Can We Target Boys in Intimate Partner Violence Work?
I have gotten a degree in public health for a minute now and I have yet to see a national concerted effort to engage specifically men in gender-based violence work. In fact, most of the work on this issue has centered heavily around women survivors. I understand that women (and sometimes men) need to be provided with the tools and skills necessary to move forward. However, this stance seems very defensive.
What does “Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)” means? According to the CDC, IPV spans along a continuum that include physical violence, sexual violence, and psychological aggression (CDCa, 2014). Twenty-one percent of women and adolescents experiencing IPV are HIV infected, with African American bearing the greatest burden (CDCb, 2014). Dating violence has several repercussions on the lives of youth, with them experiencing anxiety, stress, depression, increase in risky behaviors and suicidal thoughts. It is important to note that these repercussions are similar in adult females, where African Americans have been the most impacted with IPV. HIV infection has also been found to be a by-product of IPV perpetration. In 2010, the rate of new infections among Black women was at least 20 times that of white women and over 4 times that of Latina women. The most common methods of HIV transmission among black women were through heterosexual contacts (CDCb, 2014). It is imperative that IPV be addressed in adolescence as this is a period where gender role differentiation intensifies whereby youth adhere to gendered sexual scripts.
I believe that, much like social scientists, gender is a social construct such that one is not born a man but rather one is made. Social scientists attach themselves to the adage of “men are not born, they are created” (Fleming, Gruskin, Rojo and Dworkin, 2015). Essentially, men are socialized to take on characteristics that their social networks consider manly. This socialization process can often result in violence perpetration.
The cultural expectation of masculinity forces men to behave in two ways:
Reclamation of masculinity by those who do not meet those set standards of masculinity. Essentially, if a man believes that he is not meeting the prescribed gendered role, he may try to solve this problem by overemphasizing his masculinity through violence and aggression. Men who are seen as not prescribing to male gendered roles, those same men are more likely to perform physical violence, harassment of women and sexual coercion. Furthermore, men of color who are further marginalized from structures of powers (which are traditionally occupied by white males) “enact physical signifiers of masculinity”, such as violence, more often (Fleming, Gruskin, Rojo and Dworkin, 2015). Another thing is that male behaviors strongly associated with expectations of masculinity such has having multiple sexual partners, and fighting other men has been tied to IPV. Access to multiple partners ties in with the high rate of HIV transmission among Black women in those relationships.
Discharge of emotion through violence for those who feel the pressure to act masculine (Fleming, Gruskin, Rojo and Dworkin, 2015). In simpler terms, the failure of obtaining safe methods of emotional expression means that the range of emotions that they are forced to keep hidden (i.e., fear, hurt, sadness) build up and transform into rage and hostility (Fleming, Gruskin, Rojo and Dworkin, 2015).
All of this is to say that we need programs that take on a more gender-transformative approach. That means, let’s have an honest look at what we define as “masculinity”. There’s need to be a proactive approach at teaching boys what an equitable relationship looks like. That means emphasizing the freedom of expressing emotions that are typically not tied to men (i.e. fear, sadness, tears, uncertainty, hurt, etc).
We have thousands of programs geared towards the physical, emotional, reproductive/sexual health needs of women. I have yet to see the same effort towards men. They need to be included and targeted if we want to make a dent in issues like gender-based violence.
Renegades, what do you guys think?
1. Fleming P, Gruskin S, Rojo F, Dworkin S. Men’s violence against women and men are inter-related: Recommendations for simultaneous intervention. Social Science & Medicine. 2015;146:249-256. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.10.021.
2. Intimate Partner Violence|Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC. Cdcgov. 2015. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/index.html. Accessed March 17, 2016.
3. Prevention CfDCa. Intersection of Intimate Partner Violence and HIV in Women. 2014; http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/ipv/13_243567_green_aag-a.pdf. Accessed March 23, 2015.
4. Prevention CfDCb. Teen Dating Violence 2014; http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/teen_dating_violence.html Accessed March 23, 2015.
Can We Target Boys in Intimate Partner Violence Work? was originally published on Renegade
