“When men believe that they are not – or are not perceived to be – “masculine” or “man enough,” they may use intimate partner violence as a way to overcompensate or conform with gendered expectations (Moore and Stuart 2005; Reidy et al. 2014). This dynamic is sometimes called “masculine discrepancy stress” or “gender role stress,” and it may be linked to multiple forms of violence.
A study in India (Krishnan et al. 2010) found that women were more likely to experience intimate partner violence if their husbands’ job stability decreased. A threat to a man’s status as a breadwinner might represent a threat to his masculine identity and thus could prompt violence as a way to regain social status and maintain power structures in the home, particularly if his wife was more securely employed.”
“Multiple studies confirm that rigid norms regarding gender, gender roles, family, and marriage – together with men’s childhood experiences of violence – contribute to men’s use of violence against female partners (Heise 2011; Moore and Stuart 2005; Levtov et al. 2014).
When men adhere more strongly to rigid, inequitable definitions of masculinity, they are more likely to also report perpetrating many forms of intimate partner violence (Barker et al. 2011; Levtov et al. 2014; Fleming et al. 2015).
In some settings, specific norms establish violence as an acceptable gender expression and problem-solving strategy for men, as well as social acceptance of intimate partner violence as a normal part of intimate relationships (Heise 2011).
In many contexts, a man’s use of violence against his wife as a way to control her behavior and reinforce
power structures implicitly or explicitly confers greater social status.”
The study describes comprehensive programs and multiple examples of ways to engage people of all genders in discussions about how traditional gender norms and gender non-conformity are connected with perpetration and experiences of bullying. Initiatives aimed at providing participants with a safe place to practice nonviolent, healthier ways to navigate peer groups and social dynamics incorporate gender-transformative methods to reshape the ways young people negotiate status and gender how they treat others.
Citation
Heilman, B. with Barker, G. (2018). Masculine Norms and Violence: Making the Connections. Washington, DC: Promundo-US. Available at https://promundoglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Masculine-Norms-and-Violence-Making-the-Connection-20180424.pdf.
