Research on Gender-based Violence and Masculinities in China: Quantitative Findings

This study was led by UNFPA China with technical support from Partners for Prevention (P4P), a UNDP, UNFPA, UN Women and UNV Asia-Pacific Regional Joint Programme for Gender-based Violence Prevention. The study is part of P4P’s Asia and the Pacific regional research project, UN Multi-country Study on Men and Violence: Understanding gender, masculinities and power to prevent gender-based violence (GBV), which is being conducted in six countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

The objectives of this study were:

• to provide data on the prevalence and incidence of different types of GBV both within and outside of intimate relationships;

• to deepen the understanding of men’s and women’s underlying attitudes and behaviours related to masculinity, gender equality, fatherhood, sexuality and GBV in China and their institutional framework;

• to understand risks and protective factors associated with violence perpetration and victimization; and

• to provide policy and programme recommendations on the prevention of GBV, in

particular on the involvement of boys and men in the promotion of gender equality and stopping violence before it occurs in the Chinese context.

This survey was conducted in Eixian1 county in May 2011, and included both small towns and a large rural area. Data was collected through a multi-stage random sampling strategy. With an 84 percent response rate, 1,103 women and 1,017 men aged 18-49 years completed the female and male questionnaires.

With the vital support of the local organizations at the study site, the Institute of Sexuality and Gender Studies at the Beijing Forestry University and the Anti-Domestic Violence Network of China jointly conducted this research.