DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: BASIC PROBLEMS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: BASIC PROBLEMS, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PREVENTION AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PREVENTION AND

POLICY MEASURESPOLICY MEASURES

BILATERAL RESEARCH PROJECT BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF BILATERAL RESEARCH PROJECT BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF

CYPRUS AND THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIACYPRUS AND THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA

Spyros Spyrou, Associate Professor of Anthropology/ Sociology, European

University Cyprus

Loucas Antoniou, PhD Candidate & Research Associate, Center for the

Study of Childhood and Adolescence

FUNDING FOR THE STUDIES FUNDING FOR THE STUDIES

The studies are funded by the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation and the Public Agency for Research Activity of the Republic of Slovenia.

THE STUDY IN CYPRUS:THE STUDY IN CYPRUS:

• Covered women ages 18-60 from urban and rural areas who are married (87%), engaged (9.5%), or in a relationship (3.5).

• 30% of women were housewives while the remaining were employed outside the home.

• Random, stratified sample covering both urban and rural areas.

THE QUESTIONNAIRE:THE QUESTIONNAIRE:

Two parts:

1. The first part was concerned the attitudes and perceptions of the participants about domestic violence; administered by a female interviewer.

2. The second part was concerned with the experiences of the participants with domestic violence; self-administered.

THE PROBLEM OF UNDER-REPORTING: THE PROBLEM OF UNDER-REPORTING:

• All interviews took place in respondents’ homes.

• The sensitivity of the issue and the (sometimes) presence of other persons in the house during the interviews, resulted in a low completion rate of the second part of the questionnaire which focused on the respondents’ experiences with domestic violence.

• To encourage respondents to fill the second part and to ensure anonymity and confidentiality, a poll was provided so that respondents could drop in their questionnaires in it.

• Nevertheless, it is safe to say that the low incidence of violence recorded is not reflective of reality; as many studies show this is a typical problem and rates of violence tend to be significantly higher than what surveys report.

RESPONDENTS’ ATTITUDES RESPONDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS DOMESTIC VIOLENCETOWARDS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

92.3

4.5 3.2

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Perc

en

tag

e

Yes No Don't know

WHEATHER THE RESPONDENT ASSUMES THAT THERE IS VIOLENCE IN FAMILIES IN CYPRUS

PHYSICAL VIOLENCEPHYSICAL VIOLENCE

For some types of physical violence, most respondents are strong and clear that they constitute physical violence (e.g., slap, hair pulling, etc) but for other types of violence their evaluations are not as strong and definite (e.g., push, pinching/squeezing, etc) .

0 0.5 06.2

93.3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Perc

enta

ge

Entirelydisagree

Somewhatdisagree

Neither agreenor disagree

Somewhatagree

Entirely agree

WHEATHER THE RESPONDENT AGREES THAT A SLAP FROM A MAN TO A WOMAN IS A SIGN OF AN INCIDENT OF VIOLENCE IN THE FAMILY

WHEATHER THE RESPONDENT AGREES THAT HAIR PULLING CONSTITUTES A FORM OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE

0.2 0.5 1.27.2

90.5

0.20

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Entirely disagree Somewhatdisagree

Neither agreenor disagree

Somewhat agree Entirely agree Don't know/Noanswer

Perc

enta

ge

0.7 2.2 2.7

13.2

81

0

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Perc

entag

e

Entirelydisagree

Somewhatdisagree

Neither agreenor disagree

Somewhatagree

Entirely agree Don't know/Noanswer

WHEATHER THE RESPONDENT AGREES THAT PINCHING/SQUEEZING CONSTITUTES A FORM OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE

WHEATHER THE RESPONDENT AGREES THAT A PUSH CONSTITUTES A FORM OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE

1.7

8

12

25.7

52.1

0.5

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Entirely disagree

Somewhat disagree

Neither agree nor disagree

Somewhat agree

Entirely agree

Don't know/No answer

Percentage

PSYCHOLOGICAL/EMOTIONAL VIOLENCEPSYCHOLOGICAL/EMOTIONAL VIOLENCE

For some types of psychological/emotional violence, most respondents are strong and clear that they constitute psychological/emotional violence (e.g., sexual intercourse without consent, etc) but for other types of violence their evaluations are not as strong and definite (e.g., threat of injury, threatening glances, forbiding contact with friends and relatives, etc) .

