From "this is a family matter" to a global problem: the world is changing its views on domestic violence

Until a few decades ago, in many countries of the world, partner violence was perceived as a part of family life, and not as a social problem. In some societies, there was a belief that a man had the right to "punish" a woman for disobedience, and women themselves often agreed with such norms. However, a new international study has shown that attitudes towards domestic violence have changed markedly almost all over the world over the past 25 years. Why millions of people used to consider it acceptable, what has changed in recent decades and whether this means that humanity is really moving towards solving the problem — in the Izvestia article.

When beatings were considered the norm

For most of human history, domestic violence has hardly been considered a separate social problem. In many countries, the husband was perceived as the head of the family, who had not only economic, but also actual power over his wife and children. Legislation often reflected these perceptions: State intervention in family conflicts was considered undesirable, and cases of domestic violence often remained solely an "internal family matter."

Such ideas proved to be especially stable in societies with rigidly fixed gender roles. The researchers note that in a number of countries violence could be perceived as an acceptable reaction of a man to certain behavior of a woman — for example, refusal to perform household duties, disputes with a spouse or independent decisions without his consent. Such attitudes were passed down from generation to generation and were perceived as part of the cultural norm.

It is important to understand that the bearers of such views were not only men. Sociologists have long drawn attention to the fact that women who grew up in an environment where violence is considered commonplace may also perceive it as acceptable. When a certain pattern of behavior surrounds a person from childhood, it begins to seem natural, even if it objectively causes harm.

The situation began to change in the second half of the 20th century. Women's movements, human rights organizations, international structures and researchers began to consider domestic violence as a problem of public health and human rights. Later, the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and many national governments joined the fight.

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A quarter of a century of change: what the new study showed

In June 2026, an international group of scientists published one of the largest studies of public attitudes towards intimate partner violence. The authors analyzed data from surveys conducted from 1999 to 2024 in dozens of countries around the world. They were interested in a simple question: do people consider it justified for a man to use violence against his partner in certain life situations?

The results turned out to be significant: the researchers found that the approval level of such actions decreased in the vast majority of the states studied. Improvements were recorded among women in 94% of countries, and among men in 89%. In other words, over the past quarter century, public opinion in many regions of the world has noticeably changed towards rejection of domestic violence.

The authors also found a link between attitudes towards violence and the level of development of society. Countries with a higher human development index tended to show less tolerance for aggression within the family. According to the researchers, education, access to information and the empowerment of women help to change public perceptions faster.

Why do people justify violence at all

At first glance, it may seem strange that anyone would consider domestic violence acceptable at all. However, psychologists and sociologists have long noted that human ideas about the norm are formed under the influence of family, environment and culture. If a child regularly observes aggression between adults and sees that it is not condemned by others, the likelihood of perceiving such behavior as acceptable increases significantly.

The so-called normalization of violence also plays an important role. When a person is constantly confronted with a certain phenomenon, it gradually begins to be perceived as an ordinary part of life. That is why researchers often emphasize the importance of public reaction: the more often violence is condemned by others, the more difficult it is to perceive it as something natural.

One of the most stable factors remains the level of education. Numerous studies show that people with a higher level of education are, on average, less likely to justify violence in relationships. The reason lies not only in access to knowledge, but also in the formation of critical thinking skills, the ability to question established social norms.

Economic conditions are equally important. Poverty, social instability and limited opportunities often increase the dependence of one partner on the other. In such circumstances, it is more difficult for people to get out of toxic relationships, and society can maintain tolerance for violence as an allegedly inevitable part of life for longer.

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Why changes don't happen the same way everywhere

Although the general direction of change looks encouraging, the speed of these processes varies significantly from country to country. In some States, the decline in tolerance for violence has been particularly rapid, while in others the changes have been much less noticeable.

Researchers attribute this to a whole range of factors. Access to education, the level of urbanization, the work of the media, the availability of legislative protection for victims and the activity of public organizations play an important role. Where the topic of domestic violence is regularly discussed publicly, public attitudes change faster.

The Internet and social networks have a separate impact. Thanks to global communications, people have gained access to information about human rights, mental health, and ways to get help. The stories of victims of violence, which previously might have remained unknown, are now becoming part of the public discussion and helping to destroy old stereotypes.

A victory or just the beginning?

Despite the positive changes, the scale of the problem remains enormous. According to the World Health Organization, about 30% of women in the world have experienced physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner at least once in their lives. In absolute terms, we are talking about about 641 million people.

Nevertheless, a new study shows an important trend: society is gradually ceasing to accept violence as the norm. Younger generations are more likely to reject the justification of aggression, and many attitudes that were considered natural until recently are now causing public condemnation.

Scientists emphasize that changing attitudes alone does not solve the problem. However, it is social norms that determine whether a victim will seek help, whether others will intervene, and how seriously the state will take the protection of victims. Therefore, changing attitudes towards violence can be one of the most important factors for long-term change.

Over the past 25 years, the world has indeed become less justifiable for domestic violence. And perhaps the main conclusion of the new study is precisely this: social norms are not something unchangeable. They can change, and the lives of millions of people change with them. When violence is no longer considered acceptable, it gradually ceases to be the norm in reality.