Unreported cases of domestic violence against women: towards an epidemiology of social silence, tolerance, and inhibition

摘要

Data from different surveys indicate a high prevalence of domestic violence against women in all societies. In western countries it is estimated that about 25% of women experience intimate partner violence over their lifetimes. However, prevalence data show only one side of the problem: the seriousness of the problem in terms of how widespread it is in our societies. Another side of the problem, one that has received less attention, is that most of the cases of domestic violence are unreported. That is, reported cases of domestic violence against women represent only a very small part of the problem when compared with prevalence data. This part of the problem is also known as the "iceberg" of domestic violence. An image where reported cases of domestic violence against women (usually the most severe end of violence) and homicide of women by their intimate partners represents only the tip of the iceberg. According to this metaphor, most of the cases are submerged, allegedly invisible to society.