Nearly one in three younger Singaporean men either agreed or were neutral when asked if spousal violence could ever be acceptable, according to preliminary survey findings, raising questions about whether more men may not reject the idea of physical abuse in certain circumstances.
The findings from the Gender Norms Perceptions Study were conducted by SG Her Empowerment (SHE), a Singaporean NGO, as reported by Channel NewsAsia (CNA) on Thursday.
Among men born in 1981 or later – the millennial and Gen Z cohorts – 30 per cent either agreed or were neutral when asked whether spousal violence could ever be acceptable, compared with 20 per cent among baby boomer and older men, defined as those born in 1964 or earlier.
The survey found that about 80 per cent of all respondents – both men and women – disagreed that there were situations in which violence by one spouse against another could be acceptable.
The preliminary data was based on a survey of 2,087 Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 15 and above in December.
Among female respondents, attitudes were more consistent across age groups, with fewer than 20 per cent agreeing or expressing neutrality on whether spousal violence was acceptable.