The Need to Develop the Established Theory of Partner Violence Further

Abstract

This chapter opens with a discussion about Johnson’s (2008) concepts of intimate terrorism and situational violence. We found that the majority of the men we interviewed have been subjected to intimate terrorism, which provides the basis for a renewed theorisation of domestic violence. Traditional patriarchal values are not the sole source of such violence. Theories must be expanded to include complex psychological mechanisms and the need for control across genders. The main focus of research within men’s studies to date has been on men as perpetrators; however, our material shows that there is a need for more nuanced research on men as victims to understand masculinity/ies in a contemporary context. It highlights that structural theories about gender must be supplemented with more psychological and phenomenological theories to achieve a greater understanding of domestic violence as a whole.

Prevalence and risk factors of physical violence against husbands: evidence from India

“…Several theories have been discussed in the areas of gender, masculinity, power relations, and its association with spousal violence. Majority of the theories on such violence favoured women (Lien and Lorentzen, 2019;Jungari et al, 2020). In India, laws on spousal violence favour women due to the higher prevalence of women victims.…”

Intimate Partner Violence in a Heterosexual Marriage: Case Study of a Korean Couple

“…The topic of female‐initiated violence in a heterosexual relationship is one of the most sensitive topics in IPV. Research presents that even men who are economically and physically superior can be victims of violence by women (Lien & Lorentzen, 2019), implying that the patriarchal system may not fully explain IPV between different genders. However, regarding empirical research on females physically abusing their partners, there is a paucity of available qualitative research (Allen‐Collinson, 2009).…”