Feminist participatory action research with men to prevent intimate partner violence

Abstract

Employing Reid and Frisby’s feminist participatory action research model (FPAR) as a guide, men from diverse ethno-cultural backgrounds worked with women leaders to take action on the issue of intimate partner violence. Engaging with four interconnected phases, the research team adopted shared roles of leadership which led to 29 collective actions. Through trust-building dialogues, we interrogated issues related to masculinity, gender equity, anti-racism, and decolonization. A “collective cultures approach” to men’s violence prevention work was articulated and a grassroots movement emerged. As white women situated in both academic and community spaces, we discuss knowledges, actions, and learnings from this FPAR process, underscoring the tensions and contradictions of employing FPAR in real-life contexts. The importance and limitations of inter-relational reflexivity and power accountability are emphasized as a core tenet of FPAR.