Exploring relationship pathways to prevent intimate partner violence among young women in Malawi.
Outcomes: Gender‑Based Violence
View SourceKey Social Norms Take-aways Social norms—particularly those related to masculinity, male provision, women’s gender roles, and sexual expectations—play a central role in shaping relationship dynamics and intimate partner violence (IPV) among young women in Malawi. The study highlights that IPV is often triggered when men perceive threats to their socially expected roles (e.g., being questioned about infidelity or failing to provide) or when women are seen to transgress gender norms (e.g., not fulfilling household duties, perceived infidelity, or mobility without permission). Norms around sexual entitlement further underpin sexual IPV, especially when women refuse sex. Importantly, norms of silence and normalization of violence discourage help-seeking, reinforcing cycles of abuse. The discussion emphasizes that addressing IPV requires tackling both structural poverty and deeply embedded gender norms simultaneously, as each reinforces the other.
Objectives The study aimed to examine how household cash transfer programmes influence relationship formation, IPV triggers and experiences, and help-seeking behaviors among young women in Malawi, with a focus on understanding relationship pathways to IPV.
Methods A qualitative study design was used, involving 39 in-depth interviews with young women aged 19–29 living in households participating in Malawi’s Social Cash Transfer Programme. Data were collected in Salima and Mangochi districts and analyzed using thematic coding and relationship pathway mapping. Social norms were assessed through participants’ narratives on gender roles, masculinity, sexual expectations, and relationship behaviors, capturing both injunctive norms (e.g., expectations of male authority and female compliance) and descriptive norms (common practices such as silence around IPV and acceptance of male infidelity).
Results The study identified four key pathways to IPV: (1) threats to masculinity (e.g., confronting infidelity or lack of provision) leading to emotional or physical IPV; (2) transgressions of women’s gender norms (e.g., not completing household duties, mobility, or suspected infidelity) triggering violence; (3) denial of sex leading to sexual or physical IPV; and (4) pregnancy-related tensions, including IPV arising during or resulting from pregnancy. Poverty was a cross-cutting factor influencing relationship formation and increasing vulnerability to IPV, often pushing women into relationships for material support. Help-seeking for IPV was limited due to norms of secrecy and normalization of violence, with women more likely to seek help for non-IPV issues. Notably, participants did not attribute significant changes in relationships or IPV to the cash transfer programme.
Conclusions The study concludes that IPV among young women is shaped by intersecting structural and normative factors, with gender norms and economic vulnerability jointly driving relationship dynamics and violence. Cash transfer programmes alone are insufficient to prevent IPV; instead, integrated approaches that address harmful gender norms, promote equitable relationship dynamics, and provide targeted support to adolescents and young women are needed to prevent violence early in life.
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