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Domestic violence between married couples on the rise
Study finds 1 in 6 married couples reported abuse last year, with increases the highest for defectors and multiethnic families

» This graph shows the rate of domestic violence in eight countries and the year in which the data was collected, from the top: Bangladesh (2001), South Korea (2010), Thailand (2000), Turkey (2008), Australia (2003), Japan (2001) United Kingdom (2007) United States (2000).

By Lee Seung-jun

Physical violence between spouses occurred on at least one occasion during the past year for one out of every six married couples under the age of 65, a Ministry of Gender Equality and Family-commissioned study reports. The study also showed a major increase in the rate of spousal violence due to economic issues compared to three years prior.

The ministry on Tuesday announced the findings of its 2010 study on domestic violence nationwide. The study, which was conducted by the Yonsei University Graduate School of Social Welfare at the ministry's behest, examined 3,800 households across the country with spouses under the age of 65.

The findings showed a rate of physical violence between spouses of 16.7 percent over the past year, or roughly one out of every six couples examined. This marked a 5.1 percentage point increase over the 11.6 percent rate found in a 2007 study.

In particular, the rate of physical violence perpetrated by husbands against wives stood at 15.3 percent, more than five times higher than the 2007 rate in Great Britain (3 percent) and the 2001 rate in Japan (also 3 percent).

The study also showed a 53.8 percent rate of total violence between spouses, including physical, emotional and economic violence as well as sexual abuse and neglect. This represented a 13.5 percentage point increase from the 40.3 percent rate found in the study three years before.

Analysts said that economic uncertainty was a factor in the increase in physical abuse between spouses compared to 2007.

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