An overlooked minority: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) on men in Pretoria, South Africa.

Abstract

Intimate partner violence against women is well documented, while for decades very little research has been done on intimate partner violence against men in Africa and particularly in South Africa. This study sought to study men’s experiences of this phenomenon and to develop policy guidelines to support male victims of intimate partner violence perpetrated by their female partners. In order to better intimate partner violence against men the study draws on both qualitative and quantitative data. The study used a mix of methods to shed insights on this phenomenon. The qualitative data was gathered through in-depth interviews with men who once experienced abuse by their intimate partners while the quantitative data was gathered through a survey. The quantitative study came from a sample of 350 men, aged between 18 to 60 years, using a survey probability sampling method. The study also sampled 10 men between the ages of 18-50 years who were the victims of IPV and four key informants who are working for SAMAG. Ten men who were victims of IPV were identified using purposive sampling through SAMAG organisation because the researcher did not know the victims. In addition, the study conducted an in-depth literature review and document analysis which formed part of the qualitative content analysis. The specific objectives of this study are to ascertain the types and extent of intimate partner violence against men as well as factors facilitating and inhibiting violence against men in intimate relationships. To understand intimate partner violence the theoretical framework that underpinned the study was the social construction theory, the theory of planned behaviour, the social learning theory and the feminist theory. According to this theories, human reality is greatly influenced, understood, and experienced through cultural, behaviours and social norms. This constructed realities generally sets parameters on notions of biology, gender, sexuality and behaviours. The study revealed that men could not differentiate between gender-based violence and intimate partner violence. Men did not associate themselves with these concepts let alone being the victim of abuse. It was also revealed that women are as abusive as men and they used all types of abuse to control their partners. The findings also revealed that females were likely to inflict physical injuries on their male partners. The study revealed that the few men who reported cases of abuse by their intimate partners ended up being not believed by those they trusted with their secret, inevitably becoming a joke in the community. It was revealed that society was not empathetic to men victims of IPV, but always supported women, believing that men cannot be the victims of IPV. Intimate partner violence towards men is a problem that society can be able solve, only if society’s perceptiontowards male victims of IPV can change. For society to solve the issue of intimate partner violence towards men, men require attention and help with recognising abuse earlier so they can cope with the consequences of abuse more effectively. To address the issues that are faced by men, South Africa must have intervention programmes special designed for male victims of IPV. This will ensure that male victims of IPV will be able to talk about their abuse openly and appropriate intervention are designed for men. There must be training programmes for frontline professionals (e.g. police officers, health care workers and non-governmental organisations working on IPV/ GBV issues) and communities at large. There must also be national public awareness campaigns about men abuse and these campaigns must be led by men. Media campaigns should be held to increase awareness of IPV against men and educate society of female-to-male IPV which is equally important. South African government policy on gender-based violence should also include men as they are also the victims of IPV. The patriarchal society in which this nation is founded and socialisation and gender roles in the society make it difficult for men to report abuse hence the culprits are never punished. The study revealed that all GBV institutions managed by the government, services and support were tailor-made for women only while men were on their own. Men felt that they do not have rights in the country. In other words, men felt that there were no government institutions that protect abused men from their abusive intimate partners and nothing that protects men from their women intimate partners. The most crucial avoidance coping strategies spelled out were training of a range of stakeholders for raising awareness of this problem. Society needs education on men abuse; and also, a programme for female perpetrators educating women on men abuse. The study revealed that the reporting of IPV incidents was biased against men and all the government initiative to address the issues on abuse were designed for women only while male victims of abuse were left behind. There is a need for more attention to be focused on the effects of IPV on men. This study will contribute to the limited body of knowledge on IPV against men in South Africa and it will also contribute to the new insights that men are not comfortable to be associated with being the victims of IPV. The study findings will also contribute to the new discourse that men are also victims of IPV and women are also perpetrators of IPV. The study findings will contribute to the discourse that men should also be recognised and acknowledged as victims of intimate partner violence and men should also be provided with IPV services like women and these services should be designed to meet the needs of men.