Femicide: The Notion, Theories, and Challenges for Research

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Bandelli ◽  
Consuelo Corradi
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Empirical Level ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Predicting Factor

Since the 1990’s, the notion of femicide has disseminated in civil society, the media, policy making, and scientific literature and has helped movements to draw attention to violence against women. The notion was coined to reveal the sexual politics of the murder of women and call militants to action. Today, it is increasingly used with the meaning of killing a woman because she is a woman, emphasizing gender and misogyny as the main motives. Femicide as well as the consequences of its application in diverse research areas are explored from a historical, legal, international, and activist point of view. The political thrust of the notion has proven to be useful in raising awareness on the emergency of the problem. However, the notion becomes unclear when it is used as a heuristic tool because (a) there is more than one interpretation about which types of homicide should be included and which fall beyond the definition of femicide and (b) the gender identity of the victim is not the only or the central motive of the homicide—both caveats pose problems to quantitative data collection and comparison. Available literature on homicide, family, and intimate partner violence offers a complex picture on why men kill women: explanations include diverse and interrelated factors pertaining to individual characteristics of perpetrators and victim, their relational history, and the influence of sociocultural environment, including a culture of male superiority and control. In addition, scientific literature has suggested that the importance of gender equality variables as a predicting factor for intimate partner violence should not be taken for granted, but it should be tested at the empirical level. Accurate options are suggested that yield robust and comparable empirical data for the advancement of knowledge and prevention.

scholarly journals Preventing violence by intimate partners in adolescence: an integrative review

2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 134-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebeca Nunes Guedes De Oliveira ◽  
Rafaela Gessner ◽  
Bianca de Cássia Alvarez Brancaglioni ◽  
Rosa Maria Godoy Serpa da Fonseca ◽  
Emiko Yoshikawa Egry
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Violence Prevention ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Integrative Review ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Model ◽  
Psychology And Medicine

Abstract OBJECTIVE To analyze the scientific literature on preventing intimate partner violence among adolescents in the field of health based on gender and generational categories. METHOD This was an integrative review. We searched for articles using LILACS, PubMed/MEDLINE, and SciELO databases. RESULTS Thirty articles were selected. The results indicate that most studies assessed interventions conducted by programs for intimate partner violence prevention. These studies adopted quantitative methods, and most were in the area of nursing, psychology, and medicine. Furthermore, most research contexts involved schools, followed by households, a hospital, a health center, and an indigenous tribe. CONCLUSION The analyses were not conducted from a gender- and generation-based perspective. Instead, the scientific literature was based on positivist research models, intimately connected to the classic public healthcare model and centered on a singular dimension.

A Bruise Without a Name: Investigating College Student Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence Terminology

2019 ◽  
pp. 088626051987672
Author(s):  
Karin Nordin
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Marital Status ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Bystander Intervention ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Prevention Messages ◽  
Definition Of

When it comes to intimate partner violence, words matter. The abuse terminology used in efforts to target collegiate victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) can impact the effectiveness of prevention messages. The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to identify the relationship between abuse labels (such as domestic violence, dating violence, and IPV), and bystander intervention recommendations. Second, this study aims to understand how situational factors (perpetrator gender, couple marital status, provocation) impact the perceived appropriateness of those terms. Perceptions of severity, victim/perpetrator blame, and bystander intervention recommendations were also measured. In all, 498 college students from a large southern public university participated in a 2 × 2 × 2 experiment where they read a vignette depicting IPV. Participants were then asked a serious of questions about the appropriateness of the abuse terminology, what actions they would recommend for a bystander, the severity of the incident, and the degree to which they blamed victim and perpetrator. Results indicated the bystander intervention actions that are perceived as appropriate are related to what the most appropriate label is for the situation. Contextual factors surrounding the IPV situation, such as perpetrator gender, couple marital status, and provocation, influenced bystander recommendations and what labels were considered appropriate. The results of the study indicate the need to expand collegiate definition of what “counts” as IPV and point to ways in which IPV context can be a barrier to bystander intervention. Implications of the study argue that efforts to increase bystander intervention must include training on how to identify IPV situations with a broad variety of contexts. Limitations of the study and implications for theory and practice are discussed.

