About the project
There is an ongoing debate on how to understand forced marriages and negative social control, with the concept of "honor-based violence" at the core of the discussion. Some researchers argue that honor-based violence is fundamentally different, and when these differences are overlooked, it contributes to the marginalizations of those affected. Others criticize the concept for implying that minorities are (over)controlled by culture and/or religion, thus labelling entire population groups. It is claimed that this leads to a comparative mistake, where Western ideals of equality and individual freedom are juxtaposed against "the others" practices. This research project will address these challenges and enhance our understanding of sexual violence within minority communities.
Method
The project is comparative and involves an analysis of two qualitative datasets: one collected by NKVTS on young people's exposure to, and perpetration of, youth intimate partner relationship from the project 'Sexual Violence in Close Relationships – For Young Victims, Perpetrators, and Institutional Frameworks' (Överlien et al., 2024). The second dataset consists of interviews with individuals of minority backgrounds who have experienced or perpetrated sexual violence/control.
Objectives
The research project aims provide an empirical basis for discussing similarities and differences between youth intimate partner violence within majority-, and minority communities. This knowledge will contribute to increased competence within social support services working to prevent sexual violence and control in general, but especially for individuals with experiences of sexual violence within minority societies.