Dobash and Dobash: Domestic Violence and Power in the Family

Russell and Rebecca Dobash’s classic research into domestic violence (first published in 1979) was one of the first major sociological studies to take the issue seriously. Their work highlighted how domestic violence is not simply an individual problem, but is rooted in wider patriarchal structures that shape family life and gender relations.

Methodology

Dobash and Dobash used a qualitative research design, conducting in-depth, unstructured interviews with women living in refuges in Scotland who had experienced domestic abuse from their male partners. This method gave women the opportunity to describe their experiences in their own words, providing rich and detailed accounts of abuse. While the sample focused only on women in refuges (meaning it excluded men and women who had not sought help), this approach revealed important insights into the scale and nature of violence within families.

Findings and Examples

The study found that domestic violence was widespread and systematic, rather than isolated incidents. Many women reported that abuse often began or escalated after marriage, suggesting that the institution of marriage itself can reinforce male power and control. A common trigger for violence was when husbands felt their authority was being challenged – for example, if women questioned their decisions, argued back, or failed to meet expectations around housework and childcare.

Dobash and Dobash argued that domestic violence is a way for men to assert dominance and maintain control within the household. They showed that violence was often legitimised by cultural values that stressed male authority and female subordination. For instance, some women reported that their partners justified violence as “discipline” or as a response to women not fulfilling traditional roles.

The study also revealed the severe emotional and physical impacts of abuse. Many women suffered long-term trauma, loss of confidence, and social isolation as a result of their experiences. Importantly, Dobash and Dobash demonstrated that the family – often idealised by functionalists as a safe and supportive institution – could be a site of fear and oppression for women.

Conclusion

Dobash and Dobash’s research was groundbreaking in bringing domestic violence into sociological debate and challenging the idea of the family as a private and harmonious institution. Their work supports feminist arguments that domestic violence is rooted in patriarchy and the unequal distribution of power between men and women. It also laid the foundation for later sociological research and policy changes recognising domestic abuse as a serious social problem.

You can download a PPT on the work of Dobash and Dobash below: