Culture and Public Support for Violence Against Children in Six Nations

Abstract

This study explores the link between culture and support for violence against children in six South Asian (Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan) and European (Germany, Netherlands, and Sweden) countries. Utilizing data from the World Values Survey, it tests three hypotheses based on modernization theory. Results reveal that various measures of secularism are negatively associated with support for violence against children. For instance, individuals not affiliated with any religious organizations are more inclined to reject such violence. Similarly, belief that God is not important in life and respect for authority is a bad thing are linked to reduced support for violence against children. Moreover, post-materialist values show a negative correlation with violence. However, there is also evidence of rejection of violence against children among adherents of traditional values. The study does not discern a consistent cross-cultural pattern of association, suggesting that the spillover effects of secular value orientations are more complex than initially expected.