The complex social issue of domestic violence is a global problem. Its multifaceted impacts are devastating to those far beyond the immediate victim and perpetrator. On the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, domestic violence incidences are frequent. While customary, reactive intervention and research initiatives in Trinidad have focused mainly on women and children, curbing this social ill has been unsuccessful. This dissertation sought to balance the domestic violence equation by exploring Trinidadian men’s perspectives on this social issue and also sought to examine their perspectives on the concept of male marginalization in relation. Using a qualitative method of inquiry, the researcher collected data from a sample of twelve Trinidadian men; seven took part in one-on-one open-ended interview sessions, and the remaining five participated in a focus group. Two central research questions guided the study: (1) What are men’s perceived reasons about why Trinidadian men perpetrate domestic violence against women in Trinidad? (2) What are men’s perspectives on male marginalization and its influence on why men perpetrate domestic violence against women in Trinidad? The study found that the participants perceived Trinidadian men’s domestic violence perpetrating habits to be a result of several factors such as: a need to be in control, feel powerful and to demand respect; men’s inability to communicate feelings and emotions; childhood socialization experiences and lack of consequences for perpetrators. Additionally, male marginalization was perceived to be a result of women’s upward mobility in education, employment and income earning capabilities. Participants perceived male marginalization as contributory to men’s perpetration of domestic violence in Trinidad.

Several studies suggest that sexual assaults are experienced differently by males than by females. In dominant discourses in which sexual perpetration is associated with males and sexual victimisation with females, males are expected to practice and exhibit hegemonic masculinity. This gendered perception of sexual assaults means that female perpetration of male child sexual abuse often goes unrecognised and that male perpetration is particularly problematic for male victims. Using a feminist critical paradigm and critical discourse analysis as a research design, this study explored how a sample of male victims in Zimbabwe experienced sexual abuse as children and how they were affected by it. The study, further, explored how the male victims of childhood sexual abuse sought to reconcile the experience of victimisation with their identity as males. Nine men participated in the study. The sample was, due to the sensitive nature of the topic, purposively selected using letters describing the nature of the study and inviting participation. The letters were distributed through diverse channels, including a newspaper with national coverage. Most participants reported experiences of female perpetrated abuse. The study found that, in keeping with dominant discourses of hegemonic masculinity, the participants struggled to construct themselves as victims. Many of the participants were considerably and negatively affected by having been sexually abused. Participants utilised a variety of methods to come to terms with the fact that they were males who had been victimised. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)