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Attitudes toward Wife Abuse of Police Officers and Judiciary Members in Turkey: Profession, Gender, Ambivalent Sexism and Sex Roles

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Abstract

This study examined the attitudes of police officers and judiciary members toward wife abuse in Turkey and the relation between these attitudes and profession, ambivalent sexism (hostile/benevolent sexism), gender, and gender roles. The following instruments were used for the analyses: The Attitudes Toward Wife Abuse Scale (AWAS), the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI), and the Bem Sex Role Inventory. The participants were 300 police officers and 150 judiciary members selected from different regions of Turkey. Results showed that compared to judiciary members, police officers are more tolerant of physical and verbal abuse of women in marriage, but less tolerant of the idea of the victim leaving an abusive marriage partner. Similarly, men were more tolerant than women of those husbands who physically and verbally abuse their wives, but less supportive of the wife leaving the abusive partner. Profession and ambivalent sexism (hostile/benevolent sexism) were found to be the strongest predictors of attitudes toward wife abuse.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Forensics Sciences, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Campus, 34303, Istanbul, Turkey

    Z. Belma Gölge & Ece Arslanoglu-Çetin

  2. Department of Psychology, Adana Science and Technology University, Ziyapasa Campus, Adana, Turkey

    Yasemin Sanal

  3. Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical Faculty of Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey

    Sunay Yavuz

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  1. Z. Belma Gölge
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  2. Yasemin Sanal
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  3. Sunay Yavuz
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  4. Ece Arslanoglu-Çetin
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Correspondence to Ece Arslanoglu-Çetin.

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Gölge, Z.B., Sanal, Y., Yavuz, S. et al. Attitudes toward Wife Abuse of Police Officers and Judiciary Members in Turkey: Profession, Gender, Ambivalent Sexism and Sex Roles. J Fam Viol 31, 785–796 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-016-9823-1

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