UNIVERSIDADE ABERTA ISCED

FACULDADE DE DIREITO

CURSO DE LICENCIATURA EM DIREITO

TEMA:
Domestic violence against men in my community: Is it a reality?

Nome: Marta Arlindo

Pemba, 26 de Abril de 2023

 UNIVERSIDADE ABERTA ISCED

FACULDADE DE DIREITO

CURSO DE LICENCIATURA EM DIREITO

TEMA:

Domestic violence against men in my community: Is it a reality?

O Estudante O Tutor

Marta Arlindo

Pemba, 26 de Abril de 2023

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Topic
Introduction.................................................................................................................................4
Domestic violence........................................................................................................................5
Male victimization........................................................................................................................6
Types of Domestic Violence most suffered by men.....................................................................6
Physical violence..........................................................................................................................7
Psychological violence..................................................................................................................7
Social Violence.............................................................................................................................7
Economic Violence.......................................................................................................................7
Sexual violence.............................................................................................................................7
The most common causes of domestic violence in my community.............................................7
Alcoholic Beverages and Drug Use...............................................................................................8
Jealousy........................................................................................................................................8
Unemployment and financial problems.......................................................................................8
Family problems...........................................................................................................................8
Consequences of violence against men.......................................................................................8
Conclusion....................................................................................................................................9
Bibliographic references…………………………………………………………………………………………………………10

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Introduction

The present study, entitled “Domestic violence against men in my community.

Domestic violence is a theme that has been widely explored from a scientific point of
view, where professionals and researchers from the most diverse areas are dedicated to
knowing and understanding the various aspects of its dynamics, its manifestations and
its actors. Therefore, it is logical to consider that every citizen is, in a way, an intervener
of such dynamics “intervening through the behaviors that are manifested in relation to
domestic violence, behaviors that are the result of existing beliefs regarding this form of
violence ” (Faria, 2019, p.14).

Fear, shame and many of the feelings of men who are victims of domestic violence in
the face of their condition, along with resistance to asking third parties for help, are
described in the literature as the motto of ignorance of this aspect of the phenomenon. It
is understood that there should be special attention to the role of the culture in which an
individual is inserted and the meaning that different types of aggression arouse in this
particular culture (Ostrov & Perry, 2018, p. 389).

The literature that we analyze and explain throughout this study shows us that although
women have the highest rates of aggression, men are also attacked. However, while
male violence against women is mostly seen as unjustifiable, violence against men is
almost always justified (either because it is allegedly in self-defense or because it is
considered inconsequential).

The criticisms and suggestions of the professor of the chair and others interested in this
work I wish well - welcome post can help me to improve this work as well as the
subsequent works.

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Domestic violence

Traditionally, domestic violence is defined as a consequence of patriarchy and the

deliberate use of violence by men, aiming to maintain power and control in intimate
relationships (Hines & Douglas, 2010). This idea was painstakingly crafted by the
feminist activists who brought international public attention to intimate violence in the
1960s, and whose views continue to be influential in shaping attitudes and responses to
this phenomenon today. The feminist understanding is based on the argument that
domestic violence is a social problem for women and vehemently ignores the notion of
gender symmetry in this type of violence, assigning men the exclusive position of
aggressor. Qualitative research based on police records, medical reports, samples from
shelters and reports from female victims who sought support reinforce the paradigm that
men are primarily responsible for violence in relationships. The theoretical
understanding of feminists generated a strong commitment to important social policies
in favor of female victims, neglecting the phenomenon of male victimization to a low
level (Machado & Matos, 2012).

However, domestic violence research is not restricted to feminist understanding. Family

sociologists present another perspective, in which studies demonstrate that men and
women can be perpetrators or victims.

In order to understand these different currents, it is worth remembering that the study of
violence in intimate relationships does not go beyond 40 years of history, having been
marked by particularly rapid transformations. When observing the major trends in the
study of this theme, it can be seen that there is an initial movement where a
dichotomous approach is made between masculine and feminine, where men are only
aggressors and women only victims, towards a more participatory and bidirectional
where violence is viewed mutually (Archer, 2000).

