In a shocking poll result, it has been found that 4 in 10 young Australian men do not believe punching a woman should be classed as domestic abuse, and 44% of the population don't believe non-consensual sex is rape. The scientific poll was carried out on behalf of the White Ribbon group, an organisation that campaigns to highlight these issues.
While 42% of men aged 18 to 34 didn't think punching a woman was domestic abuse, as many as 50% did not believe that spying on a partner or constantly phoning a partner was a form of domestic abuse either.
In a result that may be surprising to some, many older men regarded the same behaviours as domestic abuse and completely unacceptable.
Executive Director of White Ribbon Australia Brad Chilcott said of the poll findings:
"There is a pervasive blindness to abusive behaviours among young men that is both troubling and dangerous. It just shows that we have such a long way to go in educating men and boys in what constitutes a respectful relationship and appropriate behaviour in our society."
The group also said on twitter:
"The number of people minimising the significance of this research is concerning. One man in our community who believes non-consensual sexual activity, rape, is not domestic violence is too many. We have work to do, and all the whataboutery isn't it."
The number of people minimising the significance of this research is concerning.
— White Ribbon Aus (@WhiteRibbonAust) October 25, 2020
One man in our community who believes non-consensual sexual activity - rape - is not domestic violence is too many.
We have work to do and all the whataboutery isn’t it.https://t.co/Y6JLHa4gE5 pic.twitter.com/Ck6aOLntNW
Australia has comparatively high levels of domestic violence for a Western nation and 1 woman is murdered by their partner each week in the country. The group has now called for more public action and for it to be made clear that these behaviours are entirely unacceptable in a civilized nation.
"We can only create change through a community-led response, mobilising people in our schools and workplaces to reshape understanding of what constitutes a healthy and respectful relationship. We also need men to begin having these conversations with other men. They need to do the hard work of shifting what is accepted male behaviour and what is abuse."
It is clear from these findings that more must be done to change attitudes, it must also be discovered as to why there has been a degrading of attitudes towards women as time has passed.
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