“All Men Do It”. The Role of Violence in the Social Construction of Masculinity: the Point of View of Perpetrators

Abstract

The essay investigates the meaning of violence in men’s lives and the role it plays in the construction of their gender identity, as men, husbands and fathers. The ethnographic research took place in a center for perpetrators in Italy, where social workers take charge of a group of men and conduct a cognitive behavioral therapy with a focus on gender inequalities. Most participants to the program had been violent in the context of intimate relationships, towards their wives or children. During the program, perpetrators critically reflect on their practices and gradually recognize the disadvantages rather than the benefits brought about by using violence. The analysis focuses on the evolution of their views on violence and shows the opportunity of a real interruption of violent behaviors, although it reveals the possible risks of falling back into hegemonic masculinity.

Keywords: intimate partner violence, perpetrators, masculinity, heterosexual normativity, ethnography.