13:30 - 15:00
Room: Muirhead Room 109
Stream: Open Stream
Violence Against Men: Study of Vigilante Violence of Men in Ghana
Daniel Yaw Fiaveh
University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast

Discourse has underemphasised male vulnerability in relation to equity and personal security. The present study contributes to men’s personal security and rights discourse in Ghana and highlights vulnerable men. Ghana is faced with an urgent and critical need to respond to vigilante violence. Drawing on newspaper (Daily Graphic and Ghanaian Times) reportage on violence in Ghana from 2009-2017, I draw attention of feminists/gender scholars about the need to extend the frontiers of gender equality and security in Ghana focusing on the state of male vulnerability and inclusion, where there is an increasing trend of vigilante violence against men. Specifically, I profiled the demographic background of victims, the purported crimes committed, and situated vigilante violence within discourse about gender equity and personal security in Africa using Michael Kimmel and Raewyn Connell’s clarion call to rethink [hegemonic] masculinity. The initial findings point to a gendered nature of vigilante violence in Ghana. While vigilante violence can be explained by lack of trust in the legal regime in Ghana (e.g., delays/frustrations/conspiracy in justice and acquittal of alleged criminals), I contend that construction of masculinities (in relation to bravado/risk-taking, courage, physical strength, ability to be violent, and other scripts associated with manliness) intersect with the biases associated with the treatment of alleged male criminals and foster the space for violence to be visited on alleged male criminals than women. In arguing that men are vulnerable, I am also mindful not to overstep the boundaries of what might normally constitute a sensitive research design in pro/feminist discourse.


Reference:
Th-OS Gender, Inequality, and Intersectionality 2-P-002
Presenter/s:
Daniel Yaw Fiaveh
Presentation type:
Panel
Room:
Muirhead Room 109
Date:
Thursday, 13 September
Time:
13:45 - 14:00
Session times:
13:30 - 15:00