scholarly journals Intimate partner violence against young women: prevalence and associated factors in Europe

2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (7) ◽  
pp. 611-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belén Sanz-Barbero ◽  
Patricia López Pereira ◽  
Gregorio Barrio ◽  
Carmen Vives-Cases
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
European Union ◽  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
Individual Risk ◽  
The European Union

BackgroundThe magnitude of intimate partner violence (IPV) in young women is a source of increasing concern. The prevalence of IPV has not been analysed in Europe as a whole. The objective was to assess the prevalence and main characteristics of experiencing physical and/or sexual and psychological-only IPV among young women in the European Union and to identify individual and contextual associated risk factors.MethodsWe analysed a cross-sectional subsample of 5976 ever-partnered women aged 18–29 years from the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights Violence Against Women Survey, 2012. The main outcomes were current physical and/or sexual IPV and lifetime psychological-only IPV. Risk factors were assessed by the prevalence ratio (PR) from multilevel Poisson regression models.ResultsCurrent prevalence of physical and/or sexual IPV was 6.1%, lifetime prevalence of psychological-only IPV was 28.7%. Having suffered physical and/or sexual abuse by an adult before age 15 was the strongest risk factor for IPV (PR: 2.9 for physical and/or sexual IPV, PR: 1.5 for psychological-only IPV). Other individual risk factors were: perceived major difficulties in living within their household income (PR: 2.6), having children (PR: 1.8) and age 18–24 years (PR: 1.5) for physical/sexual IPV and immigration background for psychological-only IPV (PR: 1.4). Living in countries with a higher prevalence of binge drinking or early school dropout was positively associated with IPV.ConclusionsFindings show that the fight against violence in young women should consider individual characteristics, childhood experiences of abuse and also structural interventions including reduction of alcohol consumption and improvement in the education-related indicators.

scholarly journals Bystander Interventions on Behalf of Sexual Assault and Intimate Partner Violence Victims

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 1694-1718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abigail Weitzman ◽  
Sarah Cowan ◽  
Kate Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Demographic Groups ◽  
Situational Characteristics ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Private Matter ◽  
The Individual

Using newly available U.S. nationally representative data from the No More study ( N = 1,307), this article investigates (a) knowledge of sexual assault and intimate partner violence (IPV) victims within one’s social network; (b) who intervenes, whom they intervene on behalf of, and how they intervene; and (c) the perceived barriers to intervening in IPV specifically. The findings reveal that knowledge of violence, the likelihood of intervening, and the intervention approaches taken all vary demographically and by violence type. Among respondents who have known a victim, one- third report having intervened for sexual assault, while one-half report having intervened for IPV. For both types of violence, respondents are more likely to have intervened on behalf of family or friends than on behalf of more distant network members. However, respondents are more likely to have solicited the help of authorities and less likely to have offered safe haven in instances of sexual assault than in instances of IPV. The most commonly cited barriers to IPV intervention include fear of injury, fear of misinterpretation, and belief that IPV is a private matter, though these vary across demographic groups. These findings indicate that the decision to intervene is highly contextual—contingent on the individual characteristics of the intervener, situational characteristics of the violence, and the relationship between the intervener and the victim.

scholarly journals Romanticized Abusive Behavior by Media Narrative Analysis on Portrayal of Intimate Partner Violence Romanticism in Korean Drama

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 202
Author(s):  
Priscila Asoka Kenasri ◽  
Lidwina Mutia Sadasri
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Analysis Model ◽  
Vast Number ◽  
Abusive Behavior ◽  
Male Characters

