Domestic Violence: A Public Matter

In the last few decades, the recognition of domestic violence as a policy issue haspassed from a feminist demand to a major public issue. This recognition is the resultof ongoing discussions and struggles across Europe. Generally speaking, in today’sEurope, domestic violence is considered a matter of concern for the entirety of soci-ety, a matter in which public intervention is required by states that are supposed toprotect their citizens. This recent recognition has different interpretations across andwithin countries. In this chapter we try to describe and analyze the different repre-sentations of domestic violence for policy purposes in Europe. This chapter sets outto explore the range of interpretations found in six European countries and the EU,and especially their connection to gender equality In the last few decades, the recognition of domestic violence as a policy issue has passed from a feminist demand to a major public issue. This recognition is the result of ongoing discussions and struggles across Europe. Generally speaking, in today’s Europe, domestic violence is considered a matter of concern for the entirety of society, a matter in which public intervention is required by states that are supposed to protect their citizens. This recent recognition has different interpretations across and within countries. In this chapter we try to describe and analyze the different representations of domestic violence for policy purposes in Europe. This chapter sets out to explore the range of interpretations found in six European countries and the EU, and especially their connection to gender equality.