The impact of gender-related stereotypes on intimate partner violence in the South Caucasus: Comparative study of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia

Abstract: The main aim of the given thesis is to investigate the impact of gender-based stereotypes and public opinion on intimate partner violence in the South Caucasus and offer the reader recommendations to change the existing alarming situation. As a theoretical background of the study, Patriarchy theory and General Systems theory will be used based on which the influences of stereotypes on the intimate partner violence in the region will be explained. While following study covers 3 countries, the cross-cultural comparison and content analysis will be used as methodological tools. The findings show that in three of the countries -Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia traditional gender-based attitudes shape the main behavioral patterns of perpetrators and victims. The intervention of western European states and increasing public awareness seems to be the most appropriate solution of the existing situation.