The Tendency to Make Arrests in Domestic Violence: Perceptions From Police Officers in China

Abstract

The present study examines police officer attitudes and responses to domestic violence on a sample of 520 officers in a southern Chinese city. The police officers were asked to respond to two vignette scenarios depicting husbands assaulting their wives. The results show high correlations between officer responses to the two vignettes: Husbands are much more likely to be arrested than wives. The results of logistic regression analysis reveal that officers who view their profession as that of a law enforcer are more likely to arrest either husbands or wives. Officers who believe domestic violence to be a private matter are less inclined to arrest husbands, while those who hold profeminist attitudes are more inclined to do so. Finally, the implications are considered for further understanding of police responses to domestic violence in the Chinese context.

Correlates of Chinese Police Officer Decision-Making in Cases of Domestic Violence

“…Conversely, police officers were less likely to recommend mediation when they held traditional views of women in Chinese society. This finding may be related to the Confucian philosophy that emphasizes society should rely on hierarchy in human relations, group cohesiveness, and ethical governance (Zhao, Zhang, Zhao, & Wang, 2018). Namely, it is possible that within China, DV is perceived as an interpersonal conflict, and people should turn to morality or ethics for guidance—not the police.…”

“…The research site of the current study was a prefecture city located in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (equivalent to a province) in China (see R. Zhao, Zhang, Yong, & Yao, 2018). The city itself is composed of two core urban districts and two populous counties.…”

“…China remains a traditional male-dominated culture, which has far-reaching implications. The principles of the Confucius doctrine identify the “proper role of Chinese women” and are still followed by many Chinese people (Cao, Yang, Wang, & Zhang, 2014; Teal, 2003; R. Zhao, Zhang, Zhao, & Wang, 2018).…”

“…When I said I wouldn’t discuss it when he was drunk, he started hitting me.” Immediately, the husband says she is lying and tells you angrily, “Our fights are none of your business. She deserved what she got and she knows it too.” (Zhao, Zhang, Yong, & Yao, 2018, p. 4929)…”

Empirical Research on Domestic Violence in Contemporary China: Continuity and Advances

“…Their attitudes and responses on domestic violence cases, however, have rarely been studied in mainland China. By employing similar methods used in the existing literature (Saunders, 1995; Stith, 1990), Zhao et al’s (2018) study revealed that an officer’s likelihood of arresting male offenders was greater compared to arresting female victims. Specifically, officers who viewed their profession as a law enforcer were more likely to arrest either husbands or wives, officers who believed that domestic violence was a private issue were less inclined to arrest the husbands, and those who held profeminist attitudes were more inclined to arrest the husbands.…”