Unmasking The Aggressive Behaviour: A Study on Domestic Abusers in Punjab

Abstract

Domestic violence encompasses various aggressive behaviours, such as harbouring resentment, seeking vengeance, engaging in bullying, displaying sadistic tendencies, and even resorting to murder. These actions infringe upon the rights and societal norms of others, sometimes being subtly disguised, with the perpetrator not fully recognizing their actions. An exploratory study was undertaken involving 100 males from both rural and urban areas of Punjab to delve into this issue. The major goal of this study was to discover persistently aggressive behaviour among male domestic abusers, recognizing it as a root cause of socially unacceptable behaviour. The study included 50 male domestic abusers identified from the family court in Nabha, Punjab and 50 randomly selected non-domestic abusers from Nabha, forming the control group. Each participant was asked to complete an aggression scale and participate in a semi-structured interview. Holding these individuals accountable for a significant cognitive shift in their interpersonal relationships, particularly with their life partners, was a crucial aspect of the study. A t-test was used to examine the difference in aggressiveness levels between male domestic abusers and non-domestic abusers, which revealed significant differences (p<0.05). The results demonstrated that men who engaged in domestic abuse exhibited higher levels of aggression and dominance compared to the control group. This finding underscores the correlation between male aggression and heightened violence directed towards their partners.