BlondeAmber (Ireland)

Victims of domestic violence can be both men and women. The problem is the stigma attached which makes men more reluctant to do anything about it, but it in no way lessens the seriousness of the problem. There is no excuse for a person to hit their spouse for any reason. Ever. However, it is true that male domestic violence is less prevalent and less acknowledged.

Short amount of time between meeting a person and marrying them is worryingly short for many couples in China due to cultural pressures. Lack of compatibility and poor social skills are a contributing factor to many instances of domestic violence. When the main criteria for getting married for a man is 'a beautiful girl', and for a girl (I hesitate to use the word 'woman' when talking about the emotional maturity of many of them), is a 'rich and handsome' man, it is clear that very little focus is on maturity and ability to deal with problems in a responsible way.

Wearing a wedding dress which appears tainted with blood and holding a board which reads in Chinese "No domestic violence, no harm", a woman calls for end to domestic violence in Shenzhen, Dec 10, 2014. [Photo/CFP]