Linguistic-narrative identity work among male survivors of intimate partner violence within the context of traditional masculinity norms

This qualitative research project investigates how male survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) negotiate and construct their identities as men and as victims through language and narrative. Male survivors remain an underrepresented and often invisible group in IPV research, practice, and public discourse. Existing societal expectations—such as the association of masculinity with strength and agency, and the cultural positioning of “victimhood” as passive or weak—create tensions that may complicate men’s self-understanding and their willingness to identify as victims. These dynamics can influence help-seeking, coping strategies, and interactions with support systems. The project explores these processes by conducting semi-structured narrative interviews with two groups: (1) male survivors of IPV, recruited through men’s shelters and support services in Germany, and (2) experts who professionally work with male IPV survivors (e.g., counselors, police officers, psychotherapists, victim support staff). Survivor interviews focus on the participants’ own narratives of violence, identity work, and linguistic strategies (e.g., minimization, justification, irony, repositioning). Expert interviews complement these accounts by providing insights into institutional, discursive, and practical contexts surrounding male victimization. Together, these perspectives enable methodological triangulation and a multi-layered understanding of how identity is negotiated both individually and socially. All interviews will be audio-recorded, manually transcribed, pseudonymized, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis (Mayring). The analysis will explore how survivors position themselves within or against dominant gender norms, how they manage the identity conflict between “man” and “victim,” and how these dynamics appear across cases and contexts. The primary purpose of the study is to generate a deeper understanding of the narrative identity work male survivors engage in when describing their experiences of IPV. Expected outcomes include theoretical insights into the interplay of masculinity, victimhood, and narrative identity construction; empirical contributions to a largely underexplored field, especially within German-speaking contexts; practical implications for improving communication, support services, and institutional responses for male IPV survivors; enhanced visibility of a marginalized victim group by documenting their experiences in depth. By providing a nuanced account of how men linguistically make sense of their IPV experiences, this study seeks to inform both academic debates and practical interventions, ultimately contributing to more inclusive, gender-sensitive approaches in IPV support and research.