Men with college degrees are more prone to domestic violence than those without, a study suggests. The survey, conducted by a Catholic domestic violence help center in Daejeon together with Lee Seo-won, a professor of Yonsei University, shows that 25.8 percent of men without college degree and 37.7 percent of men with college degree surveyed had beaten their wives during the last year.

In general, 36.4 percent of men used violence against their wives since they were married, and 33 percent had beaten their wives during the last year. As many as 76 percent abused their wives verbally during the last year, the survey said. In addition, 53.2 percent of men who grew up with fathers who were violent to their mothers tended to be violent to their own wives, almost twice the 28.1 percent whose fathers did not use violence against their wives. Some 42.9 percent of wives who were physically abused by their husbands in turn used violence against their own children, but only 22 percent of wives whose husbands did not abuse them abused their children.

Both findings indicate that violence breeds more violence. "Women who are physically abused by their husbands show extremely strong symptoms of depression, and they do not have a sense of stability about their marriage," Prof. Lee said. "The authorities should come up with concrete and effective countermeasures to prevent domestic violence." The survey was conducted of 466 married men and women over 20 living in Daejeon in last April and May.