What “Family Affair?” Domestic Violence Awareness in China
IntroductionDomestic violence is toxic to society. With approximately one in three women on average falling victim to domestic violence, systematic solutions are needed. To further complicate the issue, mounting research shows that COVID-19 has further exacerbated domestic violence across the world....
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.795841/full |
| _version_ | 1797961423186296832 |
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| author | Zhaohui Su Dean McDonnell Ali Cheshmehzangi Ali Cheshmehzangi Junaid Ahmad Hengcai Chen Sabina Šegalo Yuyang Cai Yuyang Cai |
| author_facet | Zhaohui Su Dean McDonnell Ali Cheshmehzangi Ali Cheshmehzangi Junaid Ahmad Hengcai Chen Sabina Šegalo Yuyang Cai Yuyang Cai |
| author_sort | Zhaohui Su |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionDomestic violence is toxic to society. With approximately one in three women on average falling victim to domestic violence, systematic solutions are needed. To further complicate the issue, mounting research shows that COVID-19 has further exacerbated domestic violence across the world. Situations could be even more pronounced in countries like China, where though domestic violence is prevalent, there is a dearth of research, such as intervention studies, to address the issue. This study investigates key barriers to domestic violence research development in China, with a close focus on salient cultural influences.MethodsA review of the literature on domestic violence in China in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus was conducted to answer the research question. The search was focused on three themes, domestic violence, China, research, and cultural influences.ResultsThe study findings show that categorizing domestic violence as a “family affair” is a key barrier to domestic violence research development in China—an incremental hindrance that prevents the public and policymakers from understanding the full scale and scope of domestic violence in China. In addition to abusers, witnesses, and victims, even law enforcement in China often dismisses domestic violence crimes as “family affairs” that resides outside the reach and realm of the law. The results indicated that mistreating domestic violence crimes as “family affairs” is a vital manifestation of the deep-rooted cultural influences in China, ranging from traditional Confucian beliefs in social harmony to the assumed social norms of not interfering with other people's businesses.ConclusionDomestic violence corrupts public health and social stability. Our study found that dismissing domestic violence cases as “family affairs” is an incremental reason why China's domestic violence research is scarce and awareness is low. In light of the government's voiced support for women's rights, we call for the Chinese government to develop effective interventions to timely and effectively address the domestic violence epidemic in China. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T00:58:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dc2eeb7fb90249e08bf03d7619e1452f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T00:58:08Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-dc2eeb7fb90249e08bf03d7619e1452f2023-01-04T21:41:12ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652022-03-011010.3389/fpubh.2022.795841795841What “Family Affair?” Domestic Violence Awareness in ChinaZhaohui Su0Dean McDonnell1Ali Cheshmehzangi2Ali Cheshmehzangi3Junaid Ahmad4Hengcai Chen5Sabina Šegalo6Yuyang Cai7Yuyang Cai8School of Public Health, Institute for Human Rights, Southeast University, Nanjing, ChinaDepartment of Humanities, South East Technological University, Carlow, IrelandFaculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, ChinaNetwork for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability (NERPS), Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, JapanPrime Institute of Public Health, Peshawar Medical College, Peshawar, PakistanFaculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, ChinaDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and HerzegovinaSchool of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaChina Institute for Urban Governance, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, ChinaIntroductionDomestic violence is toxic to society. With approximately one in three women on average falling victim to domestic violence, systematic solutions are needed. To further complicate the issue, mounting research shows that COVID-19 has further exacerbated domestic violence across the world. Situations could be even more pronounced in countries like China, where though domestic violence is prevalent, there is a dearth of research, such as intervention studies, to address the issue. This study investigates key barriers to domestic violence research development in China, with a close focus on salient cultural influences.MethodsA review of the literature on domestic violence in China in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus was conducted to answer the research question. The search was focused on three themes, domestic violence, China, research, and cultural influences.ResultsThe study findings show that categorizing domestic violence as a “family affair” is a key barrier to domestic violence research development in China—an incremental hindrance that prevents the public and policymakers from understanding the full scale and scope of domestic violence in China. In addition to abusers, witnesses, and victims, even law enforcement in China often dismisses domestic violence crimes as “family affairs” that resides outside the reach and realm of the law. The results indicated that mistreating domestic violence crimes as “family affairs” is a vital manifestation of the deep-rooted cultural influences in China, ranging from traditional Confucian beliefs in social harmony to the assumed social norms of not interfering with other people's businesses.ConclusionDomestic violence corrupts public health and social stability. Our study found that dismissing domestic violence cases as “family affairs” is an incremental reason why China's domestic violence research is scarce and awareness is low. In light of the government's voiced support for women's rights, we call for the Chinese government to develop effective interventions to timely and effectively address the domestic violence epidemic in China.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.795841/fulldomestic violenceCOVID-19chinafamily affairspublic healthinterventions |
| spellingShingle | Zhaohui Su Dean McDonnell Ali Cheshmehzangi Ali Cheshmehzangi Junaid Ahmad Hengcai Chen Sabina Šegalo Yuyang Cai Yuyang Cai What “Family Affair?” Domestic Violence Awareness in China Frontiers in Public Health domestic violence COVID-19 china family affairs public health interventions |
| title | What “Family Affair?” Domestic Violence Awareness in China |
| title_full | What “Family Affair?” Domestic Violence Awareness in China |
| title_fullStr | What “Family Affair?” Domestic Violence Awareness in China |
| title_full_unstemmed | What “Family Affair?” Domestic Violence Awareness in China |
| title_short | What “Family Affair?” Domestic Violence Awareness in China |
| title_sort | what family affair domestic violence awareness in china |
| topic | domestic violence COVID-19 china family affairs public health interventions |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.795841/full |
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