Police attitudes toward domestic violence: Proposal of an assessment questionnaire

Abstract

Domestic violence (DV) is a problem of global concern, widely recognized as a public health issue. There are still many bias and gender stereotypes associated with this phenomenon, particularly when occurring between same-sex partners and against men. As the first official authorities answering to DV situations, police officers play a crucial role in the support for victims of DV. Police attitudes and their perceptions and responses to DV are very important in promoting a sense of security and well-being in victims seeking assistance and protection from DV. The police attitudes toward DV also determine the availability of the victims to seek help from this formal source. Regardless of all the DV studies available in literature, few researches have focused on the role of gender stereotypes affecting police attitudes in response to DV, either through the support provided to the victims or in relation to the victims’ complaints. Knowledge of police attitudes in response to DV can contribute to better inform policymaking practice. This chapter aims to analyse and discuss the traditional beliefs and gender stereotypes underlying police attitudes associated with DV. An assessment questionnaire is proposed as a result. The chapter ends with considerations encompassing DV prevention and intervention programs, highlighting the importance of the police authorities in adopting proactive and supportive attitudes in the response of DV victims.