Intimate relationships are often depicted in terms of a  beautiful idealism, especially in the mass media. However, the evidence shows a vast number of women while in such a relationship have been subjected to physical, emotional, and/or sexual violence by their partner. Media plays an important part in shaping and reflecting social life, resulting in audience consumption of romanticized abusive behaviour. Its audiovisual content can perpetuate the point of view that some violence is normal  – even romantic. Such a point of view can be found in Korean dramas, which have been popular with its Indonesian audience for some  20 years and do not show any signs of a decline in popularity. This study aims to reveal a  narration of intimate partner violence portrayal as romance in the Korean drama The Heirs (2013). A qualitative method is used drawing on Propp's Seven Characters and Greimas' Actantial narrative analysis model. The research results show how The Heirs project romantic imagery masking abusive traits by establishing the male main character as a subject who forces a relationship without accepting rejection. Moreover, this study found the romanticization of abuse was amplified by depicting the female protagonist as an object expressing her objection to giving male characters the thrill of the chase. The findings in this research is consistent with the concept of romanticized media, particularly in portraying the romanticization of intimate partner violence.

Norms of Masculinity and the Cultural Narrative of Intimate Partner Violence Among Men in Vietnam

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (21-22) ◽  
pp. 4421-4442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie James-Hawkins ◽  
Kelsey Salazar ◽  
Monique M. Hennink ◽  
Vu Song Ha ◽  
Kathryn M. Yount
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sensitivity Training ◽  
Cultural Narrative ◽  
Women's Participation ◽  
Ipv Perpetration ◽  
Definition Of

Semi-structured interviews with 31 men in Hung Yen Province in Northern Vietnam are used to elucidate a conceptual narrative to understand men’s perceptions and perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Vietnam. This narrative suggests that cultural definitions of masculinity and changes in women’s participation in the labor force have contributed to status conflicts that normalize IPV as part of masculine superiority. The narratives of both IPV perpetrators and non-perpetrators demonstrate how violence is incorporated into the cultural definition of masculinity and illustrates how men use this definition to minimize their own and other men’s perpetration. We suggest that attempts to reduce IPV in Vietnam must address constructions of masculinity and the socio-historical context of IPV by providing gender-sensitivity training and opportunities for men to evaluate critically how constructions of masculinity in their families and communities contribute to IPV perpetration.

scholarly journals Discursive Positioning of Intimate Partners: A Structural-Relational Approach to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHARLES CHIBUIKE NWAFOR
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Social Force ◽  
Intimate Partners ◽  
Relational Approach ◽  
Moral Space ◽  
The Social ◽  
Discursive Positioning

Abstract Purpose: This study is about the discursive positioning of intimate partners: A structural-relational approach to intimate partner violence. The study attempts to uncover the story lines of the IPV narratives, the social force of the discursive acts of the narratives, the enacted positions, and the (de) legitimization of rights and duties of the positions of the referents in the narratives. Method: the study adopts the random sampling method in which two IPV narrative were randomly selected from one pseudo named male and female victims. The narratives were in the form of documented transcripts which is in line with Harre and Van lagenhoove (1999) accounting positioning that allows a retrospect study of social actors positioning of this kind. The study also adopted the Halliday’s transitivity process to substantiate the positioning works in the narrative and the mechanism with which these acts are tied to the social structure. Results: The findings of the study revealed that the declarations of the narratives indicates the evaluative and normative underlying judgment on the deontic powers to say and do something in the moral space of intimate partner relations. Conclusion: a socio-constructionist study of this nature reveals the relationship between the narrative referents point of view about actions, point of actions and line of life as regards the moralities of social behaviour in the moral space of intimate partner relationship and how it triggers tendencies for IPV.

scholarly journals General Offending and Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration in Young Adulthood: A Dutch Longitudinal Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 0306624X2110226
Author(s):  
Janna Verbruggen ◽  
Arjan A. J. Blokland ◽  
Amanda L. Robinson ◽  
Christopher D. Maxwell
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Young Adulthood ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Criminal Career ◽  
Random Effects Models ◽  
Ipv Perpetration

