Public opinion data analyzed by the University of Amsterdam and Tilburg University reveals a slight increase in the percentage of Dutch adults who believe it is justifiable for a man to strike his woman partner. Released as part of the World Values Survey 2026, the findings track responses from 2,500 Dutch adults over the age of eighteen and show a downward trend in domestic violence resistance since measurements began in 2012.
Decline in Resistance to Domestic Violence Since 2012
The resistance among respondents to the idea that hitting a wife can ever be justified has dropped over the past decade and a half. In 2012, 88 percent of surveyed individuals stated that such acts were never justifiable, a figure that shifted to 87 percent by 2022 and dropped further to just over 84 percent by 2026. UvA-onderzoeker Mark Boukes noted that the overall tendency remains consistent, pointing to a measurable erosion in public rejection of partner violence.
Demographic factors influence these shifting perspectives, with the data showing divides across age groups and financial backgrounds. Younger adults display less frequent condemnation of domestic violence compared to older demographics. Meanwhile, financial stability correlates with progressive viewpoints on gender roles, though researchers emphasize this connection only holds when individuals perceive their own financial situation as stable.
Did You Know? The analysis draws on the Dutch segment of the World Values Survey 2026, combining current responses from 2,500 adult participants with historical tracking data collected by researchers since 2012.
Shifting Economic Attitudes and Public Safety Concerns
Alongside physical violence acceptance, public views regarding the gender wage gap have also experienced a regression compared to prior polling. A growing segment of the Dutch population now views it as problematic if female partners earn more money than their male counterparts. While the study does not publish exact percentages for this specific metric, Boukes confirmed a downward trend in average scores concerning wage equity.
Simultaneously, women across the country report feeling increasingly unsafe, voicing heightened anxieties regarding sexual harassment. The study links this growing sense of vulnerability partly to public reactions following the 2025 murder of 17-year-old Lisa. Researchers attribute these broader shifts in social attitudes to evolving cultural dynamics, including the influence and visibility of the manosphere and broader conservative trends observed across society.
Future Outlook for Emancipation Policy
Looking ahead, researchers are monitoring whether these conservative shifts will solidify into long-term societal changes or remain temporary fluctuations. Historical data shows that public opinions on gender equality have experienced fluctuations in past years. Researchers plead for continued attention to income, traditional role patterns, and the growing feeling of insecurity among women in emancipation policy and public debate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What data source forms the basis of this research?
The findings stem from the Dutch portion of the World Values Survey 2026, which analyzed responses from 2,500 Dutch adults aged 18 and older alongside historical data gathered since 2012 by the Universiteit van Amsterdam and Tilburg University.
How has public opinion regarding physical violence against women changed over time?
The percentage of respondents who believe that hitting a wife is never justifiable dropped from 88 percent in 2012 to 87 percent in 2022, and further declined to just over 84 percent in 2026.
What factors do researchers link to the changing social attitudes?
Researchers point to shifting societal norms, the influence of the manosphere, demographic age differences, perceived financial stability, and heightened public anxiety regarding personal safety and sexual harassment.
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