Abstract
Objective
This study explored the sociodemographic characteristics of men convicted of intimate partner violence (IPV), their childhood exposure to violence, gender norms, and the meanings they attribute to their use of violence.
Background
Guided by the ecological framework for understanding IPV, violence is conceptualized as the outcome of interactions among individual, relational, community, and societal factors. The study examined how participants’ family dynamics, partner interactions, and community influences interact with individual and societal factors to shape violent behaviors. Conducted in a province in southeastern Türkiye, where patriarchal and honor-based norms remain influential, the study provides a contextually grounded analysis of how men construct and justify IPV. National data indicate that approximately 38% of ever-married women in Türkiye have experienced physical or sexual IPV.
Method
Forty-four incarcerated men convicted of partner violence were purposively sampled. Data were collected via semistructured interviews and analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis.
Results
Analysis identified seven main themes: childhood traumas, personal and familial criminal histories, childhood behaviors, stated reasons for IPV, stated reasons for femicide, attitudes toward violence, and gender norms. Frequencies of participants contributing to each theme are reported to enhance transparency. Traditional gender norms were pervasive (37/44, 84.1%), and rationalization of violence was noted in a subset (11/44, 25%). Findings highlight patterns of normalization, justification, and sociocultural framing in participants’ narratives.
Conclusion
Results underscore the importance of multidimensional prevention and intervention strategies addressing early exposure to violence, rigid gender norms, and sociocultural justifications of IPV.