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Constructing housework as abuse

African men and intimate partner violence in South Africa

Bibliographic Data

ID22189227
AuthorsEmmanuel Rowlands (0000-0002-5775-3826, University of Johannesburg, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume8
Issue8
Pages8442
Publication date2024-08-22
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Infrastructure Policy and Development (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2572-7923 • E-ISSN: 2572-7931
PublisherEnPress Publisher (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.24294/jipd.v8i8.8442
OpenAlexW4401790290
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited36

The connection between the gendered division of housework and intimate partner violence (IPV) is a complex reality and context-dependent. In this article, I explore the perceptions of gender norms among African men and how these perceptions intersect with their experiences of housework and IPV. Employing a qualitative approach, the article examines the viewpoints of 25 African men who have encountered IPV in Johannesburg, South Africa. The findings reveal a spectrum of attitudes towards gender norms among these men, ranging from more traditional patriarchal views to less patriarchal and egalitarian perspectives. The analysis indicates that men who adhere to both more and less patriarchal expressions of gender norms tend to view being forced to perform housework as a form of abuse within the context of controlling behaviour in intimate partner relationships. Conversely, men who lean towards egalitarianism perceive the expectation of women to solely manage housework as a form of abuse. However, many of the men express resistance towards gender equality discourses in South Africa, perceiving them as disruptors of traditional gender roles and enablers of women’s refusal to solely perform domestic housework. These findings deepen our understanding of the complexities and tensions within intimate relationships amidst evolving gender norms in South Africa

Domestic violence · Egalitarianism · Geography · Perception · Poison control · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Gender Studies · Homelessness and Social Issues · Human Factors and Ergonomics · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Medicine · Psychology · Sex work and related issues · Social Psychology

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Unique citing works1
Citations per year1
Citation span2026 - 2026 (1)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 1
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