Gender Relation, Patriarchal Control, and Domestic Violence: A Qualitative Study in Mauritius

Domestic violence has become a significant issue affecting women. Women’s oppression has increased through living in a modern society. Mauritius is an example where domestic violence has been critically expanded, resulting in manslaughter. Therefore, the aim of the study is to investigate the link between gender relations, patriarchal control, and domestic violence. The focal point is to understand women’s position in a patriarchal society like Mauritius, whether patriarchy is a dominant factor, and how gender relations play their role in contributing to domestic abuse. Furthermore, identifying the aspect of staying in an abusive relationship is an important aspect of determining the control of men over women and how they cope in this type of relationship. A qualitative approach has been used to identify these factors by using a sample of thirteen victims who were subjected to different forms of patriarchal control by their spouses and partners. Results show that domestic violence keeps increasing as a significant societal problem. There is a strong correlation between patriarchal control and domestic violence in Mauritius.