There are a lot of topics were the scientific standpoint of an issue is pretty clear, but the public opinion is to a large degree different. Examples are evolution, climat change or the safety of GMO.

At least, there is a large percentage of people who know the science on those issues. That is not really the case, if it comes to near gender symmetry in domestic violence. (I have to admit, that is just how I perceive it)

The evidence

There is a huge body of evidence for gender symetry in intimate partner violence(IPV). A Bibliography with all the studies done by Dr. Martin Fiebert examines 343 scholary invetigations with an sample size over 440'850 people.

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12119-013-9194-1

An accesable bibliography (older) can be found here:

http://www.csulb.edu/~mfiebert/assault.htm

Reasons it isn't widely known

An other pioner on IPV is Dr. Murray Straus, he has made a list of reasons why this is the case:

Method 1: Conceal the Evidence

Women on men violence isn't included in the final publication, even if the findings are there.

Method 2: Avoid Obtaining Evidence on Female Perpetration

There ar multiple surveys that just examine male on female violence.

Method 3: Selective Citation of Research

Large organizations as the World Health Organization or the U.S. National Institute of Justice only city studies that look for male perpetrators and female vitims.

Method 4: State Conclusions ThatContradict the Data

Multiple Studies conclude statements that contradict it's own findings. Quote:

"The article by DeKesseredy et al. (1997) described in the earlier section on self-defense concludes that PV by women is primarily an act of self-defense, but their data show that only 6.9% of the women acted in self-defense."

Method 5: Block Publication of Articles That Report Gender Symmetry

This is mostly due to self-censorship by authors because they fear rejection of their article or that it will undermine their reputation if they report gender symmetry.

Method 6: Prevent Funding of Research to Investigate Female Partner Violence

Quote:

"In December 2005. the National Institute of Justice invited grant proposals to investigate PV and sexual violence. It stated that studies involving men victims are not eligible for funding."

Method 7: Harass, Threaten, or PenalizeResearchers Who Publish Evidence on Gender Symmetry

Straus himself and others were subject to harassment and threats due to publishing articles related to gender symmetry.

The threats escalated to include bomb threats to Susan Steinmetz's (known for The Battered Husband Syndrome) daughters wedding.

http://pubpages.unh.edu/~mas2/V71-Straus_Thirty-Years-Denying-Evidence-PV_10.pdf