Alarming study reveals one-third of German men accept violence against women

A recent survey conducted in Germany has sent shockwaves through society, revealing that one-third of young men in the country believe that violence against women is acceptable. 

The study, commissioned by children's charity Plan International Germany, has sparked outrage among gender equality campaigners. The findings were published in the regional newspaper Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung and were based on responses from 1,000 men and 1,000 women aged 18 to 35 across Germany. Participants were asked to share their perspectives on masculinity through an online survey.

Disturbingly, 34% of men within the surveyed age group admitted to having been violent towards their female partners in the past, claiming that it was a means to "instil respect."

Additionally, 33% of men stated that they believed it was acceptable if their "hand slipped" during arguments with their partners. The survey also explored attitudes towards victim-blaming and double standards, revealing that 50% of men expressed reluctance to enter a relationship with a woman who had multiple sexual partners, a sentiment shared by 20% of the women surveyed.

Furthermore, the study highlighted significant disparities in expectations within relationships between men and women. More than half of the men (52%) expressed a desire for a traditional "breadwinner-housewife model," where they would primarily contribute financially to the household while women would assume responsibilities for childcare and household tasks. In contrast, over two-thirds of the women interviewed expressed a preference for equal partnerships and shared decision-making.

The survey also shed light on the issue of homophobia, with 48% of respondents expressing their discomfort with public displays of homosexuality, stating that such displays left them feeling "disturbed." These findings were met with shock and concern from various organizations advocating for gender equality. The Federal Organization for Equality, a German group, took to Twitter to express their dismay, stating that the survey results were "shocking" and called for urgent change.

Karsten Kassner, representing the Federal Forum Men, a group advocating for gender equality, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the problematic nature of one-third of surveyed men trivializing physical violence against women.

The study's findings come in the wake of alarming statistics from Germany's Federal Criminal Police, which reported that 115,000 women in Germany fell victim to partner violence in 2021. Moreover, Germany has experienced high rates of femicide in Europe, a problem that was further exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, as indicated by data from the Federal Criminal Police.

The revelations of the survey underscore the pressing need for concerted efforts to address and challenge the underlying attitudes and beliefs contributing to violence against women, promoting gender equality, and fostering a society that respects and values the safety and well-being of all individuals.