Intimate Partner Violence Determinants in Botswana: A Case of Male Survivors

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious social problem, which affects millions of men. Historically, intimate partner violence has been considered a female victim issue and the concept of female victims is much more recognized in the general population than the concept of male victims. IPV against men is a phenomenon that has received little attention in the academic literature and the media around the world. This paper explores the determinants of Intimate Partner Violence and uses social learning theory to examine dynamics surrounding IPV in male survivors by identifying major areas, and significant players in the male’ survivors’ life that can help understand factors that put them at risk of IPV, which could be entry points for interventions and mitigation strategies. Desk review was used and focused on the current state of knowledge on the determinants and men’s experiences of IPV. Since governments have an obligation to serve all citizens, there is a need to widen the scope of social policy in this area. Governments should continue developing policies with the explicit objective of responding to, preventing, and ending violence against both women and men. However, gender-based analysis approaches to IPV need to consider the impacts of violence on all genders and develop policy-relevant responses to the needs of each, men, and women. Additionally, the study points to the need for research that may be wider in scope, cover more geographical areas and document the experiences of men as victims of IPV. Expand research on male survivors of IPV by encouraging more inclusive research designs that investigate patterns of IPV across the gender spectrum.