be significant.
 Thus, the results of this study suggest the importance of coercive control in dating violence, as well as directions for further research.