Women's responses to intimate partner violence in Rwanda: Rethinking agency in constrained social contexts

Abstract

This paper explores instances of agency in women's responses to intimate partner violence (IPV) in Rwanda. The literature on women's responses to IPV conceptualises agency primarily as an individual's capacity to take action by reporting violence or leaving a relationship, obscuring other ways women may respond to violence in contexts where reporting or leaving are unlikely. We aim to replace this narrow conceptualisation of agency with a social constructivist focus on the meanings women attribute to possible IPV responses. We draw on data from a study of IPV in Rwanda, which includes semi-structured interviews with women experiencing violence and four focus group discussions with women community members (n=39).Our findings highlight socio-cultural, economic, political-legal and historical constraints that shape women's actions in this context. In relation to these constraints, women describe four possible responses to IPV: reporting the violence; seeking emotional support; 'fighting back' against violence (including leaving the relationship); or remaining silent. While reporting and leaving violent relationships are identified, women also discuss the social constraints that make these actions extremely difficult in Rwanda. In designing effective strategies, we conclude that public health strategies need to consider women's understandings of their own actions, particularly in social contexts where certain actions may be highly constrained.

Intimate partner violence among pregnant women in Rwanda, its associated risk factors and relationship to ANC services attendance: a population-based study

“…CHWs further encourage families to immunise their children, and to inform about various health matters, such as nutrition and malaria prevention issues. However, lack of associations may also be related to disguising intentions; owing to cultural norms prevailing in Rwanda and stigma associated with violence in the community,46 abused pregnant women may conceal that they are being abused by attending ANC clinics in order to protect their status and family image in the community. Furthermore, local evidence shows that men are ashamed of the violence they perpetrate against women,23 because of its social unacceptability and possible reprimand from authorities and in order to hide it, they may encourage their pregnant wives to attend ANC services so that neighbours, CHWs and local administrative authorities do not discover that their wives are being abused.…”

Shifting Perceptions of Consequences of IPV Among Beneficiaries of Indashyikirwa: An IPV Prevention Program in Rwanda

“…There is evidence in Rwanda suggesting that economic violence where women and children are not provided for is often present in conjunction with other types of IPV (Mannell, Jackson, & Umutoni, 2015;Umubyeyi et al, 2016). There have also been valid concerns that programmes that primarily focus on prevention of physical and sexual IPV may inadvertently shift men towards emotional IPV an alternative means of controlling their partners (Abramsky et al, 2016).…”

“…Women were most likely to agree a man is justified to beat his wife if she neglects the children (29%), refuses to have sexual intercourse with him (24%), or goes out without telling him (22%), and in some circumstances, were more likely to agree with such justifications than men (DHS, 2015). Women's acceptance of IPV may reflect substantial gender power imbalances (Alio et al, 2014) and can prevent women from reporting IPV (Rani, Bonu, & Diop-Sidibe, 2004;Mannell, Jackson, & Umutoni, 2015). Other identified barriers to Rwandan women reporting IPV are fear of retaliation from their partner, humiliation, shame, and financial dependency on their partner (Kubai & Alhberg, 2013;Mannell, Jackson, & Umutoni, 2015;Umubyeyi et al, 2016).…”

“…Women's acceptance of IPV may reflect substantial gender power imbalances (Alio et al, 2014) and can prevent women from reporting IPV (Rani, Bonu, & Diop-Sidibe, 2004;Mannell, Jackson, & Umutoni, 2015). Other identified barriers to Rwandan women reporting IPV are fear of retaliation from their partner, humiliation, shame, and financial dependency on their partner (Kubai & Alhberg, 2013;Mannell, Jackson, & Umutoni, 2015;Umubyeyi et al, 2016). Only legally married women are guaranteed rights to property and custody in the case of divorce, which can hinder the ability of informally married women to leave abusive relationships (Powley, 2007).…”

“…Such gender transformative educational approaches including Stepping Stones, Program H, Men as Partners, have promisingly reported changes in attitudes related to IPV and in self-reported use of IPV (Jewkes et al, 2008;Slegh et al, 2013). Attitudes towards IPV are critical to address as acceptance of IPV can hinder women's reporting or leaving a violent relationship (Mannell, Jackson, & Umutoni, 2015), and help justify and maintain ongoing abuse in relationships. This paper reviews how a curriculum with couples and opinion leaders, which sought to raise awareness of the diverse consequences of IPV while simultaneously promoting the benefits of equitable, non-violent intimate relationships, influenced beneficiaries' perceptions of IPV including associated costs and consequences.…”