This article draws on findings from the State of the World’s Fathers 2015 report to illustrate the ways in which fathers’ involvement in caregiving for children is associated with less household violence. The article highlights findings from a study in Norway, which is one of the studies reviewed in the report. According to the article, the study found that “the incidence of violence against women or children in equitable homes is three times lower than households where fathers dominate.”
The article also discusses high levels of violence against women and children in South Africa, which the author links to the legacy of apartheid, in which state-sanctioned violence and exploitation against black men was normalized. The article concludes with some examples of work underway in South Africa to increase fathers’ involvement in caregiving and reduce violence against children. “Working with men and fathers to challenge harmful beliefs around men, masculinity, and caregiving offers unique opportunities to address intimate partner violence and violence against children,” says the article. “It will also break the intergenerational cycle of violence.”