An Explorative Study of Men’s Masculinity Constructions and Proximity to Violence against Women.

Peter Martin Jansson,Christian Kullberg

doi:10.17583/mcs.2020.5481

Peter Martin Jansson, Christian Kullberg

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.17583/mcs.2020.5481

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Abstract

This explorative study aimed to develop an understanding of how a sample of two groups of men, considered to be situated at different ends of Connell’s masculinity continuum, construct their masculinity, and how these constructions relate to their proximity to violence against women (VAW). One group consisted of five men incarcerated for violent crimes (MIVC) that had previously used VAW. The other included five participants in the pro-feminist group Men Against Violence (MAV), without prior VAW. An abductive approach, using qualitative interviews, was employed. Results show that the MIVC participants appeared ambivalent, unreflective, and inconsistent in their masculinity constructions, and used VAW as part of their problem-solving repertoire. The MAV participants appeared to have a reflexive stance towards gender equality and consistently adopted inclusive ways of enacting masculinity and preventing VAW. The study can only provide some support to the postulated relationship between men’s masculinity positions and their attitudes toward VAW.

Highlights

This explorative study aimed to develop an understanding of how a sample of two groups of men, considered to be situated at different ends of Connell’s masculinity continuum, construct their masculinity, and how these constructions relate to their proximity to violence against women (VAW)
One way to better understand if and how such attitudes are associated with violent behaviours is to investigate whether they are distributed differently between men situated at different ends of Connell’s masculinity continuum (1995), with men known to be violent at one end, and men known to take a stand against VAW at the other end (Kelly, 1987)
General expectations of you as a man Having a job, earning money and being a breadwinner We decide together but concerning money I let my female partner decide Changing masculinities It’s ok being equal To what extent do you refrain from controlling your women? Can a man’s violence against a female partner be justifiably? What should be considered as partner violence? The boundary between persuasion and abuse Intervening in men’s VAW

Summary

Introduction

This explorative study aimed to develop an understanding of how a sample of two groups of men, considered to be situated at different ends of Connell’s masculinity continuum, construct their masculinity, and how these constructions relate to their proximity to violence against women (VAW). Kaufman (1987) uses the concept “the triad of violence” to show that men’s VAW is an inseparable part of the “doing of masculinity,” and of men’s violence against other men and against themselves Scholars such as Kaufman (1987), Connell (1995, 2000), Scheff (2006) and Hutching (2008) have all broadened our understanding of how men, in stark contrast to women, are socialized into an insensitive gender role. To understand the roots and driving forces behind men’s VAW, Fleming et al (2015) suggest that it might be more useful to investigate which gender norms trigger violence This approach is more useful than treating violence as a universal problem involving all men and/or limiting the interest to just men’s VAW. One way to better understand if and how such attitudes are associated with violent behaviours is to investigate whether they are distributed differently between men situated at different ends of Connell’s masculinity continuum (1995), with men known to be violent at one end, and men known to take a stand against VAW at the other end (Kelly, 1987)

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