1.11.3 False Beliefs about Intimate Partner Violence

Many people in society have attitudes and beliefs about intimate partner violence that are false but are used to deny and justify intimate partner violence.

The following examples of false beliefs focus on men as perpetrators of intimate partner violence and women as survivors. Although perpetrators and survivors can be from any gender, these are useful to examine as examples of false beliefs.

Some false beliefs about male intimate partner violence towards women include that:

1. Men are superior to women and have a right to assert their power;

2. Men have a right to discipline women for their behavior;

3. Violence is an acceptable way to resolve conflict in a relationship;

4. In marriage, sexual intercourse is a man’s right;

5. Women should tolerate intimate partner violence to maintain the family unit;

6. Women deserve to be beaten;

7. Sexual activity, including rape, is a sign of masculinity; and

8. Women are responsible for controlling men’s sexual desires.