Associations between Chinese Stakeholders' Life Experiences and Professional Perceptions of Domestic Violence

Background and Purpose: With growing attention to the problem of domestic violence (DV) in China, researchers are increasingly interested in understanding the perceptions of vital stakeholders, including helping professionals and those in criminal justice. An important step in investigating stakeholders’ perceptions is to gain knowledge about such stakeholders’ viewpoints of DV as operationalized by their (a) definitions of DV, (b) attitudes toward DV, and (c) perceptions of DV policing. This study posited these three perceptions as outcomes and explored how individual experiences with (a) DV perpetration and (b) DV victimization might be associated. This study thus facilitated an understanding into whether life experiences matter for the perceptions of Chinese stakeholders’ who professionally intersect with DV.

Methods: This study used 2018 data from 683 Chinese DV stakeholders in (a) the Women’s Federation, (b) prosecutors’ offices, (c) court systems, and (d) the police force in Guangdong province. Data were collected using self-report surveys. The dependent variables were composites from the seven sub-scales within “DV Definitions” (Physical, Psychological), “DV Attitudes” (Approval, Disapproval), and “DV Policing” (Tolerant, Conservative, Progressive). The independent variable was a categorical variable based on respondents’ answers to 23 perpetration items and 15 victimization items: (a) victim of DV, (b) perpetrator of DV, (c) both, or (d) neither (reference). The primary analyses were seven multivariable linear regressions that also included seven demographic and professional covariates.

Results: The sample had a mean age of 36.1 years, a mean employment of 13.3 years, was 59.5% female, 83.7% had a higher education degree. All seven of the multivariable models were statistically significant (p<.001) with R² values ranging from .09 to .23. Relative to the “neither” category, being a victim was associated with having a more positive view of conservative DV policing (p=.020). Being a perpetrator was associated with (a) less correct definitions of physical DV (p=.033), (b) higher approval of DV (p=.003) and (c) higher disapproval of DV (p=.002), and (d) approval of conservative DV policing (p=.015). Finally, having experienced both victimization and perpetration was associated with (a) less correct definitions of psychological DV (p=.002), (b) higher approval of DV (p<.001), (c) approval of tolerant DV policing (p<.001), and (d) approval of conservative DV policing (p=.007). None of the three groups with DV experiences held more progressive DV policing beliefs.

Conclusions and Implications: This study examined Chinese DV stakeholders’ perceptions relative to their life experiences as a DV victim or perpetrator. Interestingly, the victim only group did not have more correct definitions, more disapproval, or stronger beliefs about DV policing. Such findings suggests that in the Chinese context, stakeholders’ life experiences may not matter as much as other factors (e.g., culture and community norms) in their perceptions of DV. Overall, this presentation will present these novel results while considering norms about family and violence in China and will discuss implications for DV practice and policy in China, as well as for future global DV research. This work fills a need in the “Asian and Asian-Pacific Islander-Focused Research” and “Violence against Women” SSWR clusters.