Familism and Family Violence in Mexico

Abstract

Families are integral to the organization of Mexican society. In a context where the State is absent or weak, the family serves as a social safety net and is pivotal for everything from housing to paid work. As the structural backbone of Mexican society, the family exists within a widespread cultural representation denominated as familism, often characterized by a culture of conflict avoidance, tight relationships, mutual support, and self-sacrifice for the well-being of the family. In other words, the family contributes to a more harmonious society. But organizing society around the family also has a shadow side. Using data from repeat interviews with 50 incarcerated persons in Mexico, we show how family dynamics and the associated culture of familism are tied to abusive domestic relationships—phenomena that are critical to understanding family violence in Mexico. We explore the many links between familism and family violence by an in-depth look at four closely intertwined familism processes that facilitate victimization: preventing victims from disclosing family violence; preventing the family from denouncing violence against one of its members; the victim remaining with the family despite the abuse; and the victim being forced to remain in abusive relationships. These four ways that family structures play into victimization within the family are not exclusive to Mexico or other countries shaped historically by familism, but the cultural and discursive structures of familism amplify them.