Gendering Violence: Masculinity and Power in Men’s Accounts of Domestic Violence

Anderson, Kristen.L and Debra Umberson. 2001. “G.endering Violence: Masculinity and Power in Men’s Accounts of Domestic Violence.” Gender and Society 15(3):358-380

In this article,the authors “examine the construction of gender within men’s account of domestic violence”(pp 359). Batterers construct masculine identities through violence and through their discourses.

Data and Method

Data was collected in 1995-96 through indepth interviews with 33 men recruited through the Family Violence Diversion Network, a non-profit agency. Men volunteered from among the participants of the FVDN program. The sample contained more European American in comparison to the population.

Findings

The respondents suggested that violence was a gendered practice, such that, they(men) caused more serious, frequent and injurious violence than their partners.

In their descriptions of violence, they maintained hegemonic notions of masculinity and femininity. They described female violence as trivial, ineffectual and hysterical while they described their own violence to be rational, effective and explosive. By doing this, they were reinforcing their own masculinity. They also ascribed to themselves the role of “protector” even at the point of violence.

They often held their partners responsible for their own violence. This was particularly true when they described their partners as dominating or controlling (a masculine trait). Therefore, when women did not conform to the norms of femininity, their masculine traits was blamed for the violence. Finally, they also blamed the criminal justice system for being biased against men.

Overall, positions of dominance was always constructed as masculine. Even through their discourses, the batterers were using violence to construct notions of masculinity and femininity.