Domestic violence in Cambodia takes place within a complex web of attitudes and values around gender roles, social relations and violence in general. Even though a wide range of donors, government agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have worked intensely to reduce domestic violence the situation has not improved significantly. The study examines current levels of domestic violence as well as the attitudes and impacts linked to this problem. It also explores elements of this situation which include women's acceptance of violence, views of domestic violence as a private, family matter, and the disproportionate impact of violence on the poor.

Key findings on attitudes include:
:- Broad acceptance that a wife challenging her husband's dominance can justify violence, even acts of extreme violence leading to death.
:- Women were more accepting of experiencing violence than men.
:- Lack of law enforcement was cited as a major influence on men's violent attitudes toward women.

Another significant influence is male peer pressure.
The resource includes the methodology used as well as survey questionnaires. The study delivers baseline data on attitudes and the prevalence of domestic violence to help monitor progress on the Cambodian government's Millennium Development Goals. Around 64 percent of the sample knew a husband who acted violently toward his wife, and 22.5 percent of the female respondents had suffered violence from their husbands. Twelve percent of men also said that their wives had acted violently toward them. The study focuses on factors that have serious implications for programming and interventions and aims to help the government formulate policy positions and develop strategies for promoting gender equality.