International Journal of Gender & Women's Studies

Attribution of Blame to Victim and Attitudes toward Partner Violence: Cross-National Comparisons across the United States, South Africa, and Nigeria
Sunday B. Fakunmoju, Funmi O. Bammeke, Felicia A. D. Oyekanmi, Shahana Rasool, Bukola George, Tom A. Lachiusa

Abstract
Although knowledge about attribution of blame and partner violence has increased over the past decades, comparative knowledge across countries is sparse. This cross-sectional survey examined cross-national differences in attribution of blame and attitudes toward partner violence among 363 respondents in the United States, South Africa, and Nigeria. Results suggest that female respondents were less likely than male respondents to attribute blame to the female victim or endorse partner violence. Respondents in Nigeria were more likely than respondents in the other countries to attribute blame to the female victim. Similarly, respondents in the United States or South Africa were less likely than respondents in Nigeria to endorse partner violence. Age, gender, race, and attitudes toward partner violence were associated with attribution of blame. Country moderated the relation between attitudes toward partner violence and attribution of blame. For respondents in South Africa, high attitudes toward partner violence were related to greater attribution of blame; however, for respondents in the United States there was a much smaller difference in blame attribution between low and high attitudes toward partner violence. In general, findings suggest that differences in gender and country are relevant to understanding blame attribution to female victim and attitudes toward partner violence.

Full Text: PDF      DOI: 10.15640/ijgws.v3n2a7