“Maybe She Was Provoked”

Abstract

The current study is concerned with the different types of gender stereotypes that participants may draw upon when exposed to news stories about intimate partner violence (IPV). We qualitatively analyzed open-ended responses examining four types of gender stereotypes-aggression, emotional, power and control, and acceptability of violence. We offer theoretical implications that extend past research on intimate terrorism and situational couple violence, the gender symmetry debate, and how stereotypes are formed. We also discuss practical implications for journalists who write stories about IPV and individuals who provide services to victims and perpetrators.

“No one would ever believe me”: An exploration of the impact of intimate partner violence victimization on men.

“…Women's aggression is often attributed more externally (Scarduzio et al, 2017), due to their more general reluctance to engage in aggressive behavior (e.g., Archer, 2004), and so judgements about women's aggression often require explanation (e.g. provocation; Author, in press), with more contextual factors taken into account .…”

“…Women are less aggressive generally (e.g. see Archer, 2004), which could go part way to explaining why men's violence is often attributed internally, and women's externally (Scarduzio et al, 2017). Indeed, because women are expected to be less aggressive due to the nature of socially constructed gender roles (Seelau et al, 2003), judgements about women's aggression often require explanation (e.g.…”

“Walking on egg shells”: A qualitative examination of men’s experiences of intimate partner violence.

“…Vogel, Heimerdinger-Edwards, Hammer & Hubbard, 2011), and indeed the importance of maintaining a sense of masculinity has been found in the narrative accounts of male victims of IPV (Hogan, 2016). However, public perceptions of IPV are influenced by normative perceptions of masculinity and femininity; men are seen to deviate from the normative understanding of masculinity when they perpetrate aggression towards a woman, but also when they are victim to it (Scarduzio, Carlyle, Harris & Savage, 2017). These perceptions may go some way to explaining why men struggle to identify as victims which in turn influences help-seeking behavior (Machado et al, 2016).…”

Gender-Based Violence Beliefs and Stereotypes: Cross-Cultural Comparison Across Three

“…Studies from the United States (Scarduzio et al, 2016) South Africa (Abrahams et al, 2006) and Nigeria (Kunnuji, 2015) implicate patriarchal structures and ideologies for proviolence attitudes, beliefs, and stereotypes against women. Similar cross-cultural studies (Grandin and Lupri, 1997;Chang, 1999;Yu, 2011;Nguyen et al, 2013) have found differences among countries.…”