A study of primary school children has found the majority believes it is acceptable to hit a woman if there is a good reason.
Most of the 11 and 12-year-old children questioned thought it was wrong to be violent but agreed that if a wife had not made the tea on time it might be acceptable to push her.
In addition, about 80% said that the tea should have been ready and only 20% suggested the husband could have made it himself. Children also said it was justified for a husband to be violent towards his wife if she had an affair.
The study by Nancy Lombard, a lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University, found the majority of the schoolchildren thought it was reasonable for a man to express his dissatisfaction.
She said: “They all said violence was wrong but, when we looked beneath that, they often saw it as justified by the actions of the woman.”
The research involved questionaires and in-depth group discussions with 89 P7 pupils in Glasgow classrooms, and the findings will be discussed at a conference in the city on Wednesday that has been jointly organised by the university and Scottish Women’s Aid.
The children were asked to consider scenarios including the example of “Lizzy and Dave” who live in Glasgow. Dave comes home to find Lizzy has not made the tea because she is only just back from the shops.
Some of the children said Lizzy should have explained why the tea was late but few of them questioned why she was expected to make it.
The study also suggested that girls’ believed they would need to curtail their behaviour and aspirations once married. One girl who took part said: “At the moment I want to be a dancer or a doctor. When I grow up I’m going to have two babies and work part-time in the shop down the road.”
Campaigners have warned that Scotland faces a growing problem with domestic abuse.
The total number of domestic violence incidents recorded in 2008/09 was 53,681, representing an 8% rise on the previous 12 months.
