Violence in the family is a phenomenon and it belongs to a very sensitive topic that is met with social condemnation. Although it happens every day, in some situations it is covered up or kept silent. Violence happens every day and it is not specific to only one social group, education degree, age or gender. Women, children and elders are more often victims of violent behavior. Any violent behavior is prohibited through legal frameworks of foreign and domestic legislation, but domestic violence is difficult to control because it occurs in one's own home. The most common perpetrators of violence are people who live in the same household with the victim, who know her well and have created a trusting relationship with her. The authors define different types of domestic violence, but they can be summarized to four major categories: physical, psychological, sexual and economic violence. Some authors explicitly emphasize neglect as another category of domestic violence. Children and elderly people are most often exposed to this form of violence. There are various reasons why someone becomes a perpetrator of violence, but one of the most well-known reasons is the intergenerational transmission of violence. A person who was directly or indirectly a victim of violence in childhood can project such behavior into their future relationships in adulthood, considering such behavior to be justified and accepted. In the graduation thesis is used a comparative analysis of statistical data on domestic violence in foreign countries compared to the Republic of Croatia. The results show that in some countries the rate of violence is higher than in others, but that violence occurs in all countries.