Although Poles declaratively condemn violence, the reality is far more complex. The study „Social attitudes, beliefs and reactions to violence in close relationships”, conducted by the Experience Institute on behalf of the Feminoteka Foundation and Warner Bros., reveals troubling patterns of thinking that sustain violence and make it harder for victims to seek help.
More than one in three men shifts the blame for violence onto the woman
As many as 39% of men in Poland believe that a woman bears partial responsibility for a sexual assault if she was under the influence of alcohol or intoxicants at the time of the incident. Among women, 19% share this view. This is not a matter of ignorance — it is an active shifting of responsibility from the perpetrator to the victim, with real consequences for people seeking help.
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If you are experiencing violence or know someone in such a situation, call the National Helpline for Victims of Domestic Violence. Specialists are available Monday to Friday, 11:00–19:00.
We don't know what consent to sex means
One in five people does not regard forced intercourse within marriage as sexual violence. Among men this proportion reaches 25%, among women — 16%. The lack of sex education on informed consent translates directly into real harm — and into real barriers to seeking help for those who need it.
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Particularly worrying is that almost one in four men in Poland does not understand that sex without consent is rape — regardless of whether the parties are in a relationship, married, or have had sex before. This gap in knowledge has direct legal and social consequences.
Post-separation violence — the most dangerous moment
49% of people who have divorced and 34% of widows and widowers report having experienced violence, compared with 22% of people in active marriages. Leaving the perpetrator is statistically the most dangerous moment for a person experiencing violence.
Research by Jacquelyn Campbell confirms that the risk of escalation of violence — including violence involving a dangerous weapon — increases several-fold precisely at the moment of separation or an attempt to separate. This is why planning a safe exit requires specialist support.
The study „Social attitudes, beliefs and reactions to violence in close relationships” was carried out by the Experience Institute on behalf of the Feminoteka Foundation and Warner Bros. The results are based on a representative sample of adult Poles.