Nevertheless, there are great differences in how victimization is experienced by men

and women, and it has been shown that, however comparable such experiences may be,
they are always perceived differently (Hines & Douglas, 2010b). In current societies,
women are limited in some powers and competences to deal with domestic violence
while men are conditioned internally and externally to maintain a masculine ideal. As
will be discussed later, the concept of masculinity proves to be extremely important in

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the reflection of this theme, since the masculine is seen as an unacceptable victim of
violence in relationships, and being a man and being a victim is still a censored subject.

Male victimization

The idea that, in a relationship of violent intimacy, men are the aggressors and women
are the victims, has been increasingly demystified in the international literature,
especially with regard to gender issues, and several authors consider it fundamental
importance of analyzing the context of the relationship, the personality of the partners
and the consequences that arise from violent behavior before determining the gressor
and attacked (Silva, 2014).

In Mozambique, domestic violence against men is still an obscure subject that brings
with it countless customary complexities, in this sense, it is understood that to speak of
male victimization, the concept of traditional masculinity must first be considered.

Types of Domestic Violence most suffered by men

As discussed in this study, domestic violence is characterized by actions or omissions

committed by the aggressor, in a family relationship, which culminate in pain or
physical/psychological suffering on the part of the victim (APAV, 2010). There is,
therefore, an exercise of power through the use of violence that can vary in its intensity,
with cases in which the escalation of aggression results in homicide not being rare
(Paulino & Rodrigues, 2016). In this context, violence can be classified into different
types such as: physical, psychological, social, economic and sexual.

Physical violence

Physical violence is the use of the aggressor's physical force, which may consist of
slaps, punches, kicks, pulls, shoves or the use of some artifact with the aim of imposing
oneself through the use of physical force, oppressing, injuring or causing any kind of
violence. physical harm to the victim.

Such behaviors may or may not leave marks and range from the mildest to the most
serious forms, such as permanent disability or even the death of the victim (Paulino &
Rodrigues, 2016).

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Psychological violence

Psychological violence manifests itself through the use of offensive words or acts with
the aim of humiliating, exposing, oppressing and making the victim feel submissive
without the need to use physical force. It consists of threats and coercion, such as
threatening and mistreating family members, death or suicide threats if the victim ends
the relationship, withdrawing or preventing access to the children, threatening to falsely
denounce the partner for the crime of domestic violence, belittling, insulting, injuring,
destroying the victim's material goods, chasing her, among other control behaviors that
cause emotional distress (APAV, 2010; Paulino & Rodrigues, 2016).

Social Violence

In this type of violence, the aggressor acts in such a way as to alienate the victim from
living with friends, family or other people who are part of his circle of contacts in
general, since once he is isolated, he will be able to exercise control more easily
(Paulino & Rodrigues, 2016).

Economic Violence

Economic violence is characterized by creating a relationship of financial dependency

between aggressor and victim. This type of control is normally exercised when the
victim does not work and does not have sufficient means for their subsistence or, when,
having means, the aggressor prevents access to them, controlling bank accounts and
cards. (Lima, 2019).

Sexual violence

It consists of any behavior in which the aggressor forces the victim to perform sexual
acts against her will. Examples of such conduct are: coercing the victim, physically or
through threats, to have sexual intercourse when she does not want to, forcing her to
have unprotected sex or with third parties, exposing the victim to pornographic content
and unwanted sexual comments and forcing the victim to into prostitution (CEJ, 2016).

The most common causes of domestic violence in my community

According to Hines & Douglas (2010) Domestic violence has different causes, so much
so that it does not choose gender, age, social class, ethnicity or physical characteristics.

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Alcoholic Beverages and Drug Use

Alcoholic beverages and drugs do not, by themselves, cause domestic violence. These
substances are actually facilitators for it to occur.

