The study examines violence against women from the angle of intimate partner violence and was undertaken in Kambia and Moyamba Districts of Sierra Leone. The rate of violence against women is high with five out of every ten women being abused by their intimate partners. The level of tolerance for such violence by women themselves is also alarming. The qualitative study investigated the possible underlying reasons behind this high prevalence as well the factors that place women in the position to tolerate violence. A case study method was applied using semi-structured interviews to collect primary data from 60 respondents, comprising 20 community leaders, 20 affected women and 20 women from peer groups of affected women, selected using purposive sampling. The research questioned the acceptable norms towards violence and how they are gendered; how the various forms of violence against women are manifested; the perspectives of men and women regarding intimate partner violence; and finally, the factors that place women in position to tolerate wife beating. The conceptual framework is based on the social ecological model propagated by Lori Heise which was used to examine the multiple levels of the causes and perpetuation of violence in intimate relationships. Key findings include the shared belief that women and men in the study area hold on women’s inferiority to men. Violence in general is not condoned in community settings. However intimate partner violence is seen as a private matter and sometimes deemed necessary treatment of women who fail to meet or outstep their expected gender roles as wives and mothers. Emotional violence is the most pervasive form of intimate partner violence. In general, affected women who tolerate violence have limited choices for opting out of the abusive relationship due mainly to large family size, their lack of autonomy and restrictive social norms related to marriage. Women tolerate abuse because of the shame associated with reporting it and rely instead on family mediation. In conclusion, I have proposed that women’s low resilience to challenge diverse external forces is the key factor for acceptance of partner violence, rather than her manipulation by external factors.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Chapter Overview
1.2. Problem Statement
1.3. Aims and objectives of the study
1.3.1. The aim of the study
1.3.2. Specific objectives
1.4. The significance of the study
1.5. Key Research Questions
1.6. Conceptual/ Theoretical Framework
1.7. Methods used in the research
1.8. Ethical considerations
1.9. Limitations of the study
1.10. Structure of the research
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0. Introduction
2.1. Contextualizing Gender and VAW in Sierra Leone
2.2. Understanding Violence
2.2.1. Domestic violence against women
2.2.2. Structural Violence
2.2.3. Cultural justification of violence
2.3. Conceptual framework
2.4. Conclusion
3. METHODOLOGY
3.0. Introduction
3.1. Study Area
3.2. Study design
3.3. Sampling techniques
3.4. Sample size
3.5. Methods for data collection
3.6. Method of analysis
3.7. Limitations of the methodology and methods
3.8. Ethical considerations
3.9. Conclusion
4. DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
4.0. Introduction
4.1. Data collection
4.2. Data analysis
4.2.1. Demographic characteristics of informants
4.3. Presentation of Findings
4.3.1. The acceptable norms towards violence and how they are gendered
4.3.2. How the various forms of violence committed against women are manifested
4.3.3. The different perspectives of men and women regarding intimate partner violence
4.3.4. Factors that place women in a position to tolerate and justify wife beating
4.4. Conclusion
5. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.0 Introduction
5.1. Summary
5.1.1. Research Questions
5.2. Implications for practice
5.3. Recommendations for further research
5.4. Limitations of the study
5.5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This study aims to investigate the underlying reasons for the high prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in the Kambia and Moyamba districts of Sierra Leone, and to understand why affected women continue to accept or tolerate such abuse. The research explores the socio-cultural, individual, and structural factors that contribute to this phenomenon, addressing the disparity between existing legal protections and the social reality of violence against women.
- Analysis of acceptable norms towards violence and their gendered nature.
- Examination of the manifestations of physical, sexual, and emotional intimate partner violence.
- Exploration of men's and women's perspectives on intimate partner violence.
- Identification of socio-economic and cultural factors that lead to the tolerance and justification of wife beating.
Excerpt from the Thesis
2.2.3. Cultural justification of violence
Johan Galtung (1990) defines cultural violence as "any aspect of a culture that can be used to legitimize violence in its direct or structural form." (p. 291) He further elaborates that these aspects could include ideology, religion and nationalist beliefs. Society legitimising the use of violence can be through the exploitation of its citizens, marginalization of groups in society, and social differentiation of race, class, gender, and nationality. Over time, cultural violence becomes the norm (structural violence) and eventually leads to direct violence (cruel acts) towards those that have been marginalized. Galtung concludes that as a result, violence breeds violence. His examples of religion and ideology as vehicles for maintaining violence in society are of interest to this study. Many religions preach superiority and subservience of some groups to others and as such is used to justify violence by both perpetrator and victim. Political and social ideologies promulgate power hierarchies with those not in power accepting their low status and treatment as a given. This is important to this study as it provides a possible explanation for the seemingly non-responsiveness of countries such as Sierra Leone, which classes itself a religious country, to the high rates of domestic and sexual violence. Social stratification, differentiation and inequality in society are central to maintaining cultural violence.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE: Provides an overview of the research, highlighting the state of violence against women in Sierra Leone, the problem statement, and the objectives of the study.
CHAPTER TWO: Reviews literature on various forms of violence and conceptual frameworks used to explain the prevalence of intimate partner violence.
CHAPTER THREE: Details the qualitative methodology used, including the choice of a case study design, sampling techniques, and data collection tools.
CHAPTER FOUR: Presents the analysis of collected primary data, exploring themes identified from respondents regarding norms, manifestations, and justifications of violence.
CHAPTER FIVE: Synthesizes the research findings, provides conclusions on the applicability of the ecological framework, and offers recommendations for future intervention and research.
Keywords
Intimate Partner Violence, Sierra Leone, Gender-Based Violence, Women's Empowerment, Ecological Framework, Wife Beating, Cultural Justification, Patriarchy, Kambia, Moyamba, Social Norms, Human Rights, Domestic Violence, Resilience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research examines the high prevalence of intimate partner violence in Sierra Leone and the reasons why women often accept or normalize this abuse.
What are the primary themes discussed in this study?
Key themes include gender-based power imbalances, cultural justifications for violence, the role of religion, socio-economic dependencies, and the impact of the social construction of motherhood.
What is the main objective of the thesis?
The primary aim is to identify the underlying structural and individual factors that lead women to tolerate violence in their intimate relationships, using Kambia and Moyamba as case study districts.
What research methodology was employed?
The study utilized a qualitative case study method, conducting semi-structured interviews with 60 respondents, including community leaders, affected women, and focus group participants.
What aspects of violence are covered in the main body?
The study covers the definitions and manifestations of physical, sexual, emotional, and economic abuse within the domestic realm in rural Sierra Leone.
What are the characteristic keywords for this work?
The research is defined by terms such as Intimate Partner Violence, Gender-Based Violence, Patriarchy, Social Norms, and Resilience.
How does the study address the role of polygamy?
The study analyzes how polygamous marriage structures contribute to increased vulnerability to violence due to co-wife competition and reliance on a single male partner.
What is the significance of the findings regarding laws in Sierra Leone?
The research finds that while national laws against domestic violence exist, they are often ineffective because social and traditional norms, as well as family mediation practices, hold more authority in the observed rural communities.
- Citar trabajo
- Grace Amie Harman (Autor), 2018, Violence Against Women in Sierra Leone, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1568198
