Gender-Based Violence Concerns, Trust in Police and Support for Defunding the Police

Abstract Public opinion research has yet to fully consider the various contexts in which people evaluate calls to defund the police and how those contexts may relate to or interact with popular constructs like trust in police. Because Americans are socialized to view police as the primary response to gender-based violence, people concerned about gender-based violence may perceive that defunding would negatively impact responses to this issue. Using a national sample, this study examined whether: (1) gender-based violence concerns predict defunding attitudes and (2) trust in police moderates the relationship between gender-based violence concerns and defunding attitudes. Results provided qualified support for both hypotheses while highlighting the need for additional research.