Indian male voices on gender equality and sexual violence : a qualitative study

Sammanfattning: This qualitative study aims to explore the status of gender equality and to provide background to the extensive sexual violence in India from the male perspective through the eyes of seven Gujarati men. The brutal rape of a young student, by whole world known as Nirbayha in December 2012 in the Indian capital, was the tragic event that started a mass reaction in India against the extensive sexual violence and has put the whole worlds light on the unequal conditions of men and women in the country. Being sexually abused as a woman is one extreme expression for female subordination in relation to men, accordingly “men´s violence to women” is a most current topic under social work research today. Social constructions and social structures need to be considered when studying sexual violence as well as gender issues.     This thesis is based on a four weeks minor field study in Mandvi in Gujarat, India, where I conducted the interviews. The result is based on answers towards my main research question How do the interviewed men in Mandvi perceive gender equality, and what do they think of sexual violence? The answers clearly show the gendered thinking of the interviewed men. In the analysis I have tried to interpret and understand the data mainly based on the secondary research questions Are there any perceived connections between sexual violence and gender equality, and if so, how do these look? How do the interviewed men´s perceptions look in relation to earlier research and theoretical frames?  What can be done, in a place such as Mandvi on different societal layers (individual, family, society) to prevent sexual violence? In the analysis I show the data through the mirror of theoretical frameworks and the earlier research, such as social work theory, critical theory, gender theory and contemporary Indian masculinity research.