9 in 10 women in Seoul suffer from dating violence

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Nearly nine in 10 women living in Seoul say they have been abused, physically or psychologically, by their male partners, while dating.

According to a study conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, 1,770 of 2,000 women, or 88.5 percent, said they had been abused by their boyfriends or husbands.

About 24.5 percent of 1,770 respondents, or 434 women, said dating involved psychological abuse, followed by threats (22 percent), and physical violence (10.7 percent). Among those who had experienced physical violence from their partners, 37.4 percent said they had been hospitalized.

A study showed that most dating abuse started within the first year of a romantic relationship. However, the majority of the victims who have experienced physical violence from their boyfriends or husbands reacted passively toward such assaults.

About 46.4 percent of those who had undergone dating abuse said they married their partners, and 17.4 percent of them said that dating abuse had led to domestic violence.

Another 89 percent of 833 married respondents, or 742 women, said they have experienced dating abuse, and 46.4 percent of them married their offenders.

The study also showed offenders not being punished harshly enough.

“The biggest finding was that the victims were unaware of the gravity of dating abuse and could not deal with it properly,” said a Seoul Metropolitan Government official. “Women who had experienced dating abuse were often held captive by domestic violence.”

The city government plans to distribute a manual by the end of February to support victims of dating abuse.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family runs the Women’s Emergency Telephone 1366 (call 02-1366) that provides counseling services to those in need of help.