Clouding the judgment of domestic violence law: victim blaming by institutional stakeholders in Cambodia

This academic article examines the implementation of Cambodia’s 2005 Law on the Prevention of Domestic Violence and the Protection of Victims, focusing on how institutional stakeholders may contribute to victim blaming. Based on research conducted between 2012 and 2014, including interviews with domestic violence survivors, police, legal and health professionals, NGO workers, religious figures, and local authorities, the study explores how women’s emotionality, submissiveness, and decisions to withdraw complaints are portrayed as barriers to justice. The article highlights how structural constraints, limited institutional resources, social expectations, and the emphasis on family reconciliation can affect access to legal protection and potentially reinforce a culture of victim blaming.