Transnationalism and Hegemonic Masculinity: Experiences of Gender-Based Violence Among African Women Immigrants in Canada
Gender-based violence (GBV) is an age-long issue plaguing societies all over the globe. Over the years, GBV perpetrated against women has been justified and legitimized by patriarchal and hegemonic masculine structures. This study explored the role of hegemonic masculinities and transnational cultur...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-11-01
|
| Series: | Women |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4184/4/4/33 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846102352775348224 |
|---|---|
| author | Elizabeth Onyango Mary Olukotun Faith Olanrewaju Dayirai Kapfunde Nkechinyere Chinedu-Asogwa Bukola Salami |
| author_facet | Elizabeth Onyango Mary Olukotun Faith Olanrewaju Dayirai Kapfunde Nkechinyere Chinedu-Asogwa Bukola Salami |
| author_sort | Elizabeth Onyango |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Gender-based violence (GBV) is an age-long issue plaguing societies all over the globe. Over the years, GBV perpetrated against women has been justified and legitimized by patriarchal and hegemonic masculine structures. This study explored the role of hegemonic masculinities and transnational cultural conflicts in creating a suitable environment for GBV against women newcomers from the continent of Africa. The study gathered perspectives of African immigrants and of the service providers working in immigrant-serving organizations. The paper adopts a qualitative approach and hinges on the transnationalism framework. This framework argues that immigrants maintain connections while transitioning to their destination countries. In such processes, immigrants carry with them their beliefs about cultural norms and hegemonic masculinity, of their country of origin. A total of 13 women immigrants and 20 service providers were purposively recruited to participate in the semi-structured interview. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed thematically and organized using Nvivo version 12. Findings show that African immigrant women in Canada disproportionately bear the burden of GBV due to hegemonic masculinities. The construction of masculinity in immigrant populations is heavily reliant on the communities of origin. As such, the prevailing systems during and post migration such as—unstable residency status, fear of deportation, fear of social and family sanctions and stigmatization, economic dependence on their spouses, and fear of retaliation from their spouses creates an environment that supports toxic masculinity. The study recommends comprehensive and culturally sensitive programmes and services to support African immigrants affected by hegemonic masculinity and GBV. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-64b5bfbf7f0144d3b4d56a05e8ffd7a6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2673-4184 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Women |
| spelling | doaj-art-64b5bfbf7f0144d3b4d56a05e8ffd7a62024-12-27T14:59:44ZengMDPI AGWomen2673-41842024-11-014443545210.3390/women4040033Transnationalism and Hegemonic Masculinity: Experiences of Gender-Based Violence Among African Women Immigrants in CanadaElizabeth Onyango0Mary Olukotun1Faith Olanrewaju2Dayirai Kapfunde3Nkechinyere Chinedu-Asogwa4Bukola Salami5School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, CanadaFaculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, CanadaSchool of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, CanadaSchool of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, CanadaSchool of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, CanadaSchool of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, CanadaGender-based violence (GBV) is an age-long issue plaguing societies all over the globe. Over the years, GBV perpetrated against women has been justified and legitimized by patriarchal and hegemonic masculine structures. This study explored the role of hegemonic masculinities and transnational cultural conflicts in creating a suitable environment for GBV against women newcomers from the continent of Africa. The study gathered perspectives of African immigrants and of the service providers working in immigrant-serving organizations. The paper adopts a qualitative approach and hinges on the transnationalism framework. This framework argues that immigrants maintain connections while transitioning to their destination countries. In such processes, immigrants carry with them their beliefs about cultural norms and hegemonic masculinity, of their country of origin. A total of 13 women immigrants and 20 service providers were purposively recruited to participate in the semi-structured interview. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed thematically and organized using Nvivo version 12. Findings show that African immigrant women in Canada disproportionately bear the burden of GBV due to hegemonic masculinities. The construction of masculinity in immigrant populations is heavily reliant on the communities of origin. As such, the prevailing systems during and post migration such as—unstable residency status, fear of deportation, fear of social and family sanctions and stigmatization, economic dependence on their spouses, and fear of retaliation from their spouses creates an environment that supports toxic masculinity. The study recommends comprehensive and culturally sensitive programmes and services to support African immigrants affected by hegemonic masculinity and GBV.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4184/4/4/33African immigrantsCanadaGBVhegemonic masculinitytransnationalism |
| spellingShingle | Elizabeth Onyango Mary Olukotun Faith Olanrewaju Dayirai Kapfunde Nkechinyere Chinedu-Asogwa Bukola Salami Transnationalism and Hegemonic Masculinity: Experiences of Gender-Based Violence Among African Women Immigrants in Canada Women African immigrants Canada GBV hegemonic masculinity transnationalism |
| title | Transnationalism and Hegemonic Masculinity: Experiences of Gender-Based Violence Among African Women Immigrants in Canada |
| title_full | Transnationalism and Hegemonic Masculinity: Experiences of Gender-Based Violence Among African Women Immigrants in Canada |
| title_fullStr | Transnationalism and Hegemonic Masculinity: Experiences of Gender-Based Violence Among African Women Immigrants in Canada |
| title_full_unstemmed | Transnationalism and Hegemonic Masculinity: Experiences of Gender-Based Violence Among African Women Immigrants in Canada |
| title_short | Transnationalism and Hegemonic Masculinity: Experiences of Gender-Based Violence Among African Women Immigrants in Canada |
| title_sort | transnationalism and hegemonic masculinity experiences of gender based violence among african women immigrants in canada |
| topic | African immigrants Canada GBV hegemonic masculinity transnationalism |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4184/4/4/33 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elizabethonyango transnationalismandhegemonicmasculinityexperiencesofgenderbasedviolenceamongafricanwomenimmigrantsincanada AT maryolukotun transnationalismandhegemonicmasculinityexperiencesofgenderbasedviolenceamongafricanwomenimmigrantsincanada AT faitholanrewaju transnationalismandhegemonicmasculinityexperiencesofgenderbasedviolenceamongafricanwomenimmigrantsincanada AT dayiraikapfunde transnationalismandhegemonicmasculinityexperiencesofgenderbasedviolenceamongafricanwomenimmigrantsincanada AT nkechinyerechineduasogwa transnationalismandhegemonicmasculinityexperiencesofgenderbasedviolenceamongafricanwomenimmigrantsincanada AT bukolasalami transnationalismandhegemonicmasculinityexperiencesofgenderbasedviolenceamongafricanwomenimmigrantsincanada |