This study examines the relationship between general offending and intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration in young adulthood, using a Dutch longitudinal study. Young adults were followed over four waves, and self-reported data on general offending, IPV perpetration, and a number of individual characteristics were collected. Results of random effects models demonstrated that young adults involved in more diverse offending behavior reported higher levels of different types of IPV perpetration, even when individual factors were taken into account. Moreover, logistic regression analyses showed that general offending was also related to an increased likelihood of continuity in IPV perpetration. Taken together, the findings indicate that it is useful to view IPV perpetration as part of a broader criminal career.

scholarly journals Describing Intimate partner violence against ever-partnered women in Europe and perpetrator’s characteristics. Results from the Violence against women EU-wide survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Barbier ◽  
P Chariot ◽  
T Lefèvre
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Violence Against Women ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
Lifetime Prevalence ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Lower Education Level ◽  
High Risk Populations ◽  
Definition Of

Abstract Available data on intimate partner violence (IPV) are derived from asynchronous and heterogeneous studies. Definition of IPV varies, is often partial, and only a limited number of potential determinants are considered. The Violence against women survey collected data consistently and simultaneously on all dimensions of IPV. Women were also asked about the perpetrator's characteristics. The present study aims to describe prevalence of physical, sexual and psychological IPV against European women, and reported perpetrator's characteristics. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with randomly selected women aged between 18 and 74, by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. IPV was defined by a positive answer to at least one question about violence perpetrated by current or ex-partner. Among the 40357 ever-partnered women, lifetime prevalence of overall IPV was 51.7% (95%CI 51.2-52.2). Prevalence of physical, sexual and psychological IPV were respectively 20.0% (19.6-20.4), 8.4% (8.2-8.7) and 48.5% (48.1-49.0). Partners' or ex-partners characteristics associated with IPV perpetration included: lower education level, unemployment or staying at home, earning less than the woman, a relationship lasting between 1 to 10 years, high frequency of drunkenness, and perpetration of other type of violence. Lifetime prevalence of IPV in EU is high and likely to be underestimated. Specific trajectories and profiles of perpetrators should be characterized to ground the interventions. The risk of underreporting violence should be addressed as it jeopardizes the efficacy of interventions for prevention. They may be undifferentiated and differentiated, targeted and time-sensitive, respectively dedicated to general audience and high-risk populations.

scholarly journals Traumatic bonding in intimate partner violence: A Relational Family Therapy approach

Family Forum ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 71-90
Author(s):  
Barbara Simonič ◽  
Elzbieta Osewska
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Family Therapy ◽  
Affect Regulation ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Intimate Relationship ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Cognitive Distortion ◽  
Violent Relationship ◽  
Traumatic Bonding

Intimate partner violence is defined as a form of violence where, in an intimate relationship, physical or psychological acts of violence are committed by a partner or spouse against the other partner or spouse. All of these actions are accompanied by extremely emotional dynamics, which is paradoxical, as we would expect that with the gravity of abusive and violent acts the victims will understand the need for self-protection and appropriate measures. There is a strong emotional bond between the victim and the abuser, which authors call traumatic bonding. It is an emotional dependence between two people in a relationship that is characterized by the feelings of intense attachment, cognitive distortion and behavioural strategies of both individuals that paradoxically strengthen and maintain the bond, which is reflected in a vicious cycle of violence. The termination of such a relationship or the departure from it, from the point of view of attachment which is activated in this situation, seems risky, since the victim seeks refuge in the state of perceived danger, but experiences that - after the outbreak of violence calms down - the refuge is paradoxically offered by the bully. Here we can recognize a pattern of dysfunctional affect regulation that falsely calms difficult (basic) affects and maintains a violent relationship. From the viewpoint of Relational Family Therapy, it is therefore necessary for victims that after breaking off a violent relationship or leaving it they face their painful basic affects and develop proper regulation of these, otherwise they will remain committed to this kind of relationship. Using the case study method, the paper describes the case of a client after she left a violent intimate relationship, with an emphasis on the demonstration of traumatic bonding dynamics and the resolution of their consequences in Relational Family Therapy. [1] The authors acknowledges partial financial support from the Slovenian Research Agency (project No. J5-9349).

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