MASCULINITY AND FAMILY VIOLENCE: AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE PAKHTUNS’ VIOLENT MASCULINITIES IN PARENTAL & SPOUSAL RELATIONS

Abstract

Violence by no means is restricted to an ethnicity, culture, or society, rather is a universally prevalent phenomenon existing since the human’s existence. Men by their prime nature and nurture are harsh, hard, rough, and tough, which compel them to dominate any of the social situations. Particularly, Pakhtun men are more dominant because of the cultural provision and traditional space to them. Such dominance is evident in all spheres of life ranging from simple form of socialization to complex economic and political decisions and protection of the family. To elaborate such conception, the current study is qualitatively framed by studying Pakhtun men incarcerated in central prisons of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province for violent crimes like murder and assault. The in-depth interviews from the selected sample size reveal that violence is compulsion in Pakhtun society for men because it’s a matter of survival and existence. Violence is committed for ensuring peace at home and bringing social order and social control in family.