Gender-based violence is a global public health issue affecting millions of women. Given its high prevalence, analyzing the variables associated with perpetrators' violent behavior is crucial.
What happens in the brains of those who commit it? Which factors are linked to this brain activity? A recent study analyzed the role of oxytocin—a key hormone in empathy—to better understand how different types of perpetrators react to the suffering of others.
The research, led by Agar Marín-Morales (CIMCYC) and a team of researchers from the University of Valencia and Chile, focused on whether oxytocin levels (a neuropeptide involved in empathy) differed in response to others' pain depending on the type of violence committed. Specifically, 31 men convicted of gender-based violence participated in the study: 13 convicted of psychological violence and 18 convicted of physical violence, alongside a control group of 33 men with no criminal record.
To understand this, we can use a simple analogy: empathy acts as an "emotional switch" that flips when we see someone suffer. In most people, this switch triggers responses such as compassion or helping behavior. Oxytocin would be one of the "electrical currents" facilitating that activation. However, in some individuals, this system may operate differently. Specifically, in men convicted of gender-based violence, empathy is a key element in understanding the violence they inflict.
During the study, participants performed a task designed to induce empathy: watching emotionally intense video clips while their salivary oxytocin levels were measured before and after. This type of test allows researchers to observe how the body reacts to the suffering of others in a more objective way than traditional questionnaires.
The results were revealing. While men with no criminal record and psychological abusers showed an increase in oxytocin levels after the task, physical abusers showed the opposite trend: their oxytocin levels decreased. In other words, when facing others' suffering, their "emotional switch" seemed to turn off rather than turn on.
Furthermore, the study found that this lower oxytocin response was associated with a higher risk of recidivism and higher levels of benevolent sexism—that is, seemingly positive beliefs about women that actually reinforce inequality. Combined, these factors predicted lower oxytocin levels in physical abusers.
This finding is particularly relevant because it points to the potential existence of a higher-risk profile: perpetrators who commit physical violence, show a reduced biological empathy response, hold higher levels of sexism, and have a greater likelihood of reoffending. Understanding this combination of factors may be key to identifying which abusers require more intensive or tailored interventions focused on empathy and taking responsibility for the harm caused to victims.
Why is this finding significant? Because it demonstrates that not all men convicted of gender-based violence are the same. Traditionally, many intervention programs treat this population as a homogeneous group. However, these results suggest that perpetrators whose behavior includes physical violence—compared to those who only committed psychological violence—might process others' suffering as irrelevant and face greater difficulties connecting emotionally with the harm they have caused.
This study reinforces the importance of a biopsychosocial approach—combining biological, psychological, and social factors—to understand gender-based violence. Although the findings are preliminary and require further research, they open an important door: tailoring treatment programs based on the perpetrator's profile.
Ultimately, understanding how oxytocin and empathy function across different types of perpetrators, along with the psychosocial risk factors associated with gender-based violence, not only advances scientific knowledge but can also help design more effective interventions. Because, just as we do not all perceive others' suffering in the same way, not everyone requires the same intervention strategies to stop committing violence.
Reference
Marín-Morales, A., Comes-Fayos, J., Riveros Valle, M. E., Lila, M., Romero-Martínez, Á., & Moya-Albiol, L. (2025). Oxytocin Levels in Response to Others’ Suffering According to the Type of Conviction for Intimate Partner Violence Against Women. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605251387722
Contact
Agar Marín-Morales: @email