Alcohol and drugs are not responsible for any violence, as a citizen who is drunk and
attacks his wife, for example, does not perform other acts considered harmful to
himself.

Jealousy

Competing for first place among the most common causes that lead to domestic
violence in Mozambique is jealousy. Jealousy is one of the main reasons given by
aggressors in cases of domestic violence and one of the reasons that appear most in
court cases about domestic violence.

Unemployment and financial problems

Unemployment and financial problems are also causes that lead to domestic violence.
Financial problems often lead people to a huge emotional imbalance, causing some
individuals who would already be prone to practicing domestic violence, in fact to
practice it.

Family problems

Among the most common causes that lead to domestic violence, we cannot leave out
family problems in general. These can be simple disagreements about the children's
school, lack of respect, even non-acceptance of a separation, a change in routine, among
others.

Consequences of violence against men

Violence against men is one of the main forms of human rights violations in the world
today. It is a type of violence that can affect women in different age, economic, ethnic,
geographic, etc. The imminent and even potential threat of suffering this form of
violence restricts women's civil liberties and limits their possibilities for economic,
political and social contribution to the development of their communities.

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Conclusion:

After a bibliographical review of so many works, brochures in addition to the chair's

manual itself and the analysis of all data that meet the theme now addressed according
to the objectives of the work, the following conclusions were reached: According to art.
5 of the Maria da Penha Law, domestic and family violence against men is “any action
or omission based on gender that causes death, injury, physical, sexual or psychological
suffering and moral or property damage”.

We hope that the results of this study have contributed in some way to understanding
and changing paradigms, attitudes and behaviors in relation to male victims of domestic
violence in a national context. Above all, that it presents itself as another tool to be able
to help in the knowledge, debate and transformation in the face of the still very scarce
Institutional responses currently available, through the full assimilation of the concept
of gender equality.

The criticisms and suggestions of the professor of the chair and others interested in this
work I wish well - welcome post can help me to improve this work as well as the
subsequent works.

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Bibliographic references:

Archer, J. (2000). Sex differences in aggression between heterosexual partners: A

metanalytic review. Psychological Bulletion, 651-680.

Portuguese Association for Victim Support [APAV]. (2010). Alcipe Handbook. For
Assistance and Women Victims of Violence. APAV.

Center for Judicial Studies [CEJ]. (2016). Domestic Violence: sociological,

psychological and legal implications of the phenomenon. Multidisciplinary Handbook.
CEJ.

Center for Judicial Studies [CEJ]. (2020). Domestic Violence: sociological,

psychological and legal implications of the phenomenon. Multidisciplinary Handbook.
CEJ.

Correia, A.L., & Sani, A.I. (2015). Shelter Houses in Portugal: Structural and functional
characterization of these social responses. Psychological Analysis, 33(1), 89-96.

Faria, B.C. (2019). Domestic violence and types of legitimizing beliefs [Master’s thesis,
School of Psychology and Life Sciences]. Lusophone Scientific Repository.

Hines, D.A., & Douglas, E.M. (2010a). Intimate terrorism by women towards men:
does it exist? Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, 36-56.

Lima F.D.M (2019). Risk assessment of intrafamilial violence against the elderly: the
relationship with the deficit of self-care and the functionality of the family [Doctorade`s
thesis, Faculdade de Enfermagem]. University of Lisbon Repository.

Ostrov, J.M. & Perry, K.J. (2018). Role of gender in violent and aggressive behaviours.
In A.T., Vazsonyi, D.J., Flannery, & M., DeLisi (Eds.) The Cambridge Handbook of
Violent Behavior and Aggression (2nd ed., pp. 382-398). Cambridge University Press.

Paulino, M., & Rodrigues, M. (2016). Domestic violence: identify, assess, intervene.
Prime Books.

Silva, C.R. (2014). Technicians' perception of male victimization and care practices
[Master's thesis, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences] Repository of the
University Institute of Maia.

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