BACKGROUND:
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has enhanced its legal and policy focus on domestic violence (DV) through federal legislation aimed at victim protection and awareness (1). The study aims to explore views of expert stakeholders on DV risk factors, societal impact, and barriers to care.

METHODS:
A qualitative, exploratory design (2) employing semi-structured interviews with nine experts at various levels of engagement with DV, including policymakers, first responders, physicians, and researchers, was followed.

RESULTS:
Emerging key themes included “invisible costs of domestic violence", “intergenerational normalization of violence”, and “the gap between theory and practice in policy modernisation”. While legislation demonstrates political commitment, implementation remains fragmented. Individual organizations provide comprehensive support; however, an integrated system linking health providers, education, social services, police, and legal bodies has yet to be developed. Reporting mechanisms are inadequate, leaving victims unsure where to seek help. Moreover, service provision varies nationally, making referrals challenging and support ad hoc and reliant on personal networks. Cultural framing of DV as a private matter undermines reporting, which often occurs via secondary sources, such as schools, where children's behavioural issues are identified. Lack of reliable national data weakens policy effectiveness. Long-term consequences of internalized violence remain undocumented, with children viewed as indirect victims. Corporal punishment can play a role in normalizing violence, blurring the lines between discipline and abuse. Hence, DV can become generational, with children witnessing aggression and subsequently perpetrating violence themselves. Migrant households remain systematically underrepresented in official data, masking the true scope of the problem.

CONCLUSIONS:
Domestic violence needs to be recognized as a systemic issue rather than mere individual misconduct. Coordinated prevention efforts targeting family dynamics, service integration, and transformation of cultural norms are required. DV policies must consider migrants’ legal vulnerabilities and provide protection mechanisms that do not risk immigration consequences for victims.