Sexual Violence as a Form of Abuse in Men’s Experiences of Female-Perpetrated Intimate Partner Violence

• Author: Siobhan Weare,Elizabeth A. Bates
• DOI: 10.1177/1043986220936115
• Published date: 01 November 2020
• Date: 01 November 2020
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/1043986220936115

Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice

2020, Vol. 36(4) 582 –595

© The Author(s) 2020

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DOI: 10.1177/1043986220936115

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Article

Sexual Violence as a

Form of Abuse in Men’s

Experiences of Female-

Perpetrated Intimate

Partner Violence

Elizabeth A. Bates1 and Siobhan Weare2

Abstract

The issue of men’s sexual victimization in the context of intimate partner violence

(IPV) where the perpetrator is female has received minimal attention. This article

brings together and analyses data from two empirical studies conducted in the United

Kingdom—one exploring men’s experiences of being forced-to-penetrate women

and another investigating men’s experiences of female-perpetrated IPV. Analysis of

the data found that men experienced sexual violence alongside a range of other

abusive behaviors, but that there was a clear relationship between the sexual

violence and physical violence/ force, and coercive and controlling behaviors that they

experienced. These novel insights improve our understanding about men’s sexual and

domestic violence victimization, as well as challenge gender and sex-role stereotypes

around men and masculinity and the (im)possibility of them experiencing sexual and

domestic abuse from a female partner.

Keywords

male victims, female perpetrators, intimate partner violence, sexual violence

Introduction

Sexual violence within intimate relationships is an issue that has received a substantial

amount of attention within existing academic literature (e.g., see Frieze, 1983; Martin

et al., 2007). This is particularly the case in feminist scholarship, where the experiences

1Institute of Health, University of Cumbria, Carlisle, UK

2The Law School, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK

Corresponding Author:

Siobhan Weare, The Law School, Bowland North, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW, UK.

Email: s.weare@lancaster.ac.uk

936115CCJXXX10.1177/1043986220936115Journal of Contemporary Criminal JusticeBates and Weare

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