Help-Seeking Within the Context of Patriarchy for Domestic Violence in Urban Uganda

Abstract

This study in urban Kampala contributes to a growing evidence base about the complex contexts within which women make decisions about reporting domestic violence. Based on an intersecting theoretical lens of structural violence, power, and the body, findings suggested that women reported to formal structures primarily for severe physical or economic abuse. Women did not report less severe abuse, and often abandoned reporting even severe abuse, because of the overarching structural patriarchy and violence that exists, as well as women’s habitus that includes the embodiment of social norms that sanction reporting. Yet, while overwhelmingly women are discouraged from reporting domestic abuse, there were important signs of change.

An examination of physical violence against women and its justification in development settings in Uganda

“…This paper demonstrates the multiple factors that justify violence against women, including the socio-demographic and attitudinal factors that support physical violence against women [ 20 , 24 , 41 ]. The study describes several socio demographic factors that are associated with justification of violence against women including marital status, employment status and educational attainment [ 23 , 44 , 45 , 72 ].…”

“…This is in line with the findings of Uthman and colleagues who found that respondents who were currently married from Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe were less likely to justify IPV than those never married [ 47 ]. This is an indication of contestation of hegemonic masculinity [ 33 ] and hegemonic femininity [ 24 , 41 , 73 ]. These findings may be a reflection of norms shifting–which corroborates with findings from the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, that show a decrease in acceptance of violence from 77% to 49% of women and from 64% to 41% of men between 2000/2001 and 2016 [ 74 ].…”

“…A recent study reports that tolerance of violence is likely to be higher among people of low-socio-economic status, less education [ 21 ] and unemployed people [ 22 , 23 ]. Socially, violence may be acceptable for many reasons including social norms [ 24 ], support for patriarchy or male dominance [ 25 ] or controlling behaviors [ 26 , 27 ]. In addition, violence is more likely to occur in relationships that have a prior incident of violence [ 28 ], unequal power sharing [ 29 ], being poor [ 30 , 31 ], or a past experience of conflict in couples or families [ 32 ].…”

“…Many descriptions of hegemonic masculinity exist; all point to the notion that it involves a specific strategy for the subordination of women [ 33 – 36 ]. It has been argued that hegemonic masculinity contributes to sustaining hierarchical gender relations between men and women, allowing such relations to be perceived as normal and legitimate [ 24 , 33 ]. Connell and Messerschmidt (2005) further argue that hegemonic masculinity reflects a pattern of a relationship and legitimates unequal gender relations in context-specific ways [ 36 ].…”

“…Some authors have argued that positive masculinity is an alternative to hegemonic masculinity. Positive masculinity supports alternative norms and behaviors that are opposed to gender inequality and the subordination of women [ 24 , 38 , 41 ].…”