63% of Polish Women Have Experienced Domestic Violence

63% of Polish Women Have Experienced Domestic Violence

A study commissioned by the Polish government—though still unpublished—reveals that 63% of women in Poland have experienced some form of domestic violence. The report, based on research by the Polish branch of international group Kantar, includes various types of domestic violence: physical, psychological, sexual, and economic. Psychological violence was the most common, affecting 53% of respondents, while 23% reported physical violence. Economic violence affected 13%, and 5% had suffered sexual violence.

The Dangerous Reality of Male-Female Relationships

Women in Poland, like in many other countries, are conditioned from a young age to view relationships and marriage as essential parts of their lives. Yet, the reality of male behavior in relationships is starkly different from the idealized depictions in media and societal expectations. The Kantar report makes it clear: for most women, relationships with men are not about love, support, and mutual respect, but about control, violence, and exploitation.

Over 10% of men in the study expressed deeply troubling views, with some believing that rape within marriage does not exist and that a wife should always agree to her husband’s sexual demands. These attitudes fuel a culture in which men see women as property to be controlled rather than as equal partners. Such beliefs lead directly to the high rates of violence that Polish women face. When men are conditioned to see themselves as entitled to women’s bodies and lives, it is no surprise that domestic violence is so prevalent.

The Myth of “Good Men”

Some might argue that not all men are abusers, and that many are good partners. However, the sheer scale of domestic violence in Poland and the attitudes reflected in the Kantar report show that the problem is widespread and systemic. The myth of the “good man” distracts from the reality that male violence is deeply ingrained in the very structures of relationships between men and women. Even if a minority of men are not violent, the risk is too high for women to gamble their safety on the hope of finding one of these exceptions.

The Kantar study also highlights the fact that violence in Polish households often comes from men in positions of authority. In cases of physical domestic violence, the perpetrators were most commonly fathers (38%), followed by husbands (24%) and other male partners (10%). With sexual violence, 50% of the perpetrators were husbands. These statistics show that women are at risk from men they trust the most—fathers, husbands, and partners. The very men society tells women to rely on for protection and support are often the ones causing them harm.

A Society That Normalizes Violence

Perhaps most disturbing of all is the societal acceptance of violence. The Kantar study found that 13% of men believe that “when it comes to sex, a wife should always agree to what the husband wants,” and 11% believe that “rape in marriage does not exist.” These attitudes create a dangerous environment where violence against women is normalized and even justified.

A further 10% of men and 6% of women believe that violence only counts if there are visible marks on the victim’s body, such as bruises or wounds. This belief trivializes the psychological, emotional, and economic forms of abuse that so many women suffer and makes it harder for victims to seek help. The fact that these attitudes are held by millions of Poles is a clear sign that the problem of domestic violence is deeply rooted in societal norms.

In police interventions for domestic violence in 2018, women were the victims in 74% of cases, while men were the perpetrators in 91% of cases. These figures, coupled with the widespread belief in traditional gender roles that enable violence, show that for many women, relationships with men are dangerous at best and life-threatening at worst.

Time for a New Path

For Polish women, the time has come to reject the false narratives about love, marriage, and relationships with men. The Kantar report makes it clear that male violence is not a fringe issue, but a widespread and deeply entrenched problem. The safest choice for women is to avoid relationships with men altogether.

Women do not need men to complete them. By stepping away from relationships with men, women in Poland can build lives that are centered on their own safety, happiness, and success—free from the threat of violence that comes with traditional male-female dynamics.

Poland is at a turning point, and it is time for women to prioritize their safety above all else. In a society where over 60% of women have experienced domestic violence, it is clear that rejecting relations with males is not just a choice—it is a necessary act of self-preservation. ♀