This issue is referred to as the feminisation of poverty. It occurs when women are more vulnerable to experiencing this type of oppression. According to a theory by Parenzee and Synthe (2010), intimate partner violence is triggered by the interplay of stress and masculine identity. Threats to male identity are recognised by men when women challenge the power in the household. An inability to meet social expectations of successful manhood can trigger a problem of identity. Intimate partner violence is a means of resolving an issue of male identity because it allows the expression of power that is otherwise denied.
Women are often disadvantaged and excluded from decision-making processes. Different gender discourses support the concept of patriarchy. These tend to reinforce the idea that the dominant culture has control over women's power relations and control over their households. This model of patriarchy can contribute to the oppression of women. In a cross- sectional study by Ludsin and Vetten (2015), approximately 84% of females interviewed in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Eastern cape agreed that once men pay lobola, it is traditionally accepted for a man to beat his partner if she does something ‘wrong’.
These include food, shelter, and money. Black women in rural areas are more likely to rely on their male partners for financial stability. This dependence can be used to control female partners, resulting in intimate partner violence. In rural communities, intimate partner violence (IPV) can prevent women from achieving economic independence. It can also affect their creativity and affect their ability to work. This is because women tend to have more substantial bargaining power when employed, which can threaten the dominant role of their husbands.
Intimate partner violence undermines women’s
fundamental rights, and it is a social and criminal problem that results in the death or disablement of victims. The violence against rural women is because of poor quality of life indicated by rampant poverty, lack of education, economic dependency, and firm patriarchal beliefs. A national intervention and prevention strategy is needed to address the issue of intimate partner violence. This can be done by establishing a school curriculum focusing on education and awareness about this issue.
ECONOMIC ABUSE
POVERTY, POWER, AND MASCULINITY
Economic abuse is psychological and behavioural abuse that targets women. It usually prevents them from obtaining, using, or retaining financial resources or in other words, this abuse prevents women from getting, using, or keeping essential resources. It can also threaten their ability to attain self- sufficiency.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Poverty is a common challenge faced by battered women in rural areas due to various factors such as social welfare policies, gender
This article is extracted from a research project report
intimat discrimination, and inequality. Many also remain in abusive relationships because they don't have the means to pay for their shelter. Poverty is known to increase the risk of intimate partner violence for rural women. submitted for an honours degree (psychology), at the University of Johannesburg, conferred on the writer in 2020. Please click this link to read the full study. Dec 2022 | Collective Action Magazine
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