A Study on Awareness of Crimes Against Women and Stereotypes About Intimate Partner Violence

This study aims to empirically analyze the relationship between social awareness of crimes against women and stereotypes about intimate partner violence. For this purpose, an online survey was conducted with 304 general citizens, and Propensity Score Matching analysis and regression analysis were used to secure the internal validity of the research. The analysis found that a higher level of awareness of crimes against women is significantly associated with lower levels of stereotypes regarding intimate partner violence. This suggests that recognizing the definition, characteristics, and reality of victimization in crimes against women as a social and structural issue can help dismantle entrenched stereotypes about intimate partner violence (such as blaming the victim and minimizing violence as a private matter) and strengthen prevention capabilities. This study also points out the persistently low reporting rates, ongoing risks of secondary victimization, and the widespread normalization and trivialization of violence in society. Based on these findings, it proposes urgent policy implications, including the need for awareness-raising education, the establishment of victim-centered integrated support systems, and the development of specialized policies and institutional improvements targeting relationship violence. The significance of this research lies in its focus on the serious social problems of gender-based violence and intimate partner violence.