Cultural Values and Domestic Violence

ABSTRACT

The value system for defining family violence is frequently based on the cultural beliefs imbedded in mainstream Euro-American values. This paper examines domestic violence from a cross-cultural perspective and evaluates how cultural beliefs and societal rules impact the incidence of family violence as well as the relative acceptability of this form of oppression. In this analysis, Asian, Latino, and African American cultures are examined in light of varying cultural perspectives on family violence.