Men choose to use violence as a way of maintaining power and control over women. There are many reasons why men choose to use violence.

The lack of infrastructure and capacity of many Aboriginal communities to effectively respond to patterns of violence contributes to the further growth and development of this emerging culture of violence and its normalization within the community. The continuation of persistent alcohol and drug abuse and the disproportionate incarceration of young Aboriginal men who learn to identify with the belief systems and values of prison gangs and criminal networks, which are then taken back to Aboriginal communities, is the reality.

Other causes of men's violence against aboriginal women include:

• Society permits violence to occur;
• Men's life experience;
• An absence of consequences;
• Men's attitudes and beliefs regarding women; and
• The exercise of "male privilege"