0.2

0

0.2

5.2

93.8

0.5

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percentage

Entirely disagree

Somewhat disagree

Neither agree nor disagree

Somewhat agree

Entirely agree

Don't know/No answer

WHEATHER THE RESPONDENT AGREES THAT SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITHOUT CONSENT CONSTITUTES A FORM OF PSYCHOLOGICAL/ EMOTIONAL VIOLENCE

0.5 1.2 3

16.5

78.1

0.7

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Perc

enta

ge

Entirely disagree Somewhatdisagree

Neither agreenor disagree

Somewhat agree Entirely agree Don't know/Noanswer

WHEATHER THE RESPONDENT AGREES THAT FORBIDDING CONTACT WITH FRIENDS AND RELATIVES CONSTITUTES AFORM OF PSYCHOLOGICAL/ EMOTIONAL VIOLENCE

0.2

1.2

3

19.7

75.6

0.2

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percentage

Entirely disagree

Somewhat disagree

Neither agree nor disagree

Somewhat agree

Entirely agree

Don't know/No answer

WHEATHER THE RESPONDENT AGREES THAT A THREAT Of INJURY CONSTITUTES A FORM OF PSYCOLOGICAL/ EMOTIONAL VIOLENCE

WHETHER THE RESPONDENT AGREES THAT THREATENING GLANCES CONSTITUTE A FORM OF PSYCHOLOGICAL/EMOTIONAL VIOLENCE

1.2

3.7

8.5

26.2

59.9

0.4

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Entirely disagree

Somewhat disagree

Neither agree nor disagree

Somewhat agree

Entirely agree

Don’t know/No answer

Percentage

PERCEPTION OF THE FREQUENCY OF VIOLENCE PERCEPTION OF THE FREQUENCY OF VIOLENCE EXERCISED FROM:EXERCISED FROM:

Respondents see men as more likely to exercise violence “often” against women or children than they see women doing that.

THE MAN TOWARDS THE

WOMAN

THE WOMAN TOWARDS THE

MAN

THE FATHER TOWARDS THE

CHILD

THE MOTHER TOWARDS THE

CHILD

Percentage Percentage Percentage Percentage

Base: 100 % 100% 100% 100%

Often 78.3 19.7 47.9 34.4

Rarely 14.7 66.8 41.1 47.9

Never 0.2 5.0 0.7 6.5

Don’t know/No answer 6.7 8.4 10.2 11.2

PERCEPTION OF THE FREQUENCY OF VIOLENCE PERCEPTION OF THE FREQUENCY OF VIOLENCE EXERCISED BY INDIVIDUALS WITH HIGH EDUCATION EXERCISED BY INDIVIDUALS WITH HIGH EDUCATION VERSUS LOW EDUCATIONVERSUS LOW EDUCATION

Respondents see individuals with low education as more likely to exercise violence “often” against others.

WITH HIGH EDUCATION

WITH LOW EDUCATION

Percentage Percentage

Βase: 100 % 100 %

Often 25.2 52.4

Rarely 48.4 25.2

Never 2.5 0

Don’t know/No answer 23.9 22.4

PERCEPTION OF THE FREQUENCY OF VIOLENCE PERCEPTION OF THE FREQUENCY OF VIOLENCE EXERCISED BY INDIVIDUALS WITH HIGH FINANCIAL EXERCISED BY INDIVIDUALS WITH HIGH FINANCIAL ABILITY VERSUS LOW FINANCIAL ABILITY ABILITY VERSUS LOW FINANCIAL ABILITY

Respondents see individuals with low financial ability as more likely to exercise violence “often” against others.

HIGH FINANCIAL ABILITY

LOW FINANCIAL ABILITY

Percentage Percentage

Βase: 100 % 100%

Often 29.2 50.4

Rarely 43.9 26.4

Never 2.7 0

Don’t know/No answer 24.2 23.2

WHETHER VIOLENCE IS A PERSONAL OR WHETHER VIOLENCE IS A PERSONAL OR SOCIAL PROBLEM SOCIAL PROBLEM

Total

Frequency Percentage

Βase: (401) 100 %

Personal problem 95 23.7

Social problem 299 74.6

Don’t know 7 1.7

WHETHER THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHEN A WHETHER THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHEN A HUSBAND IS JUSTIFIED IN EXERCISING VIOLENCE HUSBAND IS JUSTIFIED IN EXERCISING VIOLENCE AGAINST HIS WIFE AGAINST HIS WIFE

Total

Frequency Percentage

Βase: (401) 100%

Yes 50 12.5

No 335 83.5

Don’t know/ no answer 16 4.0

WHETHER THE RESPONDENT AGREES WITH THE WHETHER THE RESPONDENT AGREES WITH THE OPINION THAT A WOMAN SHOULD REPORT VIOLENT OPINION THAT A WOMAN SHOULD REPORT VIOLENT INCIDENTS THAT SHE EXPERIENCED TO THIRD INCIDENTS THAT SHE EXPERIENCED TO THIRD PARTIES PARTIES

Total

Frequency Percentage

Βase: (401) 100%

Agree 385 96.0

Disagree 10 2.5

Don’t know/No answer 6 1.5

WHETHER THE RESPONDENT WOULD HAVE REPORTED WHETHER THE RESPONDENT WOULD HAVE REPORTED VIOLENT INCIDENTS THAT SHE EXPERIENCED TO THIRD VIOLENT INCIDENTS THAT SHE EXPERIENCED TO THIRD PARTIESPARTIES

Total

Frequency Percentage

Βase: (401) 100%

Yes 353 88.0

No 20 5.0

Don’t know/no answer 28 6.9

A MAN SHOULD NEVER HIT HIS

WIFE

A MAN WHO HITS HIS WIFE BECAUSE OF JEALOUSLY

TRULY LOVES HER

WHEN A MAN HITS HIS WIFE HE IS A REAL

MAN

FOR THE SAKE OF FAMILY

UNITY, A WOMAN SHOULD

TOLERATE ONE OR TWO SLAPS

Percentage Percentage Percentage Percentage

Base: 100 % 100% 100% 100%

Entirely disagree 1.5 85.0 94.8 75.6

Somewhat disagree 0 9.0 2.7 9.2

Neither agree nor disagree

2.5 2.7 0 7.0

Somewhat agree 11.5 0.2 0.2 3.5

Entirely agree 84.5 2.2 2.2 4.2

Don’t know/No answer 0 0.7 0 0.5

WHETHER THE RESPONDENT AGREES WITH THE WHETHER THE RESPONDENT AGREES WITH THE STATEMENT WITCH SAYS THAT:STATEMENT WITCH SAYS THAT:

• 12.7% state that their mother experienced violence in the past by her husband.

• 11.7% state that they have experienced violence in the past by their father or mother.

• Of those, 80.9% state that they experienced violence in the family when they were children under the age of 12 while 17% state that they experienced violence when they were adolescents (i.e., above the age of 12).

EXPERIENCES WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EXPERIENCES WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

THE TYPE OF VIOLENCE THAT THE RESPONDENT EXPERIENCED DURING HER CHILDHOOD OR ADOLESCENCE

80.9

8.5

8.5

2.1

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Physical

Psychological

Sexual harassment

Don’t know/No answer

Percentage

3

96.3

0.7

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10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Pe

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Yes No Don’t know/no answer

WHETHER THE RESPONDENT IS CURRENTLY A VICTIM OF VIOLENCE

RESPONDENT'S REPORT ON THE PERSONS EXERCISING VIOLENCE AGAINST HER

33.3

0 0

8.3

58.4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Husband Somebody else Don’t know/No answer Mother Father

Pe

rce

nta

ge

WHETHER RESPONDENT'S HUSBAND/PARTNER IS EXERCISING VIOLENCE AGAINST HER CHILDREN

2.3

79.6

18.2

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Yes No Don’t know/No answer

Per

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• Most women recognize the existence of domestic violence in Cyprus

• Not all forms of physical and psychological violence are recognized by women as such or at least to the same extent

• Women feel that men, individuals with low education, and individuals with low financial ability are more likely to exercise domestic violence “often” against others

CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS

• About one in four women see domestic violence as a personal rather than as a social problem.

• One in eight women feel that there are occasions when a husband is justified in exercising violence against his wife.

• 5% of women state that if they experienced incidents of domestic violence they would not report them to third parties (socialization not to tell: Lutenbacher et al. 2004).

CONCLUSIONS (cont.)CONCLUSIONS (cont.)

• Small but nevertheless significant percentages of women are willing to excuse violence from a man to a woman on certain occasions (e.g., when there is jealousy involved, in order to preserve family unity, etc).

• Only 3% of women report being victims of domestic violence in the present; however, this is clearly a case of under-reporting as the international literature shows. The perpetrator in the majority of cases is the husband (58.4%) though one in three women state “Don’t know/No Answer” which suggests once again they are unwilling to state who the perpetrator is.

CONCLUSIONS (cont.)CONCLUSIONS (cont.)

There is clearly more need to educate people (and women

in particular):

• as to what constitutes physical and psychological/emotional violence in the home.

• as to why domestic violence is a social rather than a personal problem. This can be done through formal education (i.e., schools), public presentations, the mass media and organized campaigns.

• that domestic violence is, under no circumstances, acceptable or justified.

• about their options when confronted with domestic violence.

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