Many folk stories reflect social and cultural attitudes that encourage the abuse of women. In these stories:

• Wife abuse is often justified as proper and correct.
• Men see wife abuse as expected of them.
• Abuse is effective in changing a woman's behavior.
• Abuse compensates for male insecurity.
• Men see themselves as the judge of women's behavior.
• Men are not held accountable for their abusive actions.
• Women generally do not initiate abuse.
• Power and control motivate the abuse of women.
• Physical strength differences favor men.
• There is no typical abusive man.
• Stories of abuse are found in a great many parts of the world, including Russia, China, Italy, England, Vietnam, Germany, and elsewhere.
• Wife batterers may be poor peasants, wealthy merchants, kings, beggars, educated mandarins, landowners, war heroes, and many others.