Mäns våld mot kvinnor- Svenskt eller osvenskt våld? : Representationer av våld i nära relationer. En postkolonial feministisk diskursanalys.

Sammanfattning: Men's violence against women is a serious social problem and an obstacle to the realisation of women's rights. In Sweden, approximately a fifth of the population, has at some time in their lives, been subjected to domestic violence. It is estimated that about 80 percent of the violence is not reported. The aim of this study is to analyse the discourse representations of domestic violence and violence in the name of honour, in two different Swedish reports. (Eva Lundgren, Captured Queen- Men’s violence against women in “equal” Sweden – a prevalence study and Domestic violence - A public health issue by Carin Götblad, national coordinator on domestic violence). The investigation is based on a discourse analysis with postcolonial feminist theory as the theoretical framework. This study shows that a discursive representation of domestic violence in a Swedish context and violence in the name of honour has resulted in the construction of Swedish and non-Swedish violence. Stereotypical presentations describe the Swedish perpetrator in terms of social problems, addiction, aggression problems, alcoholism or non-Swedish ethnicity. Violence in the name of honour is derived from an honour-based culture while a Swedish perpetrator deviates from a Swedish gender equality culture. The Swedish gender equality discourse and media representations of domestic violence may be causing difficulties for the victims to identify themselves as abused. This study suggests that violence against women should be understood as a side effect of a patriarchal gender system created by ideological, national, ethnic and